What is hypertension?
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, occurs when the pressure of blood against your blood
vessel walls is greater than normal. Over time, this excess pressure damages both your blood vessels
and organs and increases your risk of more serious health issues, including heart and kidney
disease. Hypertension also increases your risk of having a stroke or heart attack.
Unlike other types of chronic diseases, hypertension develops without causing symptoms. The only way
to know if your blood pressure is higher than normal is with regular blood pressure screenings
offered by Dr. Sra at Sun Arizona Medical Group.
What causes hypertension?
In most cases, there’s no known underlying cause of hypertension. You may be at greater risk of
developing hypertension if you’re overweight or obese, don’t get enough physical activity, or if it
runs in your family.
However, certain medical conditions may cause you to develop hypertension, such as sleep apnea,
kidney or thyroid problems, or a congenital condition that affects your blood vessels.
How is hypertension diagnosed?
Dr. Sra may diagnose hypertension if you’ve had elevated blood pressure readings at three separate
office visits. However, she understands that many people feel anxious when they come to the office,
and blood pressure numbers may be falsely elevated.
To get a better view of your blood pressure, she may suggest you use a home blood pressure monitoring
machine to check your numbers under more normal conditions.
What are the treatments for hypertension?
Dr. Sra takes a preventive approach to care and may suggest lifestyle modification to help improve
your blood pressure. Your treatment plan may include:
- Diet modification
- Exercise program
- Smoking cessation
- Limiting alcohol consumption
If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight can have a dramatic effect on your blood pressure
numbers. Dr. Sra specializes in weight loss and can design an effective weight management program
for you.
If lifestyle modification doesn’t improve your hypertension, Dr. Sra may prescribe medication.
Hypertension is common and can be managed and improved. For comprehensive care from a compassionate
physician, call Sun Arizona Medical Group or request an appointment online.
