High Blood Pressure Specialist
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Cornerstone Medical Associates
Internal Medicine & Primary Care located in Smyrna, TN
High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure, but one in five American adults don’t realize they have it. Olawumi O. Ayo Akatue, MD, and Richmond A. Akatue, MD, founded Cornerstone Medical Associates to ensure men and women in Smyrna, Tennessee, have access to the highest-quality care available, so they can effectively manage chronic conditions, like high blood pressure. To protect your health from high blood pressure, call Cornerstone Medical Associates, or schedule an appointment online today.
High Blood Pressure Q & A
What is high blood pressure?
When your heart pumps oxygen-rich blood throughout your body, the blood applies force against the inside of your arteries. If this force remains high for extended periods of time, you have high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, causes your heart and blood vessels to work harder and less efficiently than needed. As blood applies increasing levels of force against your arteries, tissue becomes damaged, plaque builds up, and your arteries become more narrow. This makes your heart work even harder as it tries to pump blood to other parts of your body.
High blood pressure is known as “the silent killer” because you usually don’t realize you have it until it causes serious damage.
What are the risks of high blood pressure?
Having high blood pressure can lead to serious health complications, including:
- Irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia
- Vision loss
- Cognitive issues
- Aneurysm
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
High blood pressure can also damage to your other organs in your body and the blood vessels in your kidneys.
What causes high blood pressure?
There are two kinds of high blood pressure: primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension typically develops slowly over time. When secondary hypertension occurs, it’s sudden and due to another health condition.
Causes of primary hypertension typically include:
- Having a family history of the condition
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Consuming a diet that’s low in potassium and vitamin D and high in sodium
- Being overweight or obese
- Having a sedentary lifestyle
Although anyone can develop high blood pressure, it’s usually more common in women and men over 65. In African-Americans, however, high blood pressure often occurs at a younger age.
How is high blood pressure diagnosed and treated?
Dr. Olawumi O. Ayo Akatue and Dr. Richmond A. Akatue diagnose high blood pressure using an inflatable blood pressure cuff to measure your systolic and diastolic pressures. Your systolic pressure records how hard your heart pumps and diastolic pressure captures your heart as it rests between beats.
To effectively manage high blood pressure, your doctor works closely with you to develop a whole-body course of treatment. This often includes educational information to help you understand the causes and risks of high blood pressure, lifestyle modifications to improve your diet and exercise regimen, and regular blood pressure checks.
Call Cornerstone Medical Associates, or schedule an appointment online today.
