High Blood Pressure Specialist
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LibertyMed Health Group
Board Certified Family Medicine Physicians located in Glendale, CA
High blood pressure affects over 100 million people in the United States. To reduce your risk for long-term health conditions, the LibertyMed Health Group medical team in Glendale, California, offers comprehensive care. Experienced physicians Ara Shafrazian, MD, and Arthur Babakhanians, MD, provide routine blood pressure screenings in-office and customize treatment plans to help you keep your condition well-controlled. Call the practice to schedule a blood pressure check, or request an appointment online today.
High Blood Pressure Q&A
What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition where the force of your blood against your artery walls is high enough to cause additional health issues.
Your blood pressure measures the amount of blood your heart pumps as well as the amount of resistance to the blood flow in your arteries. Heightened blood pressure can damage your arteries, causing them to harden and become narrow as plaque builds up and reduces blood flow.
There are two types of high blood pressure:
Primary hypertension
In primary hypertension, high blood pressure levels occur for no identifiable reason. You typically develop this condition gradually over many years.
Secondary hypertension
In secondary hypertension, your high blood pressure is the result of an underlying health condition like kidney disease, obstructive sleep apnea, or a thyroid disorder. You may also have high blood pressure if you use certain medications like over-the-counter pain relievers and cold medicines.
Having uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, or heart failure. It can also put you at a higher risk of premature death.
What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?
High blood pressure generally causes no symptoms until its advanced stages. At that point, your condition may be severe enough to cause frequent headaches and shortness of breath.
Because high blood pressure doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages, it’s important that you get routine blood pressure screenings.
The LibertyMed Health Group team provides blood pressure checks at routine physicals and may request more frequent screenings if you have a personal or family history of high blood pressure.
How is high blood pressure treated?
Your treatment for high blood pressure may start with lifestyle modifications to improve your diet, help you exercise more, and achieve a healthy body weight.
If these changes aren’t enough to lower your blood pressure naturally, you may need medications. They can help you to eliminate excess fluids from your body to reduce your blood volume. You may also need medications to relax the walls of your blood vessels and allow blood to flow through more efficiently.
The LibertyMed Health Group team continues to monitor your blood pressure during routine checkups. Your provider may also recommend that you check your blood pressure regularly at home.
If you have a family history of high blood pressure or need help managing your blood pressure levels, schedule a consultation by calling LibertyMed Health Group, or request an appointment online today.