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Local HeartBright Foundation Joins In Preventive Awareness Of High Blood Pressure and Stroke Education Month
May 138, 2005
Charlotte, NC -- Through a City of Charlotte Proclamation, Mayor Patrick McCrory declared the month of May to be "Stroke and High Blood Pressure Education Month" in Charlotte. Reinforcing the proclamation, the HeartBright Foundation, a cardiovascular disease resource center in the 16-county Charlotte USA region collaborating with Presbyterian Center for Preventive Cardiology, encourages all residents in this area to prevent and control high blood pressure, which contributes to the alarming national statistic annually of one million heart attacks, strokes (a reduction or disruption in blood flow to the brain) and heart failure.
According to Claire Blocker, president and founder of the HeartBright Foundation, who had a stroke at 47 and a heart attack at 51 that demanded quadruple bypass surgery, "High blood pressure is a significant and growing public health problem in our region because of our diet and lifestyle. HeartBright was established in 2003 to provide programs and awareness on how to help people understand the risk factors of high blood pressure, stroke and cardiovascular disease and to modify their diets and lifestyle choices.
"One out of every three adults in our region has high blood pressure," confirmed Dr. Daniel Wise, who directs the Presbyterian Center for Preventive Cardiology and serves on the board of directors and medical advisory board for HeartBright Foundation. "If it is not detected and controlled, the outcome may be heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease, the first, third, and ninth leading causes of death in this country annually."
"Our continual mission is to educate people about the importance of controlling high blood pressure to help prevent stroke and cardiovascular disease. There is even a correlation between stroke, cardiovascular disease and migraine headaches all three from which I have suffered," Blocker explained. "Together our two organizations have made great progress in our collaborative efforts these past two years, but there is so much more to do, especially as our population ages and becomes more overweight and obese in this community."
When it comes to preventing stroke and cardiovascular disease, Dr. Wise recommends:
- Eating a Mediterranean diet that consists mostly of whole grains, fruits, beans, and vegetables. This style of eating includes small portions of fish, lean meats and poultry, using olive oil and avoiding trans fats which are found in most processed food that contain hydrogenated vegetable oils. Low fat or non-fat dairy is allowed in moderate servings. Reducing salt intake is also important.
- Exercising on a regular basis, preferably each day for 1 hour
- Not smoking
- Seeing a healthcare provider routinely
- Taking medications properly
- Monitoring and controlling blood pressure routinely
- Managing cholesterol, blood sugar levels and weight
- Understanding your family medical history
- Knowing the symptoms of stroke and calling 9-1-1 immediately -- Time lost is brain lost!
Stroke symptoms are:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
For more information, visit HeartBright Foundation¹s web site at www.heartbright.org.
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