People with high blood pressure (HBP), or hypertension, face serious health risks. While you can’t cure primary hypertension, you can take steps to keep it under control, preserving your heart health and your full quality of life.
Enrico Ascher, MD, provides support to new and existing patients living with hypertension from his Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York, offices. Dr. Ascher and our care team at the Vascular Institute of New York can help you put together a customized plan to manage your condition and keep your blood pressure numbers where they need to be.
Hypertension doesn’t come with obvious symptoms that impair your day-to-day life. However, if left untreated, you could suffer lasting damage to your blood vessels, as well as serious heart health problems in the future. Hypertension increases your risk of heart disease, the number one killer of adults in the United States, as well as stroke and kidney disease, among other conditions.
We check your blood pressure to screen for hypertension. If your numbers read too high, Dr. Ascher may diagnose you with HBP. Normal range is an upper number (systolic) less than 120, and a lower number (diastolic) less than 80. Higher measurements could indicate that you have stage 1 or 2 hypertension. If your readings are higher than 180 systolic and/or higher than 120 diastolic, your hypertensive crisis needs immediate medical attention.
Patients with HPB need to monitor their blood pressure regularly. Watch out for any troubling changes. You can track your progress as you work to get your hypertension controlled.
Don’t wait for your blood pressure numbers to become a serious health concern. Take steps now to get your hypertension under control. Dr. Ascher can recommend the right combination of changes and therapy for your unique health care and lifestyle needs.
Lifestyle changes can help you get your blood pressure numbers back within the safe range. Managing your diet is key. Eat balanced meals and cut back on salt and alcohol. If you smoke cigarettes, quit now to reduce your blood pressure. You should also manage your stress levels, and make time for regular exercise to maintain a healthy weight.
Medications and dietary supplements can also support your circulatory and heart health if you have hypertension. Several medications are approved by the FDA to treat hypertension, including diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers.
Dr. Ascher may also recommend alpha blockers, beta blockers, or alpha-beta blockers, to reduce nerve impulses to your blood vessels and control your heartbeat.
For help diagnosing and controlling your hypertension, contact Dr. Ascher today. You can book your initial consultation appointment at our Brooklyn, New York, office over the phone, or request your appointment online.
