A Silent Killer: The Importance of Managing High Blood Pressure

About 120 million Americans have high blood pressure (hypertension) — roughly half the adult population. But despite how common it is, high blood pressure can be hard to detect without a visit to your doctor.

To mark High Blood Pressure Education Month, our team at Florida Heart, Vein, and Vascular Institute offers a quick overview of hypertension, including the dangers it poses to your health and the steps you can take to manage your blood pressure and potentially prevent hypertension, too.

Understanding high blood pressure

Blood pressure is a pretty simple concept. It’s a measurement of the force blood exerts on the walls of your blood vessels during circulation. 

The measurement is given in millimeters of mercury, and it’s provided in two numbers: The first is a measurement of the pressure when your heart is pumping, and the second is a measure of the pressure exerted when your heart rests between beats.

Your body’s organs, tissues, and functions are designed to work most efficiently within a specific pressure range. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says a normal blood pressure is one that’s below 120/80 mmHg, while high blood pressure measures 130/80 mmHg or higher. Previous guidelines established high blood pressure as 140/90 mmHg or higher.

Dangers of hypertension

Hypertension is associated with a variety of serious and even life-threatening complications, including: 

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Kidney damage
• Vision loss
• Dementia
• Heart failure
• Aneurysm
• Erectile dysfunction

But arguably, one of the biggest dangers of hypertension lies in its symptoms — or rather, its lack of symptoms. 

High blood pressure almost never causes any noticeable signs until a more serious event occurs, like a heart attack or kidney damage. That means you can have hypertension and not even know it, and it’s also why high blood pressure is sometimes referred to as a “silent killer.” 

In fact, of the millions of Americans who have high blood pressure, about 10% are undiagnosed and untreated, leaving them at an even higher risk of complications. Have your blood pressure measured at regular intervals to catch hypertension as early as possible.

Manage your hypertension

High blood pressure is a chronic condition, which means it requires ongoing management. We work closely with every patient to devise a management plan focused on each person’s health needs, lifestyle, and other factors.

Fortunately, many people find they can lower their blood pressure with simple lifestyle changes. They include:

• Lowering sodium intake
• Avoiding unhealthy fats and cholesterol
• Eliminating fast foods and processed foods
• Increasing exercise and physical activity
• Quitting smoking
• Limiting or avoiding alcohol
• Limiting caffeine
• Improving sleep habits
• Practicing stress management
• Maintaining a healthy weight

Keep a blood pressure cuff at home to measure your blood pressure, so you know when we need to adjust your plan.

When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, we can prescribe medication to lower your blood pressure and maintain a healthy level. In some instances, we may also prescribe medication to lower cholesterol levels or help you lose extra pounds.

Learn how we can help

Without proper management, high blood pressure can have deadly consequences. If you have high blood pressure or are at risk of developing it, we can help. To learn more, request an appointment online or over the phone at one of our offices in Zephyrhills, Lakeland, Plant City, and Riverview, Florida, today.