Hypertension and High Blood Pressure

For many people, Hypertension is something that will require lifelong maintenance and treatment. However, controlled blood pressure can lengthen and greatly improve your quality and quantity of life.

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Hypertension also is known as high blood pressure is a common problem treated at Fast Pace Health. Blood pressure is a measurement of the force of the blood in the arteries of the body. Arteries are the vessels that carry blood from the heart throughout the body and can cause damage to the heart when the pressure is too high.

What are the symptoms?

One of the scariest things about hypertension is that many people do not know that they have it. Hypertension is commonly called the silent killer because of this and if left untreated, can lead to serious medical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and even vision problems.

Some warning signs of severe hypertension include:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Shortness of Breath
• Chest Pain
• Vision problems
• Blood in the urine

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 9-1-1.

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What if I have Hypertension?

If it is determined that you have hypertension, Fast Pace Health is fully capable of diagnosing, treating, and managing your blood pressure.

Most likely, this will start with routine bloodwork to make sure you do not have any pre-existing conditions that would be affected by certain medications. This will also allow us to get a baseline of your overall health before starting medication if it is deemed necessary.

If you are started on medication, your Fast Pace Health provider will most likely have you follow up regularly over the course of the next 3-6 months in order to adjust dosages and monitor blood pressures. After the initial follow up phase, your visits will likely be extended to 3 months, 6 months, or even yearly depending on how well an individual responds to treatment.

Routine bloodwork will continue to be monitored at these maintenance visits in order to continue to monitor for any adverse effects. Along with medications, the Fast Pace Health provider will likely give you recommendations regarding the lifestyle modifications mentioned above.

What are the stages of Hypertension?

Blood Pressure Category	Systolic	Diastolic
Normal	<120	<80
Elevated	120-129	<80
Stage 1 Hypertension	130-139	80-89
Stage 2 Hypertension	>140	>90
Hypertensive Crisis	>180	>120

How is Hypertension Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of hypertension is made simply by having blood pressure checked at your local Fast Pace Health clinic. Blood pressure is checked using a tool called a sphygmomanometer, which consists of a rubber cuff that inflates and a gauge that measures the pressure in the blood vessels.

This reading is obtained either manually by a Fast Pace Health provider listening with a stethoscope or automatically by a blood pressure machine. The blood pressure reading consists of two numbers. The top number (systolic pressure) is the measure of the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is pumping. The bottom number (diastolic pressure) is a measure of the pressure in the blood vessels between beats when the heart is at rest.

Find the clinic closet to you on our locations page and begin your treatment strategy today.

How does Fast Pace Health treat Hypertension?

The main goal in the treatment of hypertension is to reduce blood pressures to a range that minimizes adverse effects that over time cause damage to the heart, blood vessels, brain, kidneys, and other important parts of the body.

Initial treatment starts with lifestyle modifications that can minimize hypertension and in some cases, return blood pressures to a normal range. When lifestyle modifications are not enough, your Fast Pace Health provider may prescribe a medication to help treat hypertension. There are a large variety of blood pressure medications that work in a number of different ways depending on individual patient needs and specific background and history.

Some lifestyle modifications that have been shown to have positive effects on blood pressure include:

• Regular exercise
• Healthy diet
• Limiting salt intake
• Limiting alcohol
• Maintaining a healthy body weight
• Avoiding tobacco products
• Reducing stress

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 9-1-1.