Love Your Heart (and Your Brain) đź’“
Flowers are nice. Controlling your blood pressure is better.
Hypertension isn’t just a “heart issue”—it’s the most common and significant risk factor for heart, kidney, and brain disease. And yes, that includes dementia.
Why Blood Pressure Deserves a Valentine
According to research from the American Heart Association published in Circulation (August 14, 2025), tighter blood pressure control significantly lowers the risk of cardiovascular events—especially in older adults and those with multiple conditions.
Translation: BP control saves lives. Quietly. Consistently.
The Education Gap (This Is the Problem)
A January 2025 study in Hypertension found that only 1 in 3 people using home blood pressure monitors received proper education on:
When to check
How to sit
Cuff size and placement
What numbers actually matter
Bad data = bad decisions.
Home Blood Pressure Monitoring: Non-Negotiables
If you’re monitoring at home, these are musts:
Validated upper-arm cuff (not wrist)
Correct cuff size (this alone skews readings)
Seated, feet flat, back supported
Arm at heart level
No caffeine, exercise, or talking beforehand
Consistent timing (same time, same routine)
Most people do at least one of these wrong.
Blood Pressure & the Brain (Here’s the Wake-Up Call)
Uncontrolled hypertension damages small blood vessels in the brain. Over time, this contributes to:
Cognitive impairment
Vascular dementia
Increased Alzheimer’s risk (Sometimes what looks like memory decline is actually medication-related. I explain that in Is it just aging or is it my medication?)
Treating blood pressure isn’t just about preventing strokes—it’s about protecting thinking, memory, and independence.
Want to know if you’re doing home BP monitoring correctly? Ask the Advocate!
Join me on Zoom for proper, personalized blood pressure education—because guessing doesn’t count as prevention.
✨ Stay confident. Stay informed. Stay Taylormade.