Are you celebrating? It’s National Women’s Blood Pressure Awareness Week and to mark the occasion, we want to underscore how important it is for you to be aware of your blood pressure and take appropriate actions to keep your pressure in check and under control. As we highlighted in the new agebuzz post on salt intake, elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is linked to a heightened risk for heart failure, heart attack, or stroke. So staying on top of your blood pressure numbers, and developing a plan of action with your healthcare provider, is critical to keeping you off the ever-growing list of US adults with high blood pressure. What are the optimal systolic and diastolic numbers for your age? Forbes just published an easy-to-understand article on what is considered normal blood pressure by age, or, if you prefer a video explanation, grab your clicker and watch here. 

Among older adults, women over 70, in particular, seem to struggle most with uncontrolled high blood pressure, even if they take blood pressure-lowering medications. This worrisome trend suggests the need for better monitoring of blood pressure between visits to a healthcare provider, which likely means having the right equipment at home to regularly check your pressure. But that’s a recommendation that’s often honored more in the breach than reality. According to a new survey just published by the National Poll on Healthy Aging, 62% of respondents said they were told by their healthcare providers to periodically check their blood pressure yet only 48% report doing regular home blood pressure monitoring. In essence, the poll found that more than ½ of surveyed adults who could benefit from home blood pressure monitoring do not do so, and 2 out of 5 respondents say a provider never told them to check their pressure outside of the healthcare setting, even though their medical condition may warrant interim checks. To find out more, pull out your cuff and click here. And for a new list of the best home-monitoring blood pressure devices, look here.

Keeping your blood pressure under control not only helps put your cardiovascular system on a healthier path but, according to a newly published study, can also help keep your brain younger. According to research published in Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience, keeping your blood pressure at optimal levels can help your brain stay at least 6 months younger than your actual age. Even those with elevated but not “high” blood pressure were at increased risk for brain aging. Researchers examined more than 2000 brain scans of 686 healthy individuals ages 44-76 and found that for younger and older adults alike, the goal of keeping your blood pressure at an optimal level will bring you the reward of not only a healthier heart but a younger and healthier brain. To find out more, cut the salt, cue the exercise, and read here.