YMCA To Combat High Blood Pressure

ONEONTA—The Oneonta Family YMCA announced the launch of a new Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program last week. Officials said the proven, evidence-based initiative, aimed at helping individuals take control of their heart health, is in response to one of the nation’s most urgent health concerns.

Often referred to as the “silent killer,” high blood pressure, or hypertension, affects nearly half of all adults in the United States, according to a press release, yet only about one in four individuals has it under control. The condition dramatically increases the risk of heart disease and stroke—two of the leading causes of death nationwide.