Politics & Government

Checking Your Blood Pressure Could Save Your Life

The Douglas County Fire Department offers free blood pressure monitoring at any of its neighborhood fire stations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, 365 days a year.

Fire Safety Educator Sherri Yearta of the Douglas County Fire/EMS Department and Douglas County Communications Director Wes Tallon supported Congressman Scott’s annual Jobs Fair recently at the Georgia International Convention Center by monitoring blood pressures as they have done for the past many years. Thousands of job seekers come to the Jobs Fair, many of whom are Douglas County residents.

Blood pressure monitoring at an event like this is important since people who are unemployed often do not have health insurance and therefore are not visiting the doctor, are not eating properly, are under stress, and are not sleeping well - all high or low blood pressure drivers.

They monitored 140 blood pressures and approximately half registered in the high range (over 140/90 - a good blood pressure reading is 120/70)). Although there is no official blood pressure reading called “stroke level”, it is generally
accepted that blood pressures over 150/110 greatly increase the chance of a stroke. They found about 10 of these, including one as high as 194/115. Many of these people did not know they had high blood pressure. Each person who registered as high were privately counseled, and some were requested to come back for re-verifications. All of the re-verifications also came back high.

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One “stroke level” person was encouraged to go to the emergency room, which she did, and she called Tallon Friday night to thank him for “saving her life.” At the ER, she was diagnosed with high blood pressure and diabetes and was given the appropriate medication. She was unaware that she had either condition.

High blood pressure is known as the “silent killer” since it’s effects include heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, eye damage and congestive heart failure. The body structures most vulnerable to high blood pressure include the blood vessels, heart, brain and kidneys. High blood pressure is eminently treatable with prescription medications and lifestyle changes.

Find out what's happening in Douglasvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Douglas County Fire Department offers free blood pressure monitoring at any of its neighborhood fire stations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, 365 days a year.


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