Hypertension

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is widespread, affecting about 50% of adults in the United States. At the office of Sergio B. Seoane, MD, in Lakeland, Florida, Dr. Seoane screens for and treats hypertension to lower your chance of a heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. Call the office to schedule an appointment, or book one online today.

What is hypertension?

Hypertension is a common medical problem that causes pressure in blood vessels to be too high, making your heart work harder than it’s supposed to. Your blood vessels can become too narrow or blocked due to plaque buildup. Properly managing high blood pressure is the best way to lessen your chance of developing heart and blood vessel disorders.

Does hypertension cause any symptoms?

You likely won’t have any symptoms or know you have high blood pressure unless you’re screened for it or it reaches dangerously high levels. If your blood pressure reaches an extremely high level, you can suffer nosebleeds, headaches, and shortness of breath.

It’s a good idea to have your blood pressure checked at every primary care appointment, including wellness exams and sick visits. You’ll need more frequent hypertension screenings if you have a history of high blood pressure.

What are the risk factors for hypertension?

The main risk factors for hypertension include:

• Stress
• Carrying excess weight
• Lack of exercise
• Poor dietary habits
• High-sodium diet
• Too little dietary potassium
• Older age
• Family history of hypertension
• Excess alcohol consumption
• Using tobacco
• Chronic diseases

Some hypertension-related chronic diseases include kidney disease, sleep apnea, and diabetes.

Adopting good nutrition and exercise habits, maintaining an ideal weight, not smoking or drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, and keeping your stress levels low minimize your chance of developing high blood pressure.

How is hypertension diagnosed?

Dr. Seoane diagnoses hypertension after discussing your medical history and completing a physical exam. He measures your blood pressure using an inflatable cuff around your upper arm attached to an analog or digital machine that reads out your blood pressure numbers. He then develops a personalized treatment plan.

How does my provider treat hypertension?

Dr. Seoane often recommends lifestyle changes, prescribes medication, or both to treat hypertension. He suggests you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, limit sodium, reduce stress, exercise regularly, and maintain an ideal body weight.

Avoid smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Take medication as directed by Dr. Seoane and undergo blood pressure screenings when asked to. You can monitor your blood pressure at home between doctor’s visits.

Call the office of Sergio B. Seoane, MD, or use the online scheduler to schedule a hypertension screening today.