Hypertension management

AHA, Mercy launch virtual program to lower blood pressure

The American Heart Association and Mercy Health are helping Lorain County residents take ownership of their cardiovascular health through hypertension management, according to a news release from the organizations

The program is part of Mercy Health’s sponsorship of the American Heart Association’s Healthy For Good Campaign, the release said.

Employees from Equity Trust will participate in a virtual workplace-based program designed to improve blood pressure.

On Oct. 13, employees began a three-month program that provides electronic tools, resources and prompts designed to help manage and reduce high blood pressure remotely.

Nearly half of U.S. adults have hypertension, and many are not aware of their own blood pressure numbers, the release said.

Called “the silent killer,” high blood pressure often has no symptoms and accounts for the second-most preventable cause of heart disease and stroke deaths among preventable causes, second only to smoking, according to the release.

“It is important to manage high blood pressure, especially during this time,” said Dr. Michael Todd, vice president of Direct to Business at Mercy Health. “I always tell patients to take responsibility for their health and learn more about those risk factors and what can be done to lower them.

“I encourage them to ask questions and take an active role in their health care.”

Healthy behaviors help prevent high blood pressure, and it makes a big difference - at age 30, someone with hypertension is nearly 20 percent more likely to develop heart disease or stroke, according to the release.

Conversely, at age 50, people with normal blood pressure have a life expectancy five years longer than those with high blood pressure, the release said.

“We care about our staff and want to ensure they have resources to manage their health,” says George Sullivan, chief executive officer of Equity Health and board member of the American Heart Association. “We are grateful for this program that will allow our staff to manage high blood pressure by building healthy habits and tracking progress no matter where they are.”

The program — Check. Change. Control. — engages participants by emphasizing three important aspects of managing hypertension: Checking for high blood pressure and symptoms; Changing lifestyle and seeking treatment; and Controlling hypertension by taking preventative measures.

Akey part of the program is educating the patients on what is high blood pressure, when should they talk with their doctors and how to lower their blood pressure, the release said.