Blood Pressure Specialist
-
- Tweet
Healthy Life Family Medicine
Family Medicine Clinic located in Goodyear, AZ
Your blood pressure is a significant health indicator. However, more than 100 million Americans have high blood pressure, and many aren’t aware of their condition. At Healthy Life Family Medicine, in Goodyear, Arizona, John Monroe, MD, and his team diagnose high blood pressure and offer personalized treatment plans to restore and protect your health. Call Healthy Life Family Medicine or schedule a consultation online today if you’re due for a blood pressure screening or concerned about your blood pressure.
Blood Pressure Q & A
What is blood pressure?
Your blood pressure is the force your blood exerts on the insides of your blood vessels as it moves through your body. Your blood pressure is measured in two numbers and is written, for example, as 120/80 mmHg.
The first number is your systolic pressure, which is when your heart beats. Your diastolic pressure is the second number, which represents the pressure when your heart rests between beats.
Your blood pressure is considered elevated when your systolic number rises above 120 and is high once it hits 130. Your condition becomes more severe as your blood pressure readings increase.
What causes high blood pressure?
Many factors contribute to high blood pressure. Conditions like high cholesterol and diabetes both cause problems in your blood vessels that can increase your blood pressure. Other factors that contribute to high blood pressure include:
- A family history of high blood pressure
- Being overweight or obese
- Leading a sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking
- Eating a diet with too much salt and fat
- Consuming too much alcohol
- Having high stress levels
Your risk of high blood pressure also increases with age.
How is high blood pressure diagnosed?
High blood pressure doesn’t usually cause any noticeable symptoms — many people don’t know they have high blood pressure until they suffer a heart attack or stroke. Routine blood pressure screenings at your annual physical exam are the best way to monitor your blood pressure and track any changes.
If you have a high blood pressure reading, your doctor might ask you to come back and have your blood pressure measured at different times of day to see if your blood pressure is consistently high or if it was an isolated reading. They might also provide an at-home blood pressure monitor and ask you to check your blood pressure a few times a day for a couple of days.
How is high blood pressure treated?
The team at Healthy Life Family Medicine offers customized treatment plans to lower your blood pressure. They might recommend changes to your diet and exercise habits or smoking cessation support. In some cases, lifestyle changes are enough to lower your blood pressure.
However, if lifestyle changes don’t lower your blood pressure, your doctor can prescribe medication to lower your blood pressure, such as diuretics, ACE inhibitors, or calcium channel blockers. Your doctor might also recommend treatment and medication to control high cholesterol or diabetes if these diseases contribute to your condition.
Call Healthy Life Family Medicine or make an appointment online today for expert diagnosis and treatment for high blood pressure.
