High Blood Pressure
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Optimal Health by Dr Aneela
Aneela Mahmud, MD
Homeopathic, Integrative, and Internal Medicine Physician (Telehealth Visits Only) located in Phoenix, AZ
You might not realize you have it as it causes no symptoms, but high blood pressure could become so severe it causes a stroke or heart attack. Aneela Mahmud, MD, offers routine blood pressure checks at her practice, Optimal Health by Dr Aneela, in Phoenix, Arizona. Experienced general practitioner Dr. Aneela assesses your blood pressure and gives you the treatment and support you need to keep it at a healthy level. To arrange your blood pressure checkup, call Optimal Health by Dr Aneela today, or book an appointment online.
High Blood Pressure Q&A
What is hypertension?
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a common, symptomless condition. It develops when the force of your blood pumping inside your arteries rises too high, which damages the blood vessels. If you don’t receive treatment for high blood pressure, it can lead to serious health conditions such as:
- Heart disease
- Arrhythmia
- Congestive heart failure
- Dementia
- Retinopathy and sight loss
- Stroke
- Chronic kidney disease
The difficulty with high blood pressure is that you’re unlikely to be aware there’s anything wrong because you won’t have any symptoms. That’s why it’s so vital to visit Dr. Aneela for a regular blood pressure reading.
What does a blood pressure reading involve?
A blood pressure reading is a simple test and one you may have had before. It’s a basic health check you might get whenever you visit a health care professional.
Dr. Aneela wraps a cuff around your arm and inflates it, increasing the pressure on your arteries. She measures the flow of blood and records the systolic pressure when your heart’s beating and the diastolic pressure between your heartbeats.
These measurements produce two figures that go together to form your blood pressure reading. For example, normal, healthy blood pressure is around 120/80 (120 systolic over 80 diastolic).
What would a high blood pressure reading be?
There are three stages in the progression of high blood pressure:
Elevated blood pressure
Elevated blood pressure readings are systolic pressure 120-129 or diastolic pressure under 80. At this stage, you can take steps to improve it and prevent high blood pressure.
Stage one hypertension
Stage one hypertension is a systolic pressure of 130-139 or a diastolic pressure of 80-89.
Stage two hypertension
Stage two hypertension would be systolic pressure of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure of 90 or higher.
If your blood pressure is especially high, you could be at risk of having a heart attack or stroke at any moment.
What treatments can help with high blood pressure?
Many people with high blood pressure benefit from making lifestyle changes. These could include:
- Getting more exercise
- Cutting down on unhealthy fats
- Eating more fruit and vegetables
- Reducing your salt intake
- Stopping smoking
- Managing stress levels
- Treating underlying conditions like diabetes
Dr. Aneela can help you with these changes. She also provides you with any medication you might need to reduce your blood pressure and treat problems like high cholesterol. She uses conventional medications where necessary and principles from functional medicine and Chinese medicine to optimize your care.
To arrange a blood pressure test and get treatment for high blood pressure, call Optimal Health by Dr Aneela today, or book an appointment online.
