Syracuse Public Library Welcomes ‘Libraries with Heart’

: Megan Daumen poses with one of the Syracuse Public Library’s blood pressure monitor-and-cuff kits. Patrons can check out the kits or use the library’s in-house kit. (Photo by Sarah Wright)

​Patrons who visit the Syracuse Public Library can now monitor their blood pressure at home as part of the American Heart Association’s Libraries with Heart initiative.

The library has three validated monitor-and-cuff kits — one for in-library use and two that can be checked out for two weeks for use at home. Each kit includes American Heart Association-guided materials on how to take your blood pressure at home, what the numbers mean, a log for recording numbers and a list of local health care providers ready to answer questions.

According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of American adults — about 120 million people — have high blood pressure, or hypertension, which can lead to deadly health consequences such as stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, vision loss and sexual dysfunction if left untreated. The best way to determine if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked and discuss the results with your health care provider.
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For more information on blood pressure, visit www.heart.org.