Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is a significant health concern that affects over a billion globally. As a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which are among the primary causes of death in the United States, understanding and managing high blood pressure is crucial for long-term health and well-being.
High blood pressure develops over time and is often linked to a combination of genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors. It's called the "silent killer" because it can be asymptomatic for years, making awareness and early detection vital. Regular monitoring of blood pressure is essential for early intervention and management. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides comprehensive resources that define high blood pressure and its causes, and that emphasize the importance of measuring and monitoring blood pressure.
Interpreting your personal health data
At Evidation, we harness the power of personal health data to shed light on the modifiable factors (things you can change!) that may contribute to developing high blood pressure. By analyzing responses from your health surveys along with your wearable data – such as alcohol usage, smoking history, activities, and sleep patterns – we can identify key lifestyle patterns that may influence your blood pressure.
The image above represents a range of health and lifestyle factors, and where you might fall compared to official guidance from the CDC and the American Heart Association (AHA) for managing high blood pressure or improving cardiovascular health.
The blue bars stretching towards the right of the center line show where you are compared to the recommended range. These factors may have a positive influence on your blood pressure. For instance, if you sleep 9 hours per night on average, you’re well into the recommended range of more than 7 hours of sleep per night, which can help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.
The red bars that don’t extend beyond the center line indicate areas for improvement. If, for example, your aerobic minutes are less than 150 minutes per week on average, the red bar suggests that a beneficial change would be to increase your physical activity, in particular your aerobic minutes (for example, by spending more time doing moderate exercises, like brisk walking, biking, or mowing the lawn). Increasing your physical activity may lead to an improvement in cardiovascular health and may improve hypertension prevention and management.
The path forward
Our goal at Evidation is to empower individuals with actionable insights. By understanding where you stand, you can take informed steps to maintain the positive behaviors and address the areas where change could lead to better health outcomes.
Monitoring personal health data is a proactive step towards understanding and mitigating the risks associated with hypertension. By focusing on modifiable lifestyle factors, we can work towards prevention and improved health. For more information on how to manage and prevent high blood pressure, visit the CDC's High Blood Pressure page.
Get your hypertension insight on Evidation
New to Evidation and want to see insights like this? Be sure to connect your fitness apps or wearable devices. Learn how here.
Not yet part of the Evidation community? Download the app today to unlock personalized health insights.
