Strong Hearts, Strong Nations: Combating High Blood Pressure in Native Communities

By Rex Cropp | National High Blood Pressure Education Month – May 2025

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects nearly 1 in 2 adults in the United States, but Native American communities face a uniquely high burden. May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month, a time to raise awareness about this silent but serious condition—and to empower Native communities to act.

Why It Matters for Native Communities

Hypertension is often called the “silent killer” because it rarely causes symptoms until it leads to life-threatening complications such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, or vision loss. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Indian Health Service (IHS):

1 in 3 American Indian/Alaska Native adults has been told they have high blood pressure

Native people are 30% more likely than white Americans to die from hypertension-related causes

Heart disease—closely linked to high blood pressure—is the leading cause of death in Native populations

Source: CDC Vital Signs – Heart Disease and Stroke, 2017; Indian Health Service Factsheet on Chronic Disease

What Drives Disparity?

The reasons for these statistics are complex but deeply rooted in both historical trauma and present-day inequities:

Limited access to healthcare and screenings in rural or underfunded areas

High rates of diabetes, obesity, and tobacco use

Food deserts that limit access to fresh, affordable, and traditional foods

Chronic stress, stemming from systemic discrimination, poverty, and intergenerational trauma

The Strong Heart Study, the largest long-term cardiovascular study in Native Americans, showed that many Native adults with diabetes also have hypertension, often years before diabetes is diagnosed. This makes early detection and education critical.

Source: NIH/NHLBI – Strong Heart Study (https://strongheartstudy.org)

What You Can Do – Action Steps for Our Communities

Know Your Numbers

Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg. If your reading is 130/80 mmHg or higher, you may have hypertension, according to guidelines from the American College of Cardiology.

Get Screened Regularly

Even without symptoms, high blood pressure can cause internal damage. Ask your local clinic or tribal health center for a free screening. The Indian Health Service and Community Health Representatives (CHRs) often provide mobile screenings and education.

Integrate Tradition and Medicine

Traditional knowledge matters. A return to ancestral foods, physical activity like dancing or canoeing, and community-based healing can complement modern medicine. Many tribal elders stress the importance of balance—mentally, spiritually, and physically.

Eat Wisely, Even with Limited Options

Choose low-sodium canned goods if fresh options are scarce

Avoid processed meats and fast foods high in salt

Drinking water instead of sugary drinks

Reclaim traditional diets like fish, beans, berries, squash, and wild rice when possible

Reduce Stress

Traditional healing, talking circles, prayer, time in nature, and practices like sweat lodges can all help lower stress, which in turn lowers blood pressure.

Advocate and Educate

Support tribal and community programs focused on heart health. Call for increased IHS funding, better access to healthy foods, and more culturally tailored public health education in Native communities.

Prevention Is Power 

High blood pressure is common—but preventable and manageable. As Native people, we carry forward resilience, wisdom, and community strength. By combining our cultural values with medical knowledge, we can protect our hearts and create stronger, healthier generations.