Institute of Medicine says high blood pressure is and issue - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

2/22/10

Institute of Medicine says high blood pressure is an issue among Americans

By Kristin Beerman | email

Edited by Jon Bush | email 

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) – High blood pressure is blamed for one in three heart attacks and is responsible for one in six deaths.  There are things we can do to lower blood pressure such as eating right, watching our weight and limiting salt, but now there's something new.  The Institute of Medicine says 98% of Americans are short on potassium, which is something that actually lowers blood pressure.

"When your mom was telling you eat your fruits and vegetables, she was telling you, eat your potassium," said David Fleming, M.D., the Institutes of Medicine Committee Chair.

The IOM is calling for doctors to treat patients more aggressively and it is advising patients not to be afraid of pills to control blood pressure.  Individuals can only do so much, but the treatment is simple, take a little pill that can reduce hypertension and save lives.

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