What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is an extremely common health condition. It’s also very serious. In the same way a garden hose falters from too much water pressure over time, your blood vessels suffer when your blood pressure is too high.
And that’s a problem because high blood pressure usually comes with no noticeable symptoms until it’s extremely severe. In fact, hypertension is often called the silent killer. That’s why regular physicals are important. At your annual exam, Dr. Auer and his team check your blood pressure. This gives them the opportunity to diagnose hypertension early on when it’s easiest to treat.
Why is high blood pressure dangerous?
You may think a little extra pressure in your arteries isn’t a cause for much concern. But high blood pressure is directly linked to a number of very serious health issues, including:
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Dementia
- Aneurysm
- Blood vessel problems that can impair your organs like kidney failure
Clearly, maintaining healthy blood pressure is important in protecting your body from a range of very serious conditions.
What causes high blood pressure?
In most cases, there’s no single cause of high blood pressure, but blood pressure generally increases over the years. In addition to age, several lifestyle choices increase your risk of high blood pressure. Some of those choices include:
- A sedentary lifestyle
- A low-potassium diet
- A high-sodium diet
- Tobacco use
- Obesity
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Stress
The good news is that reversing lifestyle choices like these is often effective in reversing high blood pressure itself.
How is high blood pressure treated?
In many cases, lifestyle changes make a dramatic difference in blood pressure levels. Regular exercise, stress management techniques, limited alcohol and no tobacco use, and a healthy diet can all help you bring your blood pressure back down to healthy levels.
If lifestyle changes are ineffective in reducing your blood pressure, Dr. Auer can explore other treatment options — including medication — with you.
With annual blood pressure checks and dedicated treatment, David E. Auer, MD, strives to ensure blood pressure isn’t a silent killer for his patients. Check your blood pressure or start your treatment by calling the office or scheduling an appointment online today.
