How High Is Your Blood Pressure IQ?

See how much you really know about this silent killer

Christina Ianzito,

AARP

En español

Published February 15, 2013

8 Questions

9efc7745-81b0-4428-88b3-08405b062403

How High Is Your Blood Pressure IQ?

[ {
 "question" : "What is high blood pressure?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "A condition in which the blood receives too little oxygen, causing fatigue and other complications",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "A condition in which the force of blood pumping in the walls of the arteries is high enough to cause problems",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "A condition in which the heart begins to pump blood too quickly, identified by a high pulse rate",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "None of the above",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is what its name suggests: blood flow putting too much pressure or tension on the arteries, which is made worse if there's some sort of blockage (cholesterol, for one). The excess pressure can cause damage to the arteries and lead to heart attack, stroke and other serious health problems.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "About how many American adults are estimated to have high blood pressure?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "One in 10",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "One in five",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "One in four",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "One in three",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 68 million Americans — or one-third of all adults — have high blood pressure. Women 65 and older are slightly more likely to have high blood pressure than men in the same age group.\n",
 "hint" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "What do the two numbers given in blood-pressure readings mean?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "The first measures the pressure in your arteries while the heart beats, the second measures the pressure between beats",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "The first measures the average number of beats per 90 seconds, the second measures the intensity of the beats",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "The first measures the time in milliseconds between heart beats, the second measures the pressure of each beat on the arteries",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "None of the above",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "The first (or top) number measures the systolic pressure, which is the pressure on the heart during a beat (a contraction of the heart muscle). The second (bottom) measures diastolic pressure, the pressure between heartbeats. It's measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), determined by that familiar arm-squeezing cuff and gauge.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "What is considered a high blood pressure reading?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Anything higher than 140/90",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Anything higher than 120/80",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Anything higher than 90/60",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Anything higher than 50/20",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "A reading higher than 140/90 will get you a diagnosis of hypertension, while readings higher than 120/80 up to 140/90 are termed prehypertension (meaning you're at risk of developing hypertension). Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. There's no defined range for low blood pressure, but some experts suggest that a systolic reading below 90 or a diastolic reading below 60 is low.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "What is the most common symptom, if any, of early-stage high blood pressure?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Unusual thirst and/or dehydration",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Tingling in the hands and feet",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "There are usually no symptoms",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Ringing in the ears",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "There are usually no noticeable symptoms during the early onset of high blood pressure, and often even in later stages, which is why it's known as the &quot;silent killer.&quot;\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "What are complications from uncontrolled high blood pressure, besides the well-known risk of a heart attack?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Vision loss",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Kidney disease",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Memory problems",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "All of the above",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Uncontrolled hypertension can weaken and damage the arteries and precipitate all these serious health problems, as well as elevate the risk of blood clots and <a href=\"http://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-04-2011/are-you-having-a-stroke.html\">stroke.</a>\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "Why is salt considered a culprit in high blood pressure?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "It causes fluid buildup in the body, putting added stress on the heart",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "It takes away oxygen from the blood, which means the heart has to work harder",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Salt deposits can build up on the artery walls, causing blockages and pressure on the heart",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "It interferes with the body's absorption of cholesterol, allowing more of it to circulate through the heart and interfere with its healthy functioning",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Salt causes fluid retention. Experts recommend that people with high blood pressure consume no more than 1,500 mg of salt a day — the amount found in about 3/4 teaspoon of table salt, which is 40 percent sodium. Note that much of the <a href=\"http://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-12-2012/salt-in-foods-quiz.html\">salt we eat is hidden</a> in processed foods.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
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}, {
 "question" : "Which of these is an important lifestyle change for lowering blood pressure?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Avoiding exercise that raises the heart rate",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Quitting smoking",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Drinking a glass or two of red wine every day",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "All of the above",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Of these, quitting smoking is the crucial change for heart health, since it's known to cause fatty buildup in the arteries and it causes at least a temporary increase in blood pressure. Other effective lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure include exercising regularly and managing stress. It's also important to adopt a diet low in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol; high in fruits and vegetables and whole grains; and rich in healthy proteins from fish, poultry and nuts. Although one glass of red wine has been shown in some studies to lower blood pressure by increasing &quot;good&quot; cholesterol (LDL), it's not considered a reliable method to do so. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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How High Is Your Blood Pressure IQ?

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Christina Ianzito covers scams and fraud, and is the books editor for aarp.org and AARP The Magazine. Also a longtime travel writer and editor, she received a 2020 Lowell Thomas Award for travel writing from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation.