High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure often has no symptoms but it can cause serious and permanent harm. This is why treating your high blood pressure correctly as soon as it is detected. Every appointment in our office includes a blood pressure reading that enables any signs of danger to be brought to light.

High blood pressure can lead to a heart attack, kidney failure, heart failure and stroke. The good news, however, is that our team has the experience to properly and effectively treat high blood pressure before a major medical problem ensues.

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against your artery walls. Every time your heart beats, blood is pumped through those arteries. When your heart beats and gives the blood that push, your blood pressure is at its highest, which is represented as your systolic blood pressure. This is the top or first number in a blood pressure reading. We also measure your blood pressure when your heart is at rest in between beats. The pressure of blood pushing against the artery walls falls, giving the second number in a blood pressure reading, which is known as the diastolic blood pressure.

Typical Blood Pressure Levels and What They Mean:

• 120/80 or lower is normal blood pressure
• 140/90 or higher is high blood pressure
• 120 and 139 for the top number, or between 80 and 89 for the bottom number is pre-hypertension

What You Can Do to Lower Your Blood Pressure and Maintain a Healthy One:

• Don't smoke cigarettes or use tobacco products
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Get plenty of regular physical activity and exercise
• Eat a healthy diet that includes enough protein, fruits, and vegetables and is low in fat
• Limit sodium, alcohol and caffeine intake
• Manage stress effectively

Although high blood pressure can result in many dangerous conditions, it is also able to be lowered, controlled and maintained with proper lifestyle changes and habits. It is important that even patients who are young practice healthy habits with regards to heart health and blood pressure to decrease the risk of serious complications later in life.

If you are worried about your blood pressure or you need our physician to analyze your risks for heart attack, stroke or kidney failure, please do not hesitate to give call our office.