Hypertension

What is hypertension?

Hypertension is a medical condition that involves high blood pressure. Blood pressure is a measure of the force of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels. A high level of force, or high blood pressure, can damage your blood vessels over time.

A diagnosis of hypertension means the pressure on your blood vessel walls is high enough to create serious health problems if left untreated. Potential complications of hypertension include:

• Heart attack or stroke
• Brain aneurysm
• Heart failure
• Cognitive difficulties
• Metabolic syndrome

Dr. Tetro can help you manage your hypertension to avoid or diminish these complications.

What are the symptoms of hypertension?

In most cases, high blood pressure doesn’t cause symptoms. Even without symptoms, hypertension can damage your blood vessels and put your body at risk for more serious health problems. 

The best way to find out if you have hypertension is to get regular physical exams and blood pressure screenings with Dr. Tetro.

Who is at risk for hypertension?

Millions of people, including men, women, and children, suffer from high blood pressure. Many factors can put you at higher risk for developing hypertension, such as:

• Family history of hypertension
• A sedentary lifestyle
• Being overweight or obese
• Smoking or chewing tobacco
• A diet high in sodium
• Excessive alcohol use
• Stress

Certain medical conditions may also increase your risk of developing hypertension, such as kidney disease, sleep apnea, and diabetes.

How is hypertension diagnosed and treated?

Dr. Tetro checks your blood pressure during regularly scheduled physical exams. Since symptoms of hypertension usually don’t appear until the condition is severe, physical exams play an important role in preventing hypertension and complications of this disease.

If you have hypertension, Dr. Tetro works with you to form a treatment plan for managing your blood pressure. She may suggest the following lifestyle changes:

• Eating healthy foods
• Reducing salt intake
• Exercising regularly
• Following a medical weight loss plan
• Quitting smoking
• Limiting alcohol
• Managing stress
• Practicing relaxation and deep breathing

Depending on your condition, Dr. Tetro may also recommend medication to lower your blood pressure. 

If you think you’re at risk of developing hypertension, call Dr. Tetro’s office, or schedule an appointment online today.