Hypertension
What You Should Know About Hypertension in Houston, TX
Anyone can develop high blood pressure. Unfortunately, as many as 1 in 3 American adults have high blood pressure and many don’t even know they have it. Our Houston, TX, board-certified cardiologist Dr. Swati Gupta knows all too well that untreated and uncontrolled hypertension can increase a person’s risk for heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Fortunately, the team at SKG Heart Center can help get your high blood pressure in check.
What is Hypertension?
Normal blood pressure is anything under 120/80, while anything over is considered elevated or full-blown high blood pressure (over 130/80). The problem with high blood pressure is that many people don’t even realize that they have it because they often feel fine; however, this doesn’t mean that you can go on without treatment. Our cardiologist must provide you with the proper treatment plan and medications to get your hypertension in check. By doing so we reduce your risk for stroke and heart attack due to untreated hypertension.
Causes of Hypertension
There are many factors, particularly lifestyle factors, that can play a role in whether or not you develop high blood pressure. Some of these causes include:
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Sedentary lifestyle
- High-salt diet
- Thyroid disorders
- Sleep apnea
- Stress
- Obesity or being overweight
- Family history
- Older age
If you have risk factors for hypertension, you can turn to our cardiology team here at SKG Heart Center to discuss ways to improve your lifestyle to reduce your risk. Preventive measures can go a long way to preventing high blood pressure or even reversing elevated blood pressure.
Treating Hypertension
Lifestyle modifications will certainly go a long way to improving your blood pressure levels, regardless of whether you have elevated levels or you have stage 2 hypertension. Lifestyle modifications include:
- Eating a low-sodium, low-fat diet
- Adding more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to your diet
- Quitting smoking or tobacco products
- Quitting alcohol
- Getting moderately intense exercise for at least 30 minutes a day several times a week
Along with a healthier lifestyle, our cardiologist may also prescribe medication to manage your blood pressure. If you have other health conditions such as a thyroid disorder that could be contributing to your high blood pressure, we may recommend that you talk to other specialists to get these underlying health problems under control.