Hypertension

Hypertension can lead to strokes and heart attacks if your blood pressure reaches dangerous levels, yet it doesn’t cause any symptoms. At offices in the Navy Hill and Williamsburg neighborhoods of Brooklyn, New York, Tru Medical Management’s board-certified physicians offer hypertension screening to identify the condition before it reaches a critical stage. They can also help you reduce your blood pressure to a safe level. To arrange your hypertension screening, call the Tru Medical Management office nearest you or schedule a consultation online today.

What is hypertension?

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is where the blood in your arteries is pumping at too high a pressure. This could damage your arteries and lead to serious, potentially life-threatening health problems like strokes and heart attacks.

Each time your heart beats, it drives blood along your arteries and veins, creating pressure. A degree of pressure is healthy; if it drops too low (hypotension), it can cause loss of consciousness and other issues. However, blood pressure that gets too high is a serious problem.

Hypertension rarely causes symptoms, so you won’t know you have it unless you visit Tru Medical Management for a consultation.

How do I know if I have hypertension?

A healthy blood pressure measurement is 120 or below as your heart beats (the systolic pressure) and 80 or below in between beats (the diastolic pressure). Elevated blood pressure of 120-129 systolic and 80 or under diastolic indicates you need to take action before the pressure reaches a dangerous level.

Stage one hypertension develops when your blood pressure reaches 130-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic. Stage two hypertension measures 140 or above systolic or 90 or above diastolic. The greater your blood pressure reading, the more likely you will suffer cardiovascular problems.

Your Tru Medical Management provider can easily check your blood pressure. They wrap an inflatable cuff around your arm, pump it up, and take readings when your heart beats and between beats. It’s best to do this several times for the most accurate reading, as blood pressure can vary depending on what you’ve been doing.

How is hypertension treated?

In most cases, hypertension results from an unhealthy lifestyle and bad habits; therefore, treating hypertension begins with making changes that eliminate these risk factors:

• Lack of exercise
• Excess body weight
• High cholesterol
• Excessive salt intake
• Smoking
• Severe, chronic stress

Tru Medical Management offers comprehensive support to patients who need services like smoking cessation, medical weight loss, stress management tips, and dietary advice. Some people also need medication to help control their blood pressure.

It’s vital to monitor your blood pressure to ensure it’s heading in the right direction. Your Tru Medical Management provider performs regular checkups and adjusts your treatment accordingly.

For optimal cardiovascular fitness, the practice provides specialized cardiology and heart health services in addition to their full-service physical therapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, and gastroenterology specialties.

To get an accurate blood pressure reading and expert treatment for hypertension, call Tru Medical Management or book an appointment online today.