#high blood pressure

Hawaiʻi residents with hypertension (high blood pressure) who struggle to afford healthy food will soon receive a powerful new prescription from their doctors: fresh, local produce. A new program will provide patients with $100 a month in vouchers to buy fruits, vegetables and poi at local farmers’ markets and grocery stores.

Having a family history of heart disease can increase your risk of having underlying heart disease. Other risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, depression, stress, being sedentary, and having extra weight.

With financial support from Hawaiʻi businesses, the American Heart Association is “adopting” the Hawaiʻi Federally Qualified Health Centers to support their efforts to better control hypertension, also known as high blood pressure and the “silent killer,” in their patients.