Water Balloons Can Tell Us a Lot About Blood Pressure
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Transcript of the Audio Segment:
Bannister Wolfe: Bannister here, let’s continue to Think Healthy. Since it’s almost summer, let’s try to understand high blood pressure through an example of a water balloon.
Doctor Puja Uppal: We’ve all been there and we know this: when we squeeze water out of a balloon, we know that the harder you squeeze, the further that water is going to go. Well, guess what? That’s what’s happening inside your body!
When you have high blood pressure, your heart is squeezing & the blood is moving faster and with a lot more force.
This isn’t good because a lot of bad stuff can happen. Some of that bad stuff includes damage to our kidneys, damage to our eyes, and of course damage to the heart itself.
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Bannister Wolfe: And, that’s Doctor Puja.
Doctor Puja Uppal: If you find that your blood pressure is 140 / 90 or higher; you’re at a higher risk for a stroke or a heart attack. It’s time to take that number seriously! The good news is that high blood pressure can be managed, but just don’t ignore the problem. Look, high blood pressure can be managed, but just don’t ignore it.
So, as you go about enjoying your summer, keep that image of a water balloon in your mind. If you have high blood pressure, it’s time to talk to your health care team!
And don’t ignore that problem!