When it comes to common medical conditions, high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, may affect the most Americans. According to a 2018 American Heart Association report, over 100 million American adults, nearly half of the country’s adults, have high blood pressure.
The rise in high blood pressure can be traced to multiple causes, including a mash-up of an aging population and increased life expectancy. Thankfully, high blood pressure doesn’t have to be permanent. With the right care and steps you can significantly lower your blood pressure.
Do you think that you may have high blood pressure or have already been diagnosed with this condition? If so, our experts at Apex Medical Professionals can help. Walid Elkhalili, MD, and the rest of our team work with you to get your blood pressure down and under control.
Dr. Elkhalili places a high priority on preventive care, wellness strategies, and health education.
Everyone knows the drill: Almost as soon as you enter the exam room at a doctor’s office, you should prepare to roll up your sleeve for a blood pressure test. But why does blood pressure matter?
Blood pressure is a measure of the force that blood exerts on the walls of the arteries as it flows through them. When your blood pressure gets too high, it puts extra strain on your arteries and heart.
Over time, this strain can cause health problems like heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. And because high blood pressure doesn’t have any symptoms, it often isn’t discovered until you visit the doctor.
Blood pressure actually measures two different pressures, systolic and diastolic.
Systolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure in the arteries as the heart contracts, should be below 120. Diastolic, which measures the pressure when the heart is resting between beats, should be below 80.
A combination of risk factors often causes hypertension. Common causes of high blood pressure include:
High blood pressure affects more men than women, and African-Americans are more likely to be affected than other races.
So what can you do to get your blood pressure closer to that magical 120/80 level? Your options fall into two main categories: lifestyle changes and medication.
Lifestyle changes generally focus on dropping weight and living a more active, healthy life. Changes you can make today include:
If you have trouble keeping yourself accountable to these goals, have friends and family help keep you on track and healthy.
At Apex Medical Professionals, we always recommend treatment with lifestyle adjustments first. But if your blood pressure doesn’t lower after making changes, we may prescribe medication such as diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers to help regulate your blood pressure.
You can get your blood pressure under control, and we at Apex Medical Professionals will make sure you stay healthy. Call or request an appointment at our Fair Lawn, New Jersey, office today.
