Learn More About Hypertension
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, affects around 75 million American adults. However, hypertension typically doesn’t cause symptoms until it becomes life-threatening, so many people don’t know they have this dangerous condition. At Beach Physicians Medical Group in Huntington Beach, California, Bassil Aish, MD and Arnold J. Brender, MD provide diagnosis and treatment to manage high blood pressure and help you lead a long, healthy, and active life. If you’re concerned about hypertension, call to schedule an appointment today.
HYPERTENSION Q&A
Your blood pressure is the force of your blood against the insides of your blood vessels. It’s measured in two numbers: your systolic pressure, which occurs when your heart beats, and your diastolic pressure, which is measured when your heart is at rest between beats.
A healthy blood pressure reading is 120/80 mm/Hg or lower. If your systolic blood pressure is between 120-129 mm/Hg, it’s considered elevated, and any measurement over 130/80 mm/Hg is considered high.
Hypertension is largely influenced by your genetics and family medical history. For example, if one of your parents has high blood pressure, your chances of developing the condition are higher. However, your lifestyle also plays a part in your risk of developing hypertension.
The following factors are also known to contribute to high blood pressure:
- Excess weight or obesity
- Sedentary lifestyle
- High-fat, high-salt diet
- Smoking
- Health conditions like diabetes or atherosclerosis
These conditions force your heart to work harder to move blood throughout your body, which eventually increases your blood pressure and your risk for other serious cardiovascular health issues, including heart attack and stroke.
The only way to know if you have hypertension is to have your blood pressure checked by a medical professional. The team at Beach Physicians Medical Group provides blood pressure screenings at your annual wellness check and physical exam, or on an as-needed basis.
If you have a high reading, your doctor asks you to come back for additional tests at different times of day to ensure your blood pressure is consistently high and not the result of a one-off stressor.
Dr. Aish and Dr. Brender treat hypertension with a combination of lifestyle modifications and medication to manage your disease and improve your overall health.
In most cases, your doctor begins treatment by making recommendations to improve your diet and exercise habits. Not only will these changes help lower your blood pressure, they also help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight, which further reduces your risk of high blood pressure.
If lifestyle changes aren’t sufficient to manage your blood pressure, your doctor can prescribe medications like diuretics, beta blockers, and ACE inhibitors.
Call to schedule an appointment today to have your blood pressure checked and get the medical help you need to improve your health.
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