SAN ANTONIO — Heart disease is known as the "silent killer" because symptoms often don't appear until it is too late. This is especially the case in the Hispanic population.
About half of adults with hypertension don't even know they have it. That's why going to the doctor for regular checkups is important even if you feel perfectly fine.
Dr. Isabel Calderon Martinez, president-elect of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses told KENS 5, "A lot of places you're able to get checked, at Walgreens, at H-E-B you can go and check your own blood pressure. But we really want you to come in and see your primary care doctor and get seen."
With the holidays quickly approaching, knowing what foods are good and bad for you is a must.
"We love all this wonderful rich food with cheeses and all kinds of good stuff. But some of this stuff is not all good for us," Martinez said.
The most common Hispanic hypertension risk factors are older age, drinking too much alcohol, being overweight or obese, having a sedentary lifestyle, too much salt in the diet and genetics.
"Sometimes I've seen patients who've done all the right things, quit smoking, quit drinking alcohol, live a healthier lifestyle by exercising, keeping their weight down but still will tend to have hypertension," Martinez added.
The Office of Minority Health says in 2023 in the U.S., Hispanic adults were 50% less likely to have heart disease than non-Hispanic white adults.
When it comes to high blood pressure specifically, 50% of Hispanic men and a much lower 37% of Hispanic women were likely to have hypertension.
The disease doesn't just affect adults. "We've seen some stories about that too. Where kids have a heart issue and they're out in the field playing football or playing some kind of sport and they just keel over," Martinez said.
Martinez also told us when it comes to children, if they are in sports, to make sure they stay hydrated and avoid energy drinks.