Checking your blood pressure is fast and easy and could save your life. If you haven't had your blood pressure measured for a while, Prime Heart and Vascular's experienced cardiovascular specialist Kiran Kumar Mangalpally, MD, can help. Don't assume that because you have no symptoms, your blood pressure is fine, as even severe high blood pressure may not cause any issues until it reaches a crisis point. Arrange your blood pressure checkup by contacting one of the Prime Heart and Vascular offices in Plano, Frisco, Prosper, Celina, Little Elm, Carrollton, or Allen, Texas. Call or book an appointment online today.
High blood pressure is a condition in which the blood your heart is pumping around your body is exerting too much pressure on your blood vessels.
High blood pressure (which doctors call hypertension) puts undue stress on the blood vessels and, in turn, your heart. Long periods of stress damage your blood vessels and encourages the formation of plaque.
Plaque is a substance consisting of cholesterol and waste products circulating in your blood. It gathers on the inside of your artery walls and makes the arteries narrower, which reduces blood flow.
High blood pressure has two forms. Primary hypertension has no recognizable cause, but secondary hypertension can be a complication of chronic conditions like diabetes, thyroid disorders, or kidney disease.
Other causes of secondary hypertension include:
Many of the causes of high blood pressure relate to poor diet and lifestyle issues that are preventable and reversible.
Measuring your blood pressure is a simple procedure that only takes a few minutes. Your provider wraps a blood pressure cuff around your upper arm, then inflates it until your blood stops pumping. They take two readings, one of which shows your blood pressure as your heart beats (systolic) and the other in-between heartbeats (diastolic).
The blood pressure measurements identify hypertension at different levels:
If your blood pressure is higher than 180 systolic and 120 diastolic, you're experiencing a hypertensive crisis and need emergency medical attention.
High blood pressure can be responsible for serious complications, including:
However, with expert treatment at Prime Heart and Vascular, you can reduce your blood pressure to healthy or near-healthy levels.
To treat your high blood pressure, Prime Heart and Vascular first addresses the causes of your condition. Managing chronic diseases like diabetes can help, and making changes to your lifestyle where necessary is vital.
If your high blood pressure puts you at risk, you might also need to take medication to help reduce it to a less dangerous level. Depending on the cause of your high blood pressure, you may need to take blood pressure medicines for a short period or long term.
To arrange your blood pressure check, call Prime Heart and Vascular today or book an appointment online.
