The American Heart Association says that high blood pressure is the “silent killer” because there are no obvious symptoms to indicate that something is wrong. However, high blood pressure can develop over time and can lead to serious health consequences such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack, and more.
According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, more than one in four New Yorkers has high blood pressure. This is a healthy equity issue because Black and Latino adults are more likely to have high blood pressure than other races/ethnicities. Additionally, structural racism, which can affect the social, economic, and environmental conditions that influence health, likely contributes to this disproportionate burden of disease.
In the Bronx, the borough that continues to rank last in health outcomes across all 62 counties in New York State, continuing the integration of hypertension and overall health awareness is paramount.
On Wednesday, August 2nd, members of the American Heart Association’s Community Impact team led a 90-Day check-in meeting of the Bronx Hypertension Collaborative with representatives from Take the Pressure Off, NYC, the NYC Health Department, Centers Healthcare, NYC LGBTQS Chamber of Commerce, New York City Health + Hospitals, and many more.
The Bronx Hypertension Collaborative is a group of stakeholders that include health systems, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, elected officials and community leaders dedicated to improving the health of all Bronxites through policy, education, investment and equitable access. This gathering was a follow-up to the April 2023 meeting that took place took place at the Centers Health Care offices.
Charmaine Brown, Assistant Director, Take the Pressure Off, NYC, New York City Department of Health, and Mental Hygiene
Throughout their August meeting, executives and representatives discussed updates on increasing Target Blood Pressure Evolution through evidence-based strategies for clinical leaders and healthcare sites. By detailing plans regarding funding, care access, technology and supply access, and individual programs, everyone was able to generate a greater understanding on how to tackle disparities that impact racial, health, age, and wealth equity across medical platforms.
Charmaine Brown, Assistant Director, Take the Pressure Off, NYC, New York City Department of Health, and Mental Hygiene, was one of the many speakers who advocated for improving the policies that are creating gaps in the healthcare system, and provided recommendations on the first steps to overcome them.
Initiatives such as displaying digital and print flyers in multiple languages and identifying local partnerships with Black and Latino companies are some of the many ways health organizations are looking to support communities and patients.
The mission of the American Heart Association’s Community Impact team is to continue addressing hypertension in our city’s healthcare systems to benefit nearly 1.5 million New Yorkers.
Scroll below for more information about High Blood Pressure:
What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure, (also referred to as hypertension, is when your blood pressure, the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels, is consistently too high. Learn more about high blood pressure.
If you have high blood pressure, you are not alone.
- Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure. (Many don’t even know they have it.)
- The best way to know if you have high blood pressure it is to have your blood pressure checked.
Know your numbers.
Learn about your blood pressure numbers and what they mean.
High blood pressure is a ‘silent killer.’
- Most of the time there are no obvious symptoms.
- Certain physical traits and lifestyle choices can put you at a greater risk for high blood pressure.
- When left untreated, the damage that high blood pressure does to your circulatory system is a significant contributing factor to heart attack, stroke and other health threats.
Preventing and managing high blood pressure
- This is one time that the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” is particularly apt. It’s best to avoid high blood pressure altogether. Healthy lifestyle choices are a great place to start.
- With proper treatment and management, you can control your blood pressure to help you live a longer and healthier life.