Hypertension Specialist
Hiwet Clinic Primary Care
Primary Care Practice located in Houston, TX
A jarring 75 million Americans have hypertension. At Hiwet Clinic Primary Care in Houston, Texas, the hard-working medical professionals offer plenty of solutions and treatment methods for hypertension and can help you protect the health of your heart and circulatory system. Reduce your risk of cardiologic complications and visit the experienced providers of Hiwet Clinic Primary Care. Call the office or schedule through the online system.
Hypertension Q & A
What is hypertension?
Hypertension is the medical term for chronic high blood pressure — when the pressure and force of your blood are persistently high inside your artery walls.
Usually, hypertension means you have narrowed arteries, which makes your heart work harder to pump the blood throughout your body.
When you come into Hiwet Clinic Primary Care, your provider checks your blood pressure with a special machine that accurately measures how much blood your heart pumps and the resistance of your arteries to your blood flow.
What are the symptoms of hypertension?
Hypertension usually doesn’t come with any symptoms, so it’s called the silent killer. If there are symptoms, some of them might include:
- Headaches
- Shortness of breath
- Nosebleeds
- Lightheadedness
Your provider should assess your health and monitor your circulatory system and blood pressure more regularly if you have hypertension. But because you might not even know you have hypertension, it’s important to have regular blood pressure checks.
What causes hypertension?
Various factors can cause hypertension, but you may not always know the origins of your condition.
Primary hypertension
It isn’t clear what causes primary hypertension, and it tends to happen over many years.
Secondary hypertension
Secondary hypertension can happen suddenly, usually as the result of an underlying medical condition.
Some of the risk factors for developing hypertension include:
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Use of some illegal drugs, such as amphetamines
- Kidney complications
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Adrenal gland tumors
- Thyroid disorder
Certain medications can also heighten your risk of developing hypertension, such as cold remedies, birth control pills, and prescription drugs.
Without proper treatment and management, over time hypertension can lead to certain complications, such as heart disease, heart failure, memory loss, and metabolic syndrome.
How is hypertension treated?
Your provider begins by evaluating your medical history, measuring your blood pressure, and performing a physical exam. Certain testing may be recommended, such as blood work or an electrocardiogram.
Your provider also educates you on how to make healthy lifestyle changes that can improve your general health, such as mindfulness and stress management, regular appropriate exercise, and a nutrient-dense diet.
Numerous methods can help to lower your blood pressure, such as limiting your alcohol intake, managing stress, quitting smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight. The Hiwet Clinic Primary Care providers offer personalized weight-loss programs to help you lose weight if needed.
Certain medications can also help you regulate your blood pressure. Your provider can give you an abundance of helpful information, so you can collectively make the best decision about treatments for your hypertension.
Hypertension is deemed the silent killer for a reason. Don’t take any chances. Protect your health by calling Hiwet Clinic Primary Care or scheduling your visit online today.