Hypertension: Detecting the Silent Killer - Part 2
Last
week I discussed the mechanics of hypertension, or high blood pressure,
including the additional risks it confers to patients with this condition. People with high blood pressure are at
increased risk of having a stroke, heart attack, heart failure, or kidney
failure. About 25% of Americans have
hypertension, and only about a quarter of them have it under control.
Normal
blood pressure is anything less than 120 over anything less than 80
(120/80). Prehypertension is when
pressures run 121 to 139 over 81-89. If
you are diagnosed with prehypertension, you have about a 50% chance of
developing hypertension and cardiovascular complications. However, multiple studies have shown that
medications to lower blood pressure are not beneficial for folks with prehypertension.
The
formal diagnosis of hypertension is made with blood pressure of 140 or greater
over 90 or greater (140/90) and this is even more concerning as pressures
approach 160 over 100. Most people have
primary or "essential" hypertension, the cause of which is typically
unknown. A minority of people experience
hypertension caused by an endocrine disorder or kidney abnormality that is
potentially treatable; this is termed "secondary" hypertension. We screen for this at diagnosis.
Treatment of
hypertension usually begins with lifestyle changes. Making these lifestyle
changes involves little or no risk and is also a good idea for people with
prehypertension. Recommended changes often include:
·
Reduce
the amount of salt in your diet, especially by limiting packaged, frozen, and processed
foods and be wary of the amount of salt in restaurant foods
·
Lose
weight if you are overweight or obese
·
Eat
more fruits and vegetables, more fish, and more fiber
·
Avoid
drinking more than two alcoholic beverages daily (1-2 drinks daily appears to
benefit the heart in patients over 40)
·
Avoid
excess caffeine - limit yourself to two caffeinated drinks daily
·
Stop
smoking
·
Exercise
at least 30 minutes per day most days of the week
When these lifestyle changes are not enough, we often
recommend beginning medication for hypertension. There are many different medications
available that work by different mechanisms; we try to individualize treatment
based on a person's other risk factors, diseases, age, and the severity of
their hypertension.
References:
Blog: https://matthewbogardmd.blogspot.com/
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewbogard/
https://attorneygazette.com/matthew-bogard%2C-md#7244cab0-d3fa-44b9-8632-6f83b0524da4
News: https://hype.news/dr-matthew-bogard/
News: https://attorneygazette.com/matthew-bogard%2C-md#7244cab0-d3fa-44b9-8632-6f83b0524da4
*** Dr. Matthew Bogard, Iowa doctor, is an emergency medicine doctor primarily at the Lucas County Health Center in Chariton, Iowa. Presently, he is Board Certified in Family Medicine by the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
