Hypertension is for old folks, right? Think again!

According to new research out of the University of North Carolina, as many as 19% of people ages 24 to 32 have high blood pressure and don’t know it. That’s as many as 1 in 5 people who are actively starting families and building careers, among other stressful activities.

"That’s why we call this high prevalence a sleeping epidemic, because there are no symptoms. When you have high blood pressure, you don’t feel any different,” says lead researcher Kathleen Mullen Harris. The only way to know if you have it is to have it checked.

High blood pressure what healthcare providers call “hypertension” can lead to heart disease, stroke or kidney failure. It can also complicate a pregnancy and put both you and your baby at risk if you develop a pregnancy-related form of high blood pressure called preeclampsia.

Experts at the National Institutes of Health, which funded the study, say everyone should have their blood pressure checked at least every two years from age 18 and on. Once you hit age 40, have it checked more often.

A healthy (“normal”) blood pressure reading is measured as 120/80 (said “120 over 80”) or lower; high blood pressure is diagnosed when your reading is 140/90 or more. If your reading falls between these ranges, you have “prehypertension,” which leads to high blood pressure if you don’t take action.

If you smoke, quit, it increases your risks of high blood pressure. Regular activity that gets your heart pumping 30 minutes a day most days of the week can reduce blood pressure and help you keep it in a healthy range. So can eating healthy foods and avoiding extra sodium in your diet.

We moms are the guardians of our family’s health. Can’t get your spouse to see a healthcare provider? Buy a home blood pressure monitor and regularly check his readings as well as your own. Don’t add salt when cooking; take the shaker off the table and plan meals based around as few processed foods as possible, which can be high in sodium and preservatives. Encourage a walk after dinner each evening to boost your family’s activity. Share your secrets: What are you doing to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range?