Getting Heart Healthy For The Holidays:
Managing Your Blood Pressure
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Do you know your blood pressure numbers? Has it been checked within the past two years? Are you at risk for high blood pressure? Take Dr. Donnica's Decisionnaire ™. Check off all the points that apply to you. Even if you don't have high blood pressure (yet) pay particular attention to the factors that are under your control. With respect to preventing high blood pressure and heart disease, small changes in behavior often yield big reductions in risk.
Do you smoke?
Do you have a family history of high blood pressure?
Are you African American?
Are you over age 50?
Are you postmenopausal?
Do you take birth control pills, decongestants, diet pills, or steroids?
Are you on estrogen replacement therapy?
Are you overweight?
Is your cholesterol elevated?
Do you feel like you have a stressful daily life?
Are you a couch potato or otherwise have a sedentary lifestyle?
Do you get at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise (i.e. exercise that gets your heart rate up) four times per week?
Did you have high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia or "toxemia" in any of your pregnancies?
Do you have-or have you ever had-kidney disease?
Do you have a high salt/high fat diet? (check yes for this if you eat at fast food restaurants more than once per week)
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 Despite all we know about the dangers of high blood pressure, it is estimated that a third to one half of all Americans with high blood pressure are unaware that they have this dangerous condition. Of those who know they have high blood pressure, only one in four have their blood pressure properly controlled. 
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