High Blood Pressure Baytown
Introduction:
Heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood to your body through blood vessels to provide it with oxygen.
Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood on the walls of your blood vessels as your heart pumps it around your body. It goes up and down naturally during the day, depending on the needs of your body. High blood pressure (hypertension) is a condition when this force on the walls of blood vessels is consistently more than normal.
The increased force and friction of high blood pressure damages the delicate smooth lining of the blood vessels making it a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and other serious health problems.
Risk Factors:
High blood pressure is related to a personís age, family history of high blood pressure, race (African-Americans are at a higher risk than other races), obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, excessive smoking, excessive sodium in the diet, lack of potassium in the diet, excessive alcohol consumption and chronic stress.
Symptoms:
Most of the time, there may be no obvious signs or symptoms. About 85 million Americans have high blood pressure and nearly one out of six do not even know they have it. That’s why it is called the ìsilent killerî, as peristently elevated strain on the heart and blood vessels causes a lot of harm to the body.
In rare case, extremely high blood pressure can sometimes cause following symptoms:
- Severe headache
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue or confusion
- Vision problems
- Severe anxiety
Diagnosis:
Healthy adults should have a blood pressure check at least every two years from the age of 20, during regular healthcare visits. Dr. Sami checks it more frequently in people with a family history of high blood pressure or other medical conditions.
Blood pressure reading is recorded as two numbers with a pressure cuff: A top number and a bottom number. Both are important. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Hypertension or high blood pressure is diagnosed when the top number is more than 140, and bottom number is more than 90 over at least 3 clinic visits. Your doctor may want your blood pressure lower if you have other medical conditions.
It is best to know your numbers and make the changes that can help prevent or limit damage.
Treatment:
Dr. Sami always recommends lifestyle changes as a treatment option for high blood pressure including eating a well-balanced, low-salt diet, limiting alcohol, regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight. In addition, for certain patients, Dr Sami may also prescribe blood pressure lowering medications.
Contact Us Today:
If ANY of above risk factors apply to you or a loved one, make an appointment for an evaluation and early screening with Dr. Sami, a board certified cardiologist in Baytown. It only takes a minute to check for high blood pressure, and our high blood pressure treatments can immediately reduce your risks for more serious problems in the future.
Our main office is located at 6051 Garth Road, Suite 300, Baytown, TX 77521. Or you may contact us at 281-839-7949 to set up an appointment.