Blood Pressure: The Cold Facts

Freezing temperatures can give you bigger health problems than catching the sniffles.

Cold weather may cause dangerous changes in blood pressure, say Veterans Affairs researchers. Their study of 443,632 veterans with high blood pressure found that we're more likely to have high readings during colder months, probably because of winter weight gain and inactivity. Author Ross Fletcher, MD, advises, "People who are borderline, with a reading of 130/80 in the summer, should be checked again in winter."

What blood pressure should you aim for? For heart health, experts agree: in general, the lower, the better. A group of researchers at Cleveland Clinic found that only patients who got their pressure below 120/80 showed signs of reversal of coronary disease. Those with higher numbers saw no change or an increase in arterial plaque.

From Reader's Digest - February 2008

 

• Healthy Heart
• Cholesterol
• Exercise
• • Heart Disease
• • High Blood Pressure

• Are You a Ticking Time Bomb?
• Every year, more than 850,000 Americans have a heart attack, and for about half of them, the first symptom is death.
• 
• 10 Easy Steps to a Healthier Heart
• Keep your heart healthy and reduce your heart attack risk with these simple tips.
• 
• Warning Signs of Heart Disease
• Important symptoms to watch out for.
• 
• Exercise Your Heart Attack Risk Away
• A healthier heart is as simple as a daily walk.
• 
• Heart-Healthy Advice You Need
• Whether you're at high risk for heart trouble or you're trying to control early-stage heart disease, here are some simple lifestyle changes you can make.
• 
• Heart Disease Risk Factors You Can Change
• Reduce the possibility of a heart attack with lifestyle modifications.
• 

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• Quiz: Match the Celebrity With the Cause

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-- Mary E. Rasamny