ROCHESTER, MINN. -- The most common chronic illness faced by Americans today? High blood pressure. An estimated 50 million Americans have high blood pressure or hypertension. Monitoring your blood pressure at home can help you control it. Mayo Clinic has created an interactive tool to help those faced with monitoring this condition -- a new interactive tracker available on Mayo Clinic Health Oasis, www.mayohealth.org.
High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of disability or death due to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure. Unfortunately, many people think that having this condition isn't a big deal. Nearly a third of those affected don't even know they have it because the disease usually doesn't produce symptoms until it has progressed to an advanced stage.
The good news? The condition is treatable. Accurately measuring your blood pressure on a frequent basis allows you to proactively manage your hypertension. With Mayo Clinic's Blood Pressure Tracker, you can record your measurements on your home computer. When it's time for your next medical visit, simply print a copy of your readings to take with you. This tool will help both you and your physician monitor your blood pressure.
The Mayo Clinic Blood Pressure Tracker allows you to set healthy lifestyle goals. Additional articles on Mayo Clinic Health Oasis, www.mayohealth.org, provide up-to-date information about the condition. In addition, you can take a quiz to test your knowledge of lifestyle factors that increase the likelihood of hypertension.
For this helpful health interactive tool, click on the Heart Center (mayohealth.org/mayo/common/htm/heartpg.htm) when you visit Mayo Clinic Health Oasis at www.mayohealth.org.
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