American Heart Association’s Hypertension Management Program

The American Heart Association (AHA) wants people to understand the importance of healthy lifestyle choices and how it can directly affect their heart health. In an effort to encourage more people to take control of their heart health, AHA has created Hypertension Management program called Check. Change. Control. This program is available through the AHA’s online health tracker www.Heart360.org. This is a free program available to help individuals take ownership of their cardiovascular health by combining health tracking and health information in an easily accessible format.

Check. Change. Control. incorporates the concepts of remote monitoring, mentoring, and online tracking as key features to improve outcomes in hypertension management, physical activity, and weight reduction.

Did you know?

High Blood pressure is a universal risk factor for heart disease and stroke, the leading cause of death and disability in the United States.

Currently, 75 million Americans have high blood pressure, a major health risk factor:

  • 17 million are not aware that they have it
  • Of those who are aware, 7 million are untreated
  • Of those treated, 18 million still have uncontrolled high blood pressure

These are daunting numbers and the AHA

What exactly is Check. Change. Control?

Check. Change. Control. is a FREE four month program that utilizes both online and offline components. Online, participants join Heart 360, a web based health management tool that was designed to empower individuals to take ownership of their cardiovascular health. This tool allows an individual to track their numbers (blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol) as well as track their risk reduction efforts (physical activity and weight.) Offline, Check. Change. Control. offers participants education information about hypertension, stroke, blood pressure management, nutrition and physical activity.

Here are some key things to know about Check. Change. Control:

  • It can help you with goal setting and tracking physical activity, weight and blood pressure by using Heart360. www.heart360.org
  • Online – participants will gain access to articles, videos and fact sheets explaining high blood pressure and obesity, as well as ideas on how to manage it.
  • Change. Control. AHA Health Mentor – an actual person assigned to patients enrolled in the program. The mentor will monitor patient progress and his or her ability to manage blood pressure, physical activity and weight. This mentor will determine the level of intervention each participant requires in order to manage his or her disease state. For example, one patient may only require a monthly phone call while another may need additional attention and potentially an at-home blood pressure cuff.
  • Heart360 Monitoring – an online tracking system that enables participants to record and monitor their health and share their progress directly with their Check. Change. Control. AHA Health Mentor remotely.
  • Incentives – Incentives play a key role in motivating Check. Change. Control. participants to timely track their readings and reach key milestones and goals for weight loss, high blood pressure management and physical activity.

Why did AHA create Check. Change. Control.?

One of the most exciting things about Check. Change. Control. is that it is evidence-based and built on research that has proven results in helping individuals manage and improve results for risk factors that are part of Life’s Simple 7 which are:

  1. Manage Blood Pressure
  2. Control Cholesterol
  3. Reduce Blood Sugar
  4. Get Active
  5. Eat Better
  6. Lose Weight
  7. Stop Smoking

These are THE seven most important things you can do to live a healthy life free from cardiovascular disease and stroke. The great thing about Life’s Simple 7 is it’s free, easy and while it is seemingly simple, it can greatly impact your overall health. Check. Change. Control. makes it easier for individuals to manage their own health by taking the steps needed to gain control of their heart health. By combining the components of remote monitoring and health mentoring, we can create environments that will truly motivate people to follow the Life’s Simple 7 to living a longer, healthier life.

The American Heart Association has great resources available online that can provide more information on health and wellness, risk factors of heart disease, stroke, and more at www.heart.org. To sign up for Check.Change.Control., please visit www.heart360.org.

May is National Stroke Month. Find out more about stroke, risk factors and symptoms at www.strokeassociation.org. Be sure to join the conversation online on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at @ahahouston #houstonheart.