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Older adults and some adults with disabilities qualify for the federal medical program Medicare. Discover what Medicare is and why you should work with a Medicare provider.
Here's Why Hypertension is Called "The Silent Killer"
You can look and feel healthy, and yet, still have a health problem that comes with no symptoms. One of the most common diseases that’s difficult to spot is high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
According to Thomas Nguyen, MD, of Nguyen Medical Group in Boynton Beach, Florida, without regular monitoring, you can find yourself facing serious health consequences before you even know you had high blood pressure. Discover why hypertension is known as “The Silent Killer” and what you can do to fight it.
Why is hypertension called “The Silent Killer?”
Hypertension is a particularly dangerous condition because it’s usually invisible. Many other potentially serious health conditions have symptoms that indicate something might be wrong.
Since hypertension doesn’t have any obvious symptoms, it’s possible to have it for many years before it's detected. In the meantime, hypertension can cause significant damage to your body before you’re aware and can take steps to lower it.
Dangers of hypertension
When detected early, it’s possible to lower your blood pressure and avoid any long-term damage. But if you don’t know you have hypertension and it continues for a long period of time, it can lead to health issues.
Health problems hypertension can cause include:
- Heart disease
- Strokes
- Vision loss
- Heart attacks
In the worst case scenarios, you can end up experiencing cardiac arrest or a permanently damaging stroke before you weren’t aware of your hypertension.
How to detect hypertension
The only reliable way to find out if your blood pressure is high is to have it checked at the doctor’s office. This is why our team checks your blood pressure at your annual physical, as well as many other kind of medical appointments.
Our team recommends you get your blood pressure checked every year at the annual physical, at a minimum. If you’re at a higher risk for developing hypertension, we might recommend getting checks more often.
Risk factors for hypertension include:
- A family history of hypertension
- Experiencing high amounts of stress
- A diet high in salt, fat, or alcohol
- A sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking
- Obesity
Even if you don’t have any of the risk factors for hypertension, you still need to get regular checks of your blood pressure. Anyone can develop high blood pressure, even if they aren’t at an increased risk.
Treating hypertension
Once our team has determined your blood pressure is high, we can help you take measures to lower it. Getting your blood pressure at lower levels immediately lowers your risk of heart problems and strokes.
Our team makes personalized hypertension treatment recommendations based on your personal situation. Not all risk factors for hypertension are in your control, but we can help you lower the ones that are with healthy lifestyle choices.
If your diet is overly high in salt or fats or you’re overweight, our team supports you in achieving a diet and weight that helps your heart. We also can help you quit smoking or reduce your alcohol consumption levels.
Moving your body more, finding ways to lower your stress levels, and changing medications away from ones that are elevating your blood pressure are other ways to help reduce your blood pressure. Our team can prescribe medication when lifestyle changes alone don’t sufficiently lower your blood pressure.
Instead of hoping your blood pressure is normal, find out once for certain once and for all. You can start treatment right away if you need it after an easy and quick blood pressure reading. Contact us to schedule yours today.
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