This October, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) is leading the 4th Annual National Women’s Blood Pressure Awareness Week (NWBPAW) to improve women’s health outcomes related to hypertension, or high blood pressure.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women in the United States. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the major risk factors related to heart disease. Blood pressure is considered high if it measures at or above 130/80 mmHg. Many people with high blood pressure do not have any symptoms, so regularly checking blood pressure is important to make sure it is in a healthy range.
NWBPAW 2023 Theme: Getting to the Heart of It All
A recent survey shows most women do not recognize that heart disease is their number one health threat. We know that many different factors contribute to blood pressure control and heart health.
The theme of NWBPAW 2023 – Getting to the Heart of It All – aims to bring awareness to the contributing factors that impact hypertension and heart health broadly.
Individual behaviors like being physical active and eating nutritious foods are important to maintain blood pressure control, however these are not the only factors that impact your risk. Health equity initiatives, mental health and chronic stress management, community engagement, and cardiac rapid response all play an important role in heart health, especially for underserved and minority communities. This week will shine a light on the broad range of factors affecting heart health for women of all ages.
During NWBPAW, we encourage you to understand the factors that may impact your blood pressure to then find resources for heart health that suit you and your lifestyle. Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, meaning it’s likely you or someone you love has the condition.
Daily Themes for NWBPAW 2023
Throughout the week, OWH will share messages to promote daily themes focused on blood pressure and heart health for women
Access the NWBPAW Fact Sheet here.