| Posted June 12, 2014 | By Nate Karlin | Categorized under Men's Health, Women's Health |

In April 2011, Michael Collier was six months into his retirement. He had been feeling unusually tired, but didn't think much of it.

"I just thought it was normal to feel that way because of my age and because of all the big changes in my life. You go through a lot of things, both emotionally and physically, when you retire," he said.

He had also received good news during his last physical before retiring, so naturally, at the Main Street Festival, Collier wanted to pass on an offer to receive a free blood pressure screening at Williamson Medical Center's tent. Like most couples, however, his wife Sandra forced him to get checked.

The nurse checking his blood pressure, Sammy Tatum, R.N., discovered Collier's heart rate was rapid. He told Collier that he needed to follow up with his primary care physician immediately. He listened, and by the following Monday, he was being seen by cardiologist William Fleet III, M.D.

"It was sort of scary because I had been going to my doctor regularly for a number of years and doing what I needed to do," Collier said. "This just happened out of the blue."

Get checked often

Tatum, a WMC nursing supervisor who frequently represents WMC at community events, says he's heard every excuse imaginable on why someone chooses not to get their blood pressure checked.

"I forgot to take my blood pressure medicine, I had it checked last week or last month, I shouldn't take it right now because of this funnel cake, I get it checked every time I see my doctor, are some of the more common excuses," he said.

Because blood pressure can spike or dip drastically on any given day, Tatum said you should never pass up an opportunity to make sure your numbers are they should be.

"It's called the silent killer for a reason," he said. "I think everyone should get their blood pressure checked whenever they can because if it's out of control, you will need to get it checked out immediately."

Free blood pressure checks at community events

Last year, WMC offered free blood pressure checks and blood sugar checks at two dozen community events including Main Street Festival, Williamson County Fair, Franklin on the Fourth, Williamson County Senior Expo, Pumpkinfest, Spring Hill Business Expo, Thompson's Station Fall Festival, Heritage at Brentwood Health Fair, and the Nissan Health Fair.

WMC Outreach Coordinator, Katie-Beth Sitz, says people often approach her at events to tell her how much their life changed after receiving the screening.

"A lot of people who have thanked us for this service didn't even know they had high blood pressure or high blood sugar. The free check prompted them to seek help and now they are more aware of their health," she said. "Our goal is to promote healthy living and lifestyles wherever we go. We understand that not everyone checks their blood pressure at home or sees their primary care doctor regularly, so we want to provide these screenings as a convenience. We want health and wellness to be at the top of everyone's mind all the time."

Tips for monitoring blood pressure

The following tips will help ensure you get an accurate reading and stay up to date on your blood pressure:

Check your BP every day if you have the opportunity. Genetics aside, high blood pressure is commonly the result of stress, lack of exercise, and poor eating habits including excessive salt intake. Your blood pressure may be fine one week, but a number of factors, including stress, lack of exercise, and excessive salt intake, could send it soaring the next week. It's especially important for the people who on blood pressure medicine to check it daily. Stop by your doctor's office during your lunch break and ask for a nurse to give you a quick check.

Double-check readings. If you are unsure about your first result, get rechecked by a different person. For example, blood pressure spikes a lot of times at the doctor's office due to a phenomenon called "white coat syndrome." A lot of people tend to get nervous at checkups and nervousness causes blood pressure to rise. Electronic blood pressure machines are not always accurate. If you're getting your blood pressure checked by a machine at the grocery store, ask a pharmacist to double-check it manually.

Know your family history. You can exercise as much as you want and eat the healthiest food, but if you have a family history of high blood pressure, most likely you will be prone to high blood pressure. Medications can help you control it in this instance.

Different levels of activity will produce different levels of blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is 120/80. However, if you are a high-endurance athlete, your blood pressure and pulse may be closer to 90/60. Talk to your doctor to ensure your blood pressure is where it should be based on your activity level.