Understanding Hypertension in Sugar Land, TX

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is often referred to as the “silent killer” because it rarely presents symptoms but significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, brain disorders, and kidney failure in men and women. When you have hypertension, the pressure of the blood in your blood vessels is chronically high. At Reddy Cardiac Wellness and Diabetes Reversal Center, we help our patients better understand their risk factors for hypertension and offer evaluation, treatment, and management of hypertension in Sugar Land, TX. Keep reading to learn more about the types of hypertension, its causes and risk factors, and the treatment options.

What Is Hypertension?

Hypertension is high blood pressure. Your blood pressure is the measure of the force of your blood against your artery walls. It is measured in two numbers. The top number is your systolic blood pressure, or the pressure on your artery walls when your heart beats. The bottom number is your diastolic blood pressure, or the pressure between beats when your heart is relaxed. High blood pressure is when your systolic pressure exceeds 140 mm Hg or your diastolic pressure exceeds 90 mm Hg. When your blood pressure is consistently too high, you can sustain damage to your heart and arteries, leading to serious health issues like a heart attack or stroke. Hypertension symptoms can be subtle or hard to recognize, so it’s important to schedule regular doctor’s appointments for blood pressure screening.

Types of Hypertension

There are two primary types of high blood pressure: primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. Your blood pressure can also affect other areas of the body, such as the lungs and brain. Here is a look at the different types:

• Primary Hypertension – Primary hypertension is the most common type of hypertension, and it is caused by aging and lifestyle factors.
• Secondary Hypertension – Secondary hypertension can be caused by medication, medical conditions, or a genetic or congenital health issue. You can have both primary and secondary hypertension.
• Essential Hypertension – Essential hypertension is when you have abnormally high blood pressure caused by family history, obesity, or an unhealthy diet.
• White Coat Hypertension – This occurs when you have normal blood pressure at home but is elevated at the doctor’s office or in a healthcare setting.
• Masked Hypertension – This occurs when your blood pressure is normal in a doctor’s office or healthcare setting but is elevated at home.
• Sustained Hypertension – This occurs when you have elevated blood pressure at home and in a healthcare setting.
• Nocturnal Hypertension – This occurs when you have elevated blood pressure while you sleep.
• Portal Hypertension – Portal hypertension is increased blood pressure in your portal venous system.
• Pulmonary Hypertension – Pulmonary hypertension is increased blood pressure in the lungs.
• Intracranial Hypertension – Intracranial hypertension is increased blood pressure in the skull.

Causes of Hypertension

Primary hypertension doesn’t always have an obvious cause. It may be the result of a combination of different risk factors and lifestyle choices, including:

• Unhealthy diet
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Alcohol overuse

Secondary hypertension usually has at least one obvious cause, such as:

• Medication
• Kidney disease
• Substance abuse disorder
• Renal vascular disease
• Tobacco use
• Conn’s syndrome
• Obstructive sleep apnea

Risk Factors for Hypertension

Your hypertension can be caused by one of the conditions or lifestyle choices above, or it can be due to a combination of different risk factors. The most common risk factors for hypertension are:

• Having a family history of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes
• Being over the age of 55
• Having a medical condition like diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, thyroid disease, chronic kidney disease, or metabolic syndrome.
• Being overweight
• Not getting enough exercise
• Eating too much sodium
• Using tobacco products
• Drinking too much alcohol

Hypertension Treatment & Management

Without treatment and management of hypertension, you are at a greater risk of major health issues, diseases, or complications. The most common complications of unmanaged hypertension are:

• Coronary artery disease
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Peripheral artery disease
• Kidney disease or failure
• Pregnancy complications
• Eye damage
• Vascular dementia

Our team can help you better understand the cause or causes of your hypertension, your risk factors for hypertension, and how to take control of your health to lower your blood pressure. For treatment, we may recommend:

• Weight Management – Maintaining a healthy weight can lower your blood pressure.
• Following a Healthy Diet – Reducing your sodium intake and following the DASH diet can improve your heart health.
• Eating Enough Potassium – 3500-5000 mg of potassium a day through food lowers blood pressure.
• Getting More Exercise – 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week helps lower blood pressure.
• Quitting Smoking and Drinking – Quitting smoking and tobacco use and reducing or quitting drinking can also improve your blood pressure.
• Hypertension Medication – Sometimes, medication may be necessary to lower your blood pressure.

Schedule a Consultation for Hypertension Management

By understanding and managing hypertension early, you can prevent serious complications and improve overall heart health. At Reddy Cardiac Wellness and Diabetes Reversal Center, we are committed to providing our patients with the education, resources, and support they need to take control of their health.

We combine holistic health care, medical treatments, and interventions to reverse heart disease and improve blood pressure and cholesterol. If you have been diagnosed with hypertension in Sugar Land, TX, or if you are concerned about your risk level for hypertension, we can help. Call us now to schedule a consultation with Dr. Reddy or Dr. Khan to discuss hypertension management, or schedule an appointment online to learn more.