High blood pressure: A major risk factor for stroke and heart disease

Today, Jamieson Laboratories, in partnership with the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON), is holding a one day Blood Pressure Blitz in Toronto's underground PATH system in an effort to educate consumers about the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor of heart disease. For every blood pressure (BP) taken, Jamieson will make a donation to the VON. Known as the silent killer, nearly one in four Canadians have high blood pressure yet 43 per cent of those don't know it.(1) Education is essential in warning Canadians about the risk of high blood pressure. With proper diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure, you can cut your risk of stroke by up to 40 per cent and heart attack by 25 per cent.(2)

"Maintaining good heart health and being aware of risk factors is important for everyone," said David Keselman, Executive Director, Toronto and Peel Region, Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). "A healthy diet, regular exercise, not smoking and having your blood pressure checked regularly all contribute to making sure you are staying heart healthy."

To help reduce the risk and keep Canadian hearts healthy, Jamieson Laboratories is introducing Vita-Vim Healthy Heart, a new multivitamin specifically formulated with CoQ10 (Ubidecareonone) and Policosanol to help maintain good cardiovascular health and promote healthy cholesterol levels. The Journal of the American Medical Association recommended that all adults take a multivitamin in addition to eating a healthy diet.(3) Taking a daily multivitamin can supply missing nutrients in the diet and reduce the risk of developing certain health conditions. Vita-Vim Healthy Heart is a combination of 20 essential vitamins, minerals and supporting nutrients that supply all the essentials for the maintenance of good heart health including: Vitamin D(3), CoQ10, and Policosanol.

"Vita-Vim Healthy Heart is the only all natural, daily multivitamin available in Canada specially formulated to help in the maintenance of good cardiovascular health while promoting healthy cholesterol levels. More importantly, for people taking statin drugs it supports healthy CoQ10 levels," says Dr. A. José Lança, M.D, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto. "Cardiovascular disease accounts for the death of more Canadians than any other disease each year. By maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle including taking a daily multivitamin like Vita-Vim Healthy Heart you can reduce your risk."

Get your daily dose of Vitamin D3 - A deficiency of this vitamin is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes.(4)

Policosanol is a natural way to lower your cholesterol. A natural extract from sugar-cane leaves that acts as a cholesterol-lowering agent and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in one. Policosanol reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) - "bad" cholesterol - while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) - "good" cholesterol. High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. By lowering your cholesterol, you can dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.(5)

Get up and go with CoQ10. CoQ10 is a naturally occurring molecule necessary for energy production in cells and plays an important role in maintaining normal heart function. Cholesterol-lowering medications known as statins like Lipitor (Atorvastatin) and Crestor (Rosuvastatin) can deplete CoQ10 levels. Since our hearts have very high energy demands, insufficient levels of CoQ10 can weaken the heart causing it to pump blood through the body less efficiently.