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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1978)
Anything you want to know about hypertension? Ask! By MARSHA SERLING For the Emerald Students are often confused about the meaning and complica tions of hypertension. The follow ing questions and answers should help clarify some of these problems. ‘ What exactly is HYPERTEN SION?" Hypertension is high blood pressure. More than 24 million persons in the United States have it, yet only 10 percent are treated effectively. Only half the people who have high blood pressure are even aware they have it. “I'm a fairly calm and easy going person. Is it true, then, ril never have to worry about high blood pressure? After all, I’m not very hyper’ and I’m not very tense.’ ” This is a common misconcep tion. The truth is, hypertensive people are not necessarily more hyper or tense than people with normal blood pressure. There are no symptoms associated with even moderate hypertension, until complications arise. What can I do to make sure my blood pressure is normal?” Get it checked regularly. This can be done today and Thursday morning at the Student Health Center. If you have been told in the past you have high blood pressure, get it taken again. Usually three read ings are made before an accurate evaluation can be determined. If you haven’t had your blood pres sure taken in the past year, it’s important to do it now. Is high blood pressure dangerous?" Yes, it might lead to a premature heart attack, a stroke or a kidney disease. My doctor asked me if I was nervous the last time he took blood pressure. Can it go up just because of that?” Blood pressure can increase with activity or emotional stress and decrease with sleep, (unless your dreams are like Alfred Hitch cock movies); however, true hypertension is sustained as op posed to intermittent high blood pressure. Remember, one doesn't have to be a nervous or hyper person to have hyperten sion. “What numbers designate high blood pressure, and what, ex actly, do these numbers mean?” The higher the blood pressure, the more dangerous it can be. The World Health Organization de fines hypertension as being above 140/95. Normal blood pressure is around 120/80. Blood pressure is determined with a stethoscope and an instru ment called a sphygmomanome ter. A sphygmomanometer con sists of an air bag, or cuff, and a column of mercury marked off in millimeters. The cuff is wrapped around the upper arm and pumped full of air by squeezing an attached rubber bulb. The inflated cuff compresses the brachial artery in the arm, stopping the blood from flowing through it. Air pressure supports the column of mercury; as air is slowly let out of the cuff, the col umn of mercury falls. When the cuff is no longer tight enough to prevent the passage of blood through the artery, the ex aminer will hear a thudding sound with the stethoscope as blood flow resumes. The height of the col umn of mercury when the first sound is heard is a reading of the Senate looking into insurance flim-flams WASHINGTON (AP) — Agents from one insurance company sold a 76-year-old woman 13 different life and health policies in a two year period, a Senate committee was told Tuesday by the woman s son. The premiums on the policies totalled more than $9,000 a year — 68 percent of her income, the women's son said. The problem was uncovered only when his mother mentioned she was hav ing financial trouble and had to defer some purchases, he said. “I have loved too much or lived too long or trusted too much,” Robert Lowry quoted his mother as saying. The case history of Lucille Lowry, a resident of Otterbein Home in Lebanon, Ohio, was one of several such cases cited as the Senate Special Committee on Aging opened hearings on health insurance supplements to Medi care health coverage. Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, said he had received a letter from a 79-year-old farmer who told him that a “fast talker" who “came to help us process our papers told us that Medicare was in bad shape and that it would run out in 1979.” The farmer agreed to purchase a supplemental policy costing him more than $700 a year. Having second thoughts, he wrote Glenn to find out if the salesman was telling the truth about Medicare. “This has got to be a real flim flam — a real fraud situation,” said Glenn. He added that he was re ferring only to a few unscrupulous agents and was not castigating the entire insurance industry. reliable service for your foreign car AUTO SERVICE VW’S MERCEDES BMW’S DATSUN TOYOTA GUENTER SCHOENER Bus Ph. 342-2912 2025 Franklin Blvd Eugene Ore 97403 Home Ph. 746-1207 pressure when the heart is con tracting. This is called systolic blood pressure. The air is let out of the cuff until the sounds can no longer be heard. The pressure at this point is diastolic blood pressure — the pressure when the heart is re laxed. Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers, for example, 120/80. The first and larger number is the systolic blood pres sure, and the second number is the diastolic blood pressure. This week is ‘‘National Blood Pressure Week.” There will be a free blood pressure clinic at the Health Center from 8 to noon and Thursday. So the pressure is on — get your pressure taken this week, and perform another death defying act. LAITY & CLERGY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ...urge the citizens of Eugene to support legislation which guarantees the constitutional rights of all persons regardless of sexual orientation. The purpose and effect of the ordinance passed by the Eugene City Council in October is neither to approve or condemn a particular lifestyle. Its function is to protect homosexual citizens from discrimination in the areas of housing, public accommodations, employment and contract compliance. ...Basic to both our religious heritage and our form of constitutional government is the clear affirmation that all persons shall have their human and civil rights ensured. We believe that this ordinance will protect homosexual persons from the consequences of uncontrolled prejudice and discrimination. Eaton H. Conant James L. Koch Nancy Mote Purkey Craig Stein William B. Boyd Benton Johnson Lawrence L. Gruman Rev. Robert C. Swain Albert J. Zarth Lawrence L. Beard George Beres Sylvia Beres James Watrud Frank Phillips Sue Miller Lohring Miller George Carroll Dale K. Olson Dina Wills Deane Watkins Bayard H. McConnaughey Evelyn McConnaughey Cart A. Menkens Marianne Day Scott Paulette Thompson Lucy Skjelstad Elsa Struble Sandra Swain Theodora N. Salmon Ann DeWein Bill DeWein Dennis J. Phillips Courtney Abbott Carol Abbott Edward Price Florence Douglas Diane K. Moore Isabel I. Hill Seth P Wheeler Margaret Anderson John E. Adams W. Dean Kokjer Boyd Lien Charles O. Willming Betty Luginbill Loie Murphy Roy R. Finch John C. Huenink Kathy S. Smith Portia A Mather Dennis Hellesvig Nancy H Dudley Mary Lou Pierce Margaret L. McCoy Barbara A. Kirk Gary D. Kirk James W. Waning Margaret A. Waning John Ewing A.K. Hottle Donald J. Niece Willma D Hill Barbara Hottle Patricia L. Parsons David P Prideaux Phillis J. Lodjic Suzanne Ward Barbara-Jo Novitski Cherry Hamaker Reid O. Anderson James M. Lewis James R. Dwyer Timothy Shorrock Ruth Fothergill Polly A. Moak, M.Div. George & Cynthia Kokis Roy R. Finch Charles H. Gray Leslie B. Gray Olive Bowers David Zupan Bruce Bowers Jacke Hauser Jonathan Butt Beth M. Carlson Gary R. Brower Ruth V. Breidenthal Penny J. Brower Harry M. Merry man Sue B. Clark Dr. & Mrs. Hugh Johnston Rev. Dr. Norman Metzler Scott Cressler David Mathew Michael M. Ball Becky Kuiken Don Anderson Terry Hutchison Rabbi Myron Kinberg Thea Cahn Maxine Pruskurowski Yitzchak Hankin Robert Stein Karen Ralston Spence Ralston Marya Axner Judith Hankin Elaine S. Bentkover Barry Savage Wm. Scott Meisner Susan Bales Lisa Friedman Ron Friedland Jack Maddex Kathy Bollons The Rev. Duane S. Alvord Carolyn J. Bergquist Gwen Kingsley Beatrice T. Pierson Alan A. Schut Sam T. Richardson Richard L. Nathan Michael G. Bader Barbara L. Breaden Jane Rockwy Alward Philip N. Barnhart Florence V. Barnhart B Andrew Kelley Sharon Kelly Celesteine Bowen Valerie Foley Carey C. Perry Helen Clark Hillary Kittleson Joe Dunham Gail J. Dehnert Linda M. Coleman Kathleen M. Mitchell Debbie McDuffie Jon M. Spangler Scott D Martin Paul Gerald Parker Paula M Emerson Elizabeth G. Glover Linda L. Nathan Steve Falkowski Toni Thompson Roger D. Voeller George Jeddeloh Rev. Wm. Kent Burtner, O P Rev Donald R. Buxman Ann Talbot Diloreto Rosalie 2. Harris Fred & Heidi Manela Fred Tepfer Aide Haye Kinberg Larry Bury Rosemary B Zahler Donald A. Zahler George Kahn Ellen A Maddex Eileen Bates Yona Ash Marlon M. Barnes George D. Parsons Hilary E Payne Donald R. Purkey Rosemary Batori Rev. Douglas K. Huneke Ann Montague Morris Hauge Don Eliason Carol Aide Janice M. Jackson Evelyn M. Gerardo David A. Lounsbury Catherine Lauris Anne Kelsey Raymond Rideau Fr, George Matanic, O.P. Rev. John Waldron Rev. James Dieringer Judy Albrecht Doug Barber Laurel Paulson Keith Humpherys Stephen Wade Dawn Arnone Carol Baker John E. Fortna Sue Gordon Tom Payzant Glenn M. Gordon Burton E. Sabol Jane Huneke Donna C. Wickman Eric D. Landau John R. Fry Edwin L. Coleman Jr. Charmaine J. Coleman Jetta R. Siegel VOTE NO ON 51 This ad paid for by the above named signatories, and sponsored by Eugene Citizens for Human Rights, Phil George, Treasurer P O Box 402. Eugene. Oregon 97440
