Is my blood pressure too high? When to call the doctor.

It’s usually one of the first things done at your doctor's office. Your blood pressure can tell your primary care provider a lot about your health.

Nardos Workneh, NP, with HCA HealthONE Skyline Primary Care, says if high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is undetected and untreated, it can cause heart disease, including congestive heart failure and heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

“It’s very important to have regular physical examinations to make sure your blood pressure is within the normal range,” Workneh says. This is especially important if your blood pressure has ever been high, if you have a family history of hypertension, or if you are gaining weight.”

Understanding blood pressure

“With each heartbeat, your heart pumps blood through your arteries to deliver blood to the many areas where your body needs it most,” says Workneh. “When your nurse or doctor checks your blood pressure, he or she is obtaining a measurement of how forceful your blood pushes against your arteries when your heart pumps blood.”

When measuring blood pressure, there are two important numbers to keep in mind:

• The first number records the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats
• The second number refers to the pressure in your arteries when your heart is relaxed, or the time between each heartbeat

“A normal blood pressure remains lower than 120 over 80 (120/80), whereas a high blood pressure is 140/90 or higher,” Workneh says.

Risk factors

You may be at risk for high blood pressure if you:

• Are overweight or obese
• Smoke
• Have a family history of hypertension
• Regularly consume foods high in salt
• Exercise or incorporate less than 30 minutes of activity each day
• Consume more than the moderate amount of alcohol each day (two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women)

“One thing is for certain, when your home tests are readily above or below normal ranges, you should see your primary care provider,” Workneh says. “Likewise, when you are experiencing symptoms of fatigue, nausea, dizziness, faintness, and drowsiness, that is another time you should see your doctor, as these are symptoms of blood pressure issues.”

Treatment

Workneh says changing your lifestyle can help control and manage high blood pressure. Your primary care provider may recommend that you make lifestyle changes including:

• Eating a heart-healthy diet with less salt
• Getting regular physical activity
• Maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight
• Limiting alcohol
• Not smoking
• Getting seven to nine hours of sleep daily

“Sometimes lifestyle changes aren't enough to treat high blood pressure. If they don't help, your provider may recommend medication to lower help your blood pressure,” Workneh says.

At HCA HealthONE we make it easy to find the right physician to take care of your family. Our physicians and hospitals make up a continuum of care that can help your family with any health challenges that come your way in a wide variety of specialties. With physician offices and hospitals at convenient locations across the metro, HCA HealthONE is here for you.

Find the right HCA HealthONE physicians to care for your family by calling (303) 575-0055 or visiting the HCA HealthOne website.