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 Back in the Fight Montana 1, Hypertension 0 by Kelly H. Johnson What comes to mind when we hear the name Joe Montana? For most of us, that answer is football. One of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Joe Montana led the San Francisco 49ers to nine divisional championships and four Super Bowl victories. But the “Comeback Kid” found himself in one of the toughest fights of his life a few years ago when he went in for a routine check-up with his doctor and was told him he had high blood pressure. “Not just high,” said Montana, relaxing on a sofa in the Jefferson Hotel during a recent visit to Richmond, “dangerously high!” The diagnosis came as a shock. With his trademark humor and graciousness, he admitted he wasn’t exactly in the best shape of his life. “My work-outs had decreased but my eating habits had stayed exactly the same!” Still, he was a former professional athlete, only 45 years old, and had no symptoms to indicate there was any kind of problem. Today, with the help of a combination of medication, a healthy diet and regular exercise, Montana’s blood pressure is exactly where it should be. But his experience inspired him to get the word out. Teaming with the public education campaign BP Success Zone, Montana is working to educate Americans about the risks associated with high blood pressure. Chat with the Comeback Kid His travels brought him to Richmond, along with Dr. James Rippe, a leading authority on preventive cardiology, health and fitness. In an interview with Fifty Plus, Montana talked about managing his blood pressure and shared much of what he has learned about this potentially life-threatening disease. Medically speaking, high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is blood pressure that is at or above 140/90 mm Hg. (For patients with kidney disease or diabetes, high blood pressure is anything above 130/80.) Blood pressure in the range of 120/80 to 139/89 is considered prehypertensive. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg. An estimated one in three adults suffer from hypertension. In fact, 41 percent of Virginians age 55-64 have been told by a health care professional that they have high blood pressure—a number significantly above the national average. However, two-thirds of those who are diagnosed do not have their blood pressure under control. Cause is Hard to Pinpoint Surprisingly, 90 percent of the time there is no way to know whether a person’s high blood pressure is primarily the result of genetics or lifestyle. “No one can say whether or how much hereditary versus lifestyle factors play into the equation,” said Rippe. “Doctors do know that people who are very sedentary, significantly overweight or who smoke are more likely to develop the disease, but there is no direct cause and effect.” Equal-Opportunity Disease High blood pressure is often referred to as ‘The Silent Killer,’ said Rippe, because “you can be an athlete or a couch potato, totally asymptomatic and still have dangerously high blood pressure.” In fact, the first “symptom” of high blood pressure for many people is a heart attack or a stroke. This is one of the reasons Joe Montana has gotten involved. High blood pressure is an equal-opportunity disease, but in his experience, most people—especially baby boomers—simply do not want to think of themselves as having a chronic illness or as having what they consider an “old person’s” disease. The trouble is that high blood pressure is an extremely dangerous condition when left untreated. “Our bodies are simply not designed to withstand high blood pressure,” explained Rippe.“It does damage to the inner lining of every artery in your body every time your heart beats.” And the news only gets worse: “We now have very good evidence that even small increases in blood pressure—prehypertension levels—substantially increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.” Diagnosis is Simple The good news is that high blood pressure is simple to diagnose. A quick visit to your doctor or to a blood pressure machine at your local pharmacy will give you the information you need. If you do have high blood pressure or prehypertension, then you need to begin working with your doctor to find the right combination of medicines and lifestyle changes that will bring about the best result for you. “You rarely get it right on the first try,” said Montana, “so don’t be afraid to speak up. You’ll want to monitor your blood pressure regularly at home—or each time you’re in the grocery store—until you get it under control. Let your physician know how you are feeling on the medication and fairly quickly you will hit upon the right combination.” Then, of course, there are changes to be made in your diet. Both Montana and Rippe agreed that salt is the biggest offender, followed closely by over-consumption. In other words, they said, stop overeating and get to a healthy weight! “We encourage everyone to follow the [Centers for Disease Control] guidelines and accumulate 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity four or more days a week,” said Rippe. His recommendation? “Walking! It is probably the best exercise going.” For more information about Joe Montana’s personal story and about blood pressure health in general, go to www.bpsuccesszone.com, which is sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Kelly H. Johnson is a freelance writer who lives in Richmond with her husband and children.
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