Check Your High Blood Pressure Prevention I.Q.

Test your knowledge of high blood pressure with the following questions. The answers are given at the end of this article.

1. There is nothing you can do to prevent high blood pressure. T or F
2. If your mother or father has high blood pressure, you'll get it. T or F
3. Young adults don't get high blood pressure. T or F
4. High blood pressure has no symptoms. T or F
5. Stress causes high blood pressure. T or F
6. High blood pressure is not life-threatening. T or F
7. Blood pressure is high when it's at or over 140/90 mm Hg. T or F
8. If you're overweight, you are two to six times more likely to develop high blood pressure. T or F
9. You have to exercise vigorously every day to improve your blood pressure and heart health. T or F
10. Americans eat two to three times more salt and sodium than they need. T or F
11. Drinking alcohol lowers blood pressure. T or F
12. High blood pressure has no cure. T or F

High Blood Pressure Prevention IQ Quiz Answers
How well did you do? Here are the answers to the high blood pressure prevention I.Q. test.

1. False. High blood pressure can be prevented with four steps: keep a healthy weight; become physically active; limit your salt and sodium use; and, if you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
2. False. You are more likely to get high blood pressure if it runs in your family, but that doesn't mean you must get it. Your chance of getting high blood pressure is also greater if you're older or an African American. But high blood pressure is NOT an inevitable part of aging and everyone can take steps to prevent the disease -- the steps are given in answer 1.
3. False. About 15% of those ages 18 to 39 are among the 50 million Americans with high blood pressure. Once you have high blood pressure, you have it for the rest of your life. So start now to prevent it.
4. True. High blood pressure, or "hypertension," usually has no symptoms. In fact, it is often called the "silent killer." You can have high blood pressure and feel fine. That's why it's important to have your blood pressure checked -- it's a simple test.
5. False. Stress does make blood pressure go up, but only temporarily. Ups and downs in blood pressure are normal. Run for a bus and your pressure rises; sleep and it drops. Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. Blood pressure becomes dangerous when it's always high. That harms your heart and blood vessels. So what does cause high blood pressure? In the vast majority of cases, a single cause is never found.
6. False. High blood pressure is the main cause of stroke and a factor in the development of heart disease and kidney failure.
7. True. But even blood pressures slightly under 140/90 mm Hg can increase your risk of heart disease or stroke.
8. True. As weight increases, so does blood pressure. It's important to stay at a healthy weight. If you need to reduce, try to lose 1/2 to 1 pound a week. Choose foods low in fat (especially saturated fat), since fat is high in calories. Even if you're at a good weight, the healthiest way to eat is low fat, low cholesterol.
9. False. Studies show that even a little physical activity helps prevent high blood pressure and strengthens your heart. Even among the overweight, those who are active have lower blood pressures than those who aren't. It's best to do some activity for 30 minutes, most days. Walk, garden, bowl -- any activity that gets you moving. If you don't have a 30-minute period, do something for 15 minutes, twice a day. Every bit helps -- so make activity part of your daily routine.
10. True. Americans eat way too much salt and sodium. And some people, such as many African Americans, are especially sensitive to salt. Salt is made of sodium and chloride, and it's mostly the sodium that affects blood pressure. Salt is only one form of sodium -- there are others. So you need to watch your use of both salt and sodium. That includes what's added to foods at the table and in cooking, and what's already in processed foods and snacks. Americans, especially people with high blood pressure, should eat no more than about 6 grams of salt a day, which contains about 2,400 milligrams of sodium.
11. False. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure. If you drink, have no more than two drinks a day. The "Dietary Guidelines" recommend that for overall health, women should limit their alcohol to no more than one drink a day. A drink would be 1.5 ounces of 80 proof whiskey, or 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer.
12. True. But high blood pressure can be treated and controlled. Treatment usually includes lifestyle changes -- losing weight, if overweight; becoming physically active; limiting salt and sodium; and avoiding drinking excess alcohol -- and, if needed, medication. But the best way to avoid the dangers of high blood pressure is to prevent the condition.

The information in this article has been made available by the National Institutes of Health.

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.