What is hypertension?
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a medical condition that increases your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
It occurs when the pressure inside blood vessel walls is higher than it’s supposed to be. The team offers blood pressure screening and treatment to optimize your health.
Are there any symptoms associated with hypertension?
In most cases, you won’t experience any signs or symptoms of high blood pressure, which is why it’s known as the silent killer.
If you do have symptoms, you may notice shortness of breath, headaches, or nosebleeds. However, these might only appear when your blood pressure reaches life-threatening stages.
What are the risk factors for hypertension?
Certain factors increase your risk of developing high blood pressure. Examples include:
- Older age
- African heritage
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Overweight or obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Using tobacco products
- Excessive sodium
- Too little potassium
- Excess alcohol consumption
- Pregnancy
- Stress
- Having a chronic disease
You can also develop high blood pressure because of kidney issues, heart problems, unhealthy lifestyle habits, or obesity.
How is high blood pressure diagnosed?
TLC Medical Group Inc offers blood pressure monitoring and other diagnostic tools to assess your blood pressure and heart function. Your provider reviews your medical history and completes a physical examination.
They also check your body weight, blood pressure using a blood pressure cuff, pulse, and other vital signs. TLC Medical Group Inc offers electrocardiograms (EKGs) to detect or rule out abnormalities, and your provider may recommend you undergo blood tests to assess cholesterol levels.
What are common hypertension treatments?
The two main treatments that help reduce high blood pressure include:
Lifestyle changes
Making healthy lifestyle changes is the best way to lower blood pressure naturally. Eat a heart-healthy diet, exercise regularly, reduce stress, achieve or maintain a healthy weight, and limit the amount of sodium and alcohol you consume.
Medications
If lifestyle changes haven’t worked or your blood pressure is dangerously high, taking blood pressure medications can bring your levels down to a normal, healthy range.
Don’t let untreated hypertension cause medical problems when simple treatments are available at TLC Medical Group Inc. Schedule an appointment by phone or online today.
