Four-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana is one of the greatest football players of all time. Despite being a former professional athlete, Joe was still vulnerable to high blood pressure. That's not so surprising considering approximately 72 million Americans, or one in three of us, have this condition.
Fortunately, Joe was aware of his family history of heart disease, which made him more sensitive to the effects of high blood pressure. But even though he made lifestyle changes and began to take medicine, his doctor told him that his blood pressure wasn't low enough, just like nearly 40% of the people who take medication for high blood pressure.
That hit him pretty hard. So Joe worked with his doctor to set a blood pressure goal of less than 140/90 to 120/80 mm Hg or below, which is consistent with the BP Success Zone, according to current guidelines. He and his doctor then developed a treatment plan to attain that goal. Even after reaching it, Joe, with the help of his doctor, has maintained his personal blood pressure goal for more than two years.
As with any treatment regimen, individual results may vary.
Joe understands the importance of getting your blood pressure to your goal. That's why he is committed to helping others achieve a healthier blood pressure.
Joe Montana is a paid spokesman of Novartis Pharmaceuticals and the BP Success Zone Program.
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Ryan Bendixen, Mountain Climber and DIOVAN Patient
In 1990, 20-year-old Ryan Bendixen felt as if he was on top of the world. A member of an elite Army unit, he prepared to serve in the Gulf War. However, Ryan's dream of serving his country ended when he was diagnosed with high blood pressure during an Army physical and was honorably discharged.
This news was devastating for Ryan, an active athlete who had a passion for mountain climbing. During the next few years, Ryan took medication and managed his high blood pressure. Unfortunately, he still felt limited because of the side effects of his treatment—the most debilitating was a dry, hacking cough that plagued him for more than three years and prevented him from pursuing his love of climbing.
Frustrated at not being able to climb, Ryan researched high blood pressure treatments and discussed options with his physician—that's when he learned about DIOVAN® (valsartan). What excited him most about his experience with DIOVAN was that he no longer had these side effects that he experienced with other high blood pressure medications. Ryan worked with his physician to create a treatment regimen that would enable him to lead an active life and, most importantly, climb.
Almost 15 years later, a husband, father and successful businessman, Ryan this year realized a life-long dream by attempting to summit Mount Everest. Making it to 24,000 feet was a major accomplishment. Back in Colorado, Ryan continues to climb and spread the word about the risks of uncontrolled high blood pressure. He recently visited his doctor and joined Novartis' BP Success Zone Program, a program to help those with high blood pressure reach their healthy blood pressure goal.
Ryan Bendixen manages his high blood pressure with DIOVAN.
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