What is hypertension?
High blood pressure is a chronic condition in which pressure inside blood vessel walls is higher than it’s supposed to be. Hypertension often develops slowly over time and rarely produces any symptoms. Routine blood pressure screening is important to detect the condition before dangerous heart problems develop.
What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?
If you have hypertension, you probably won't notice any signs or symptoms. If blood pressure reaches dangerously high levels, you might experience nosebleeds, shortness of breath, or headaches. Routine blood pressure screening is the best way to detect hypertension before it causes problems.
What are the risk factors for hypertension?
High blood pressure can happen to anybody, but certain factors boost your risk of experiencing it. Examples include:
- Family history of hypertension
- Older age
- Overweight or obesity
- Chronic stress
- Physical inactivity
- Tobacco use
- Excessive sodium intake
- Too little dietary potassium
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Sleep apnea
If you have hypertension risk factors, have your blood pressure checked by a medical professional regularly, and monitor your blood pressure at home.
Why is high blood pressure dangerous?
High blood pressure is dangerous because of the complications it can cause. Examples include stroke, heart attack, aneurysm, heart failure, and narrowed or torn blood vessels. Hypertension can also lead to cognitive problems and even dementia.
How does my provider diagnose high blood pressure?
Your New York Specialty Clinics provider checks your blood pressure using an inflatable arm cuff and a blood pressure measuring gauge. The cuff gets tighter around your arm for a short time during each evaluation, but the procedure is fast and painless.
What are my hypertension treatment options?
Depending on the type and severity of high blood pressure you experience, your doctor might recommend the following hypertension treatments:
Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes that are often effective to naturally lower blood pressure include weight loss, eating healthy foods, limiting dietary sodium, reducing stress, increasing physical activity, limiting or avoiding alcohol, and not smoking.
Blood pressure-lowering medications
Your New York Specialty Clinics provider can prescribe a medication regimen to get your blood pressure back to a normal, healthy range. They may do so if healthy lifestyle changes haven’t worked to lower hypertension, or blood pressure reaches very high levels.
Don’t let hypertension lead to serious medical issues when simple treatments can correct the problem. Schedule an appointment with New York Specialty Clinics by phone or online today.
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