Fighting Back Against the Silent Killer

Millions of Americans go through each day without realizing they're being affected by a deadly affliction. It's called 'hypertension,' and it's often called the 'silent killer.' Mary Ann Meyer is a clinical associate at Duke University Medical Center. She says hypertension, often referred to as 'high blood pressure,' can go undetected for years, since there are no obvious symptoms. But even without symptoms, hypertension can be attacking the brain, the heart, the kidneys, and even the eyes.

"The vessels in those areas are sensitive to blood pressure changes, and if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure for a period of time and you don't know it, then you can start having risk factors for stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, even blindness."

Meyer says contrary to what some people think, you don't have to be obese, a heavy drinker or have a 'type A' personality to have hypertension. It can affect the young or the elderly, the athlete or the couch potato, male or female. Meyer says it's important to keep a regular check on your blood pressure, even if you use one of those blood-pressure testers at the pharmacy or the mall. I'm Tom Britt.

Meyer says just because you avoid alcohol and keep yourself slim and trim, you still need to have your blood pressure checked regularly.

Cut 2...indirectly...:11 . . . (Preview this in a WAV file in 16-bit mono.)

"They see a correlation that if you do drink heavily or if you are obese that there's a higher risk, and that's the key term. You have a higher risk for developing hypertension, but it's indirect."