Detecting and Managing High Blood Pressure

As cardiovascular experts, Dr. James Kim and our team feel that we should pay attention to our heart health every month. That said, February is American Heart Month in the United States, and we want to do our part to address a very important, and common, issue — hypertension.

Almost half of adults in the US — 116 million — have high blood pressure, which places them at far greater risk for some incredibly serious, and life-threatening, health issues.

In this month’s blog post, we’re taking a closer look at hypertension — how to detect it and, more importantly, how to bring your blood pressure numbers down.

Detecting and Managing High Blood Pressure

As cardiovascular specialists, Dr. James Kim and our team believe it’s crucial to prioritize heart health every month. February is American Heart Month in the United States, and we are focused on a major concern: hypertension.

Nearly half of U.S. adults, about 116 million people, have high blood pressure, increasing their risk for serious health issues.

In this month’s blog post, we discuss hypertension—how to identify it and, more importantly, how to lower your blood pressure.

The Dangers of High Blood Pressure

Let’s get to the core of why high blood pressure is a major concern. Blood pressure measures the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries.

Your blood pressure reading includes two numbers:

• Systolic: The pressure on your arteries during a heartbeat.
• Diastolic: The pressure on your arteries between heartbeats.

A reading higher than 130/80 is considered high blood pressure.

This is problematic because the extra pressure damages your blood vessels and forces your heart to work harder. This increases your risk for serious complications, including:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Kidney disease
• Vision loss

High blood pressure can also cause quality-of-life issues, such as sexual dysfunction.

Hypertension: A Silent Killer

Hypertension has earned its nickname as the “silent killer” because there are typically no signs or symptoms when your blood pressure is elevated. In fact, some individuals only become aware of the issue after experiencing a serious event like a heart attack or stroke.

While it may be difficult to detect high blood pressure through symptoms, we can easily pinpoint the problem through a quick and painless blood pressure reading.

Measuring your blood pressure is incredibly straightforward, and you can even do it yourself at home using a blood pressure cuff or have it measured at your nearby pharmacy. In other words, you don’t even need to schedule an appointment with a doctor for this simple yet crucial examination.

Changing Your Health for the Better

Regularly testing your blood pressure is crucial because lowering it can significantly improve your health. According to the CDC, 80% of premature heart disease and strokes are preventable, with lowering blood pressure being one of the key steps.

To lower blood pressure, consider:

• Medications
• Dietary changes, such as reducing sodium and eating healthier foods
• Increasing exercise
• Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking

These changes can not only lower your blood pressure but also enhance your overall health.

If you want to take control of your heart health, the first step is knowing if there’s a problem.

To determine if your blood pressure is high and learn how to manage it, contact us at our offices in Chula Vista or National City, California, to schedule an appointment.