Hypertension, the leading risk factor of cardiovascular disease, is the primary or contributing cause of death for more than 350,000 Americans annually. Compared to the public, veterans suffer from higher rates of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.
February is American Heart Month, an opportune time to shine a light on the condition and what can be done to combat the condition among American service members.
Veterans’ Unique Risk
Due to a combination of behavioral and psychological factors, veterans between the ages of 25-65 are disproportionally affected by cardiovascular disease, especially hypertension.
Veterans who have faced combat, had contact with Agent Orange or had chronic exposure to military aircraft noise report higher rates of hypertension. And given the intense nature of active-duty service, high blood pressure often accompanies other symptoms for veterans, including posttraumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions.
Hypertension and Its Relation to Other Conditions
Individuals with hypertension may experience a variety of symptoms, including dizziness, headaches, shortness of breath and chest pain.
In addition, these individuals are also at greater risk for other cardiovascular issues like heart attack, stroke, vision loss and kidney disease. High blood pressure can also exacerbate pre-existing conditions that predominately affect veterans such as tinnitus and unmanaged anxiety disorder.
Only 34% of veterans diagnosed with hypertension have it under control. The majority of veterans with uncontrolled blood pressure and at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor remain uncontrolled after five years of follow-up.
Changes Are Needed
To make meaningful progress in combatting hypertension among active service members and veterans, improvements in treatment access, consistency of treatment, and federal legislation on cardiovascular conditions are needed.
Raising awareness of this disease and its disproportionate effect on veterans is a pivotal first step toward achieving these changes.
To learn more about hypertension and access resources, visit https://www.advancecardiohealth.org/hypertension.
