High Blood Pressure

What is high blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force your blood exerts on your artery walls. When your blood pressure pumps against your artery walls too forcefully for too long, the walls start to harden and thicken. When your artery walls become less elastic, it raises your risk of stroke. The walls can also begin to weaken, leading to an aneurysm (ballooning of a portion of the artery).

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, can go unnoticed for years. Without treatment, high blood pressure complications can lower your quality of life and even become life-threatening.

What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?

High blood pressure rarely causes symptoms. When it does, they can include:

• Headaches
• Nosebleeds
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Impaired vision

High blood pressure can also cause blood in your urine. Prompt care is essential to prevent complications if you have high blood pressure symptoms.

What causes high blood pressure?

Many controllable factors can cause high blood pressure, including:

• Inactivity
• Poor diet
• Excess weight
• Smoking cigarettes
• High alcohol consumption

High blood pressure can develop at any age, but most people who have it are over 40.

How is high blood pressure diagnosed?

Diagnosing high blood pressure involves taking a quick, noninvasive test. The number on top (systolic) refers to the pressure when the blood pumps through the arteries. The bottom number (diastolic) refers to the pressure in between heartbeats.

Normal blood pressure is at or under 120/80 mm Hg. Any reading above 120/80 mm Hg indicates hypertension.

What are the treatments for high blood pressure?

Most high blood pressure treatments involve lifestyle adjustments, but the Temecula Medical Group team can also prescribe medication. Common lifestyle changes to lower high blood pressure include:

• Losing excess weight
• Following a healthy, low-sodium diet
• Exercising regularly
• Limiting your alcohol consumption
• Quitting smoking
• Monitoring your blood pressure

Many people see noticeable improvements in their blood pressure from diet and lifestyle changes alone. If you have severe high blood pressure, the team can recommend taking diuretics, ACE inhibitors, alpha-blockers, beta-blockers, or another medication.

Call the Temecula Medical Group today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about high blood pressure and its treatments.