About half of Americans over 50 have high blood pressure today — and it also affects almost one-quarter of people aged 20-44. At San Antonio Premier Internal Medicine, with three offices in San Antonio, Texas, the patient-focused medical professionals can help you prevent and manage high blood pressure to avoid a stroke or heart attack later. Book your appointment by calling the office nearest to you or scheduling online.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious medical condition in which your blood pulses too forcefully against your blood vessel walls. Two numbers express your blood pressure, such as 120/80 mmHg. These numbers represent:
Systolic blood pressure, the first number in a blood pressure reading, is the pressure during heartbeats.
Your diastolic blood pressure, the second number, is blood pressure between heartbeats.
Both numbers are important for healthy blood pressure. When you have high blood pressure, you’re at risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
High blood pressure doesn’t usually cause symptoms. In fact, it’s sometimes called a “silent killer” because it can cause a heart attack or stroke without any apparent symptoms beforehand. It’s important to schedule regular health checkups at San Antonio Premier Internal Medicine for monitoring and preventive care.
Normal blood pressure is the systolic blood pressure lower than 120 mmHg along with diastolic blood pressure lower than 80 mmHg. If you have a blood pressure reading higher than that, you have:
Elevated blood pressure is consistently (over multiple office visits) between 120-129 systolic and less than 80 diastolic.
Stage 1 hypertension occurs when you consistently have readings of 130-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic.
Stage 2 hypertension occurs with consistent blood pressure readings of 140 or higher systolic or 90 or higher diastolic.
Blood pressure of 180/120 or higher is a hypertensive crisis, which is a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate medical attention.
Many factors can contribute to high blood pressure, including:
Your blood pressure may increase as you age. You can modify all of the main factors involved in blood pressure with help from your San Antonio Premier Internal Medicine providers.
High blood pressure treatment follows the same path as prevention: Making healthy lifestyle changes is the most dependable and effective approach. Your providers can help with weight loss, management of chronic diseases like diabetes, exercise planning, and other aspects of health management to help you return to normal blood pressure.
You may also need medication as part of your high blood pressure treatment plan. Your San Antonio Premier Internal Medicine provider can prescribe a plan that helps you maintain a healthy blood pressure to maximize your life quality and longevity.
Click the online scheduler or call the San Antonio Premier Internal Medicine office nearest you for help today.