Mar 24, 2008 9:03 pm US/Mountain
Parents Might Be Passing On High Blood Pressure
DENVER (CBS4) ―
A major new study finds children who have a parent with high blood pressure are up to six times more likely to develop the condition themselves.
The study shows there's something going on genetically in certain groups of family that makes them prone to hypertension.
"If you have high blood pressure in the family, you need to start preventing it decades before it begins," CBS4 Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida said.
Health officials don't know what causes high blood pressure. Things like smoking, obesity, and drinking can contribute to it, but even thin, healthy people can develop high numbers as well.
The study followed more than 1,000 people for almost 60 years. It found if one or both parents have high blood pressure, odds are stacked their children will get it too. And if a parent had high blood pressure before age 50, the risk really jumps at age 30.
But family history is not destiny.
How to prevent high blood pressure: • Eat six servings of fruits and vegetables each day can lower your numbers 8 points.
• Low salt lowers it 5 points.
• A half hour of exercise each week lowers it 5 points.
• For every 10 pounds of extra weight lost, blood pressure can drop 7 points.
All told, those four lifestyle changes add up to 25 points of lower blood pressure. Making those changes can not only prevent high blood pressure from developing, but those who already have it can lower the number in as little as two weeks.
(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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