Why It’s Important to Know Your Numbers

Sheeba Pannu, M.D., Family Medicine, Columbia St. Mary’s

Posted: March 1, 2007

High blood pressure, or hypertension, seldom exhibits any symptoms. If left untreated, this “silent killer,” as it’s been called, can have devastating consequences. It can cause heart and kidney diseases, strokes, circulatory diseases and vision problems.

High blood pressure is classified as either primary or secondary hypertension. Unfortunately, primary hypertension, which is diagnosed in 90 percent of cases, has no apparent cause.

Medications, kidney or vascular problems can cause secondary hypertension and makes up 10 percent of cases. But the good news is both types of hypertension in most patients are easily treated. Because hypertension shows no outward symptoms and the majority of cases have no apparent cause, it is important that blood pressure be monitored on a regular basis.

Blood pressure is the measure of force the blood is exerting against the walls of the arteries. Systolic, the top number, is the measure of force when the heart beats; and diastolic is the measure of force as the heart relaxes. Hypertension is determined with a reading of 140/90 or higher. Normal pressure, a reading of 120/80 or below, means your blood is flowing easily throughout your body and to your organs.

Who’s at risk?
After the age of 40, everyone should be screened annually – blood pressure screening is quick and painless. Tobacco and alcohol use, obesity, dietary sodium, stress, inactivity and a genetic predisposition to the disease are contributors to the onset of hypertension.

If you have high blood pressure or are pre-hypertensive, which means your blood pressure reading is 130-139/80-89, you should be monitored according to your physician’s recommendations.

High blood pressure is not inevitable, but as we get older our artery walls tend to get harder, which puts us at a higher risk for hypertension. So again, this is why monitoring is important.

If you don’t have high blood pressure, it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle with a good diet, regular exercise, no smoking, a moderate level of alcohol and managed stress. If you do have high blood pressure, it is important to work with your doctor to get it under control.

Treatments
Many cases of high blood pressure can be controlled through lifestyle changes. Patients may need to stop smoking, reduce alcohol and dietary sodium, lose weight and exercise.

When lifestyle changes fail to control your hypertension, medications may be prescribed. We can offer safe and effective options that include angiotensive converting enzymes (ACE inhibitors), diuretics, beta-blockers and angiotensive receptor blockers (ARBs) and calcium channel blockers.


Sheeba Pannu, M.D.
Family Medicine
Columbia St. Mary’s
414-326-1745

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