Florida Hindu Organization Inc

“He who has health, has hope. He who has hope, has everything.” Be the author of your own health and take charge with early screening! Nurses from Broward Health will be in the Temple on Sunday May 1st starting at 9am to screen for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. In addition, they will also have a carotid artery ultrasound to screen for occlusion. These services, in addition to a blood drive are all completely free of charge. Here are the facts recorded by the CDC-Center for Disease Control: Take action now!

America’s High Blood Pressure Burden

• About one out of three U.S. adults-31.3%- has high blood pressure.
• High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease.
• High blood pressure was listed as a primary or contributing cause of death for 326,000 Americans in 2006.
• About 70% of those with high blood pressure and took medication had their high blood pressure controlled. The control rate was 46.6% among all hypertensive patients.
• 25% of American adults has prehypertension—blood pressure numbers that are higher than normal, but not yet in the high blood pressure range. Prehypertension raises your risk for high blood pressure.

America’s Cholesterol Burden

• Approximately one in every six adults—16.3% of the U.S. adult population—has high total cholesterol. The level defined as high total cholesterol is 240 mg/dL and above.
• People with high total cholesterol have approximately twice the risk of heart disease as people with optimal levels. A desirable level is lower than 200 mg/dL.
• For adult Americans, the average level is about 200 mg/dL, which is borderline high risk.

America’s Diabetes Burden

• More than 17 million Americans currently have diabetes; 5.9 million of them are undiagnosed.
• One million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed each year.
• By the year 2050, the number of people with diagnosed diabetes is projected to increase from 11 million to 29 million.
• People diagnosed with diabetes are at twice the risk of death as those without diabetes.
• Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death and the primary cause of blindness, nontraumatic amputations of lower limbs, and kidney failure among adults.