Hypertension Specialist
Hypertension is a dangerous health condition that increases the risk of kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, and many other serious and life-threatening medical issues. With over 80 million American citizens suffering from hypertension, this is a condition that must be paid attention to. Our expert team of cardiologists at Apex Heart and Vascular Center can help improve or even reverse your condition.
Hypertension FAQ
What is High Blood Pressure or Hypertension?
Hypertension is another word for high blood pressure. This is a medical condition where there is too much pressure or force on the artery walls when pumping blood throughout the body and to the heart. The cause for hypertension is unknown but there are a number of factors that are known to contribute to it such as:
- Stress
- High-salt content diets
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Genetics
- Overweight/obese
- Smoking
What is the Connection between Heart Attacks and Hypertension?
Individuals with hypertension are at a greater risk to develop CAD or coronary artery disease due to the increased force on the artery walls. This additional pressure can eventually damage the arteries, and damaged arteries are at a higher risk to become hardened and narrowed due to fatty deposits. These injured arteries may not be enough to transport oxygen throughout the blood. This is why having hypertension can damage the kidneys and the brain. High blood pressure can also lead to blindness, congestive heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease.
The Symptoms of Hypertension
Typically, hypertension does not have any symptoms, which is the reason why it has earned the nickname “the silent killer.” People with high blood pressure may be damaging their kidneys and heart, without any idea that it is happening.
Treating Symptoms
When high blood pressure is caught early, it is possible to cure it through some lifestyle changes, such as: losing weight, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol, exercising, reducing salt intake, and maintaining a healthy diet. However, if these lifestyle changes do not make a difference, medication can be used. If you are overweight, you will want to focus on reducing weight around your waist. Having too large of a waist can skyrocket your risk for hypertension. For men, you will want to keep your waist circumference less than 40 inches and for women less than 35 inches.
Preventing High Blood Pressure
The best cure for hypertension is to prevent it from happening in the first place. In order to do this, you will want to monitor your blood pressure on a regular basis. For most people, you will want to have it monitored during each doctor visit, which should be at least once every couple of years. However, if you have heart disease or other contributing factors, then you will want to check it more often.