February is American Heart Month and this time around, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Million Hearts, a national effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the United States by 2017, are encouraging Americans to know their blood pressure, and if it’s high, to make control their goal. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. In fact, more than 67 million Americans have high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are 4 times more likely to die from a stroke and 3 times more likely to die from heart disease, compared to those with normal blood pressure.

High blood pressure often shows no signs or symptoms, which is why having your blood pressure checked regularly is important. It’s easy to get your blood pressure checked. You can get screened at your doctor’s office and drugstores or even check it yourself at home, using a home blood pressure monitor.

So, from now on, make control your goal!