High Blood Pressure
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Pinnacle Medical Group
Internal Medicine & Med Spa located in Nashville, TN
High blood pressure, medically known as hypertension, is a serious — and often silent — disease. You could suffer from high blood pressure without having any symptoms at all, leaving you at risk for stroke and heart disease without even knowing it. At Pinnacle Medical Group in Nashville, Tennessee, the care providers are committed to your health and wellness, including diagnosis, treatment, and preventive care. Get the best hypertension care now through the online scheduler or by calling the office today.
High Blood Pressure Q & A
What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure, aka hypertension, is a condition that occurs when the blood hits your blood vessel walls too forcefully. When you have high blood pressure, your risk of stroke and heart attack increases significantly. Very high blood pressure could even cause death.
How do I check my blood pressure?
A member of the Pinnacle Medical Group team checks your blood pressure during every office visit. If you have high blood pressure, your care provider may recommend that you also get a blood pressure monitor to use at home. These simple devices include a cuff that you place around your upper arm and inflate to get the reading.
What is a healthy blood pressure reading?
The pressure with each heart contraction is called systolic blood pressure, and the pressure between the contractions is called diastolic blood pressure. These numbers are expressed in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
Healthy blood pressure is under 120 systolic and under 80 diastolic, which is a reading of less than 120/80 mm Hg. High blood pressure is generally divided into levels, with higher always being worse. If your blood pressure is 180/120 mmHg or higher, it’s a medical emergency called a hypertensive crisis. Reach out for help immediately in this situation.
How can I lower my blood pressure?
Your Pinnacle Medical Group care provider can help you lower your blood pressure through healthy eating, weight loss, regular exercise, and other changes like reducing alcohol consumption.
According to the Mayo Clinic, losing just 2.2 pounds can lower your blood pressure by a full point (1 mm Hg). This means that an obese patient could potentially achieve healthy blood pressure through weight loss alone.
There may be situations in which lifestyle changes don't lower your blood pressure to healthy levels, so your Pinnacle Medical Group care provider may prescribe medication if you need it. But, it's best to stay mindful of your health at all times whether you take hypertension medication or not.
Your Pinnacle Medical Group care provider is here to help you with high blood pressure, so book your appointment online or by phone today.
