Controlling high blood pressure

New York -- High blood pressure, medically called hypertension, is termed a silent killer because it can often fatally damage the heart and kidneys without any symptoms.

Now, the World Health Organization is announcing that high blood pressure is the biggest cause of premature death in the world.

Peter Sarfaty has high blood pressure, he calls it "high BP". He also has heart disease and needed bypass surgery on blocked heart arteries.

Sarfaty said, "I stopped taking my BP medicines and stopped seeing my doctors and that was a big mistake."

Peter Sarfaty was very lucky. Uncontrolled high blood pressure could be a factor in a fatal heart attack. The World Health Organization warns us about just that, saying that, "high blood pressure is the first of the five leading causes of early death from any disease or behavior, the second being tobacco use."

Eugenia Gianos of the NYU Langone Medical Center says, "Poorly controlled blood pressure can lead to thickening of the heart, stroke risk, heart attack, and also irregular rhythms that could lead to death."

Normal blood pressure is 120 over 80. Abnormal is 140 over 90. Anything in between is called pre-hypertension.

Much of hypertension is genetic, but there are medications which can make it worse, even some of those in the drug store.

WABC's Dr. Jay Adlersberg says, "There are over the counter pills that can raise your blood pressure. Some cough and cold medicines, decongestants, and some arthritis pills and be culprits, so tell your doctor if you take any of them."

There are many prescription pills to help control pressure. Some have side effects, but doctors suggest that leaving blood pressure poorly controlled is much higher a risk than any medication that you may be concerned about side effects in the long term.

Besides high blood pressure and smoking at the top, the World's three other biggest killers were high blood sugar seen in diabetes, lack of exercise and obesity and overweight. Many of these killers can be controlled with diet and exercise, and specific medications.

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