High Blood Pressure: What You Don’t Know Could Harm You

High blood pressure is known by several names, including “hypertension” and “the silent killer,” one of the most alarming descriptions given to a condition by the medical community.

“Just because the symptoms of high blood pressure are not apparent doesn’t mean it is not a serious condition,” said Interventional Cardiologist Olufunso Odunukan, M.D., MPH, FACC, FSCAI, of Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group (YRMG). “In fact, its lack of symptoms is exactly what can make hypertension so dangerous.”

Who is Likely to Have Hypertension?

While many factors – weight, family history, diet and more – can contribute to high blood pressure, age is the most common reason for high blood pressure. According to recent figures from the American Heart Association, 75% of women and 67% of men between the ages of 65 and 74 have high blood pressure. After age 75, approximately 84% of women and men suffer from the condition.

The formal definition of “blood pressure” can sound a bit like a math equation: Blood pressure is a measurement of the force exerted against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood to your body.

When Dr. Odunukan explains high blood pressure to patients, he compares it to a water hose under pressure. He also explains that as people age, their blood vessels become less elastic and the heart has to work harder to push blood through the vessels to the body’s organs.

“The organs – the brain, heart and kidneys – where the blood flow stops, take a pounding when your blood pressure increases,” explained Odunukan. “The result can be significant damage to those organs, and outcomes like stroke, heart failure and kidney failure.”

People with sustained, untreated high blood pressure may experience:

• Severe headaches
• Nose bleeds
• Fatigue or confusion
• Vision problems
• Irregular heartbeat
• Difficulty breathing or chest pain
• Blood in the urine

“When people have these symptoms, it’s an indication that their blood pressure is extremely high,” Odunukan said. “They need to seek immediate treatment to avoid a catastrophic medical event, like a stroke.”

What Do My Blood Pressure Numbers Mean?

Blood pressure consists of two numbers:

1. Systolic – The top number indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls when your heart beats.
2. Diastolic – The bottom number measures the pressure against your artery walls while your heart is resting between beats.

Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. You’re considered to have high blood pressure when the systolic number is at or above 140 or the diastolic number is above 90.

Treating High Blood Pressure
“People in the pre-hypertensive phase don’t necessarily need medications,” Odunukan explained. “That is the time that lifestyle modifications – weight loss, dietary changes and increased physical activity – will have the greatest impact.”

Dr. Odunukan partners with his patients, encouraging them to adopt healthy habits proven to lower blood pressure, including:

• Exercising at least 30 minutes a day.
• Getting to a healthy weight if you’re overweight (even losing 10 pounds can significantly lower your risk for stroke).
• Avoiding high-cholesterol foods.
• Lowering your sodium intake.
• Consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains.
• Keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum.
• Giving up smoking.

If you are diagnosed with hypertension, it’s important to continue these healthy lifestyle strategies. Your physician may also prescribe medication to help lower your blood pressure. Today’s blood pressure medications are very targeted, so your physician may recommend a combination of prescriptions to manage your condition.

Between appointments with your cardiologist or other healthcare provider, Odunukan recommends checking your blood pressure at your local pharmacy. If your numbers are good, keep taking your medications and continue your healthy lifestyle measures.

“It may take some time for you and your physician to find what works best for you,” Odunukan said. “Once you find it, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to remain on the medications.” QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Get in touch:
Dr. Odunukan specializes in non-surgical – or minimally invasive – treatments for valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease and peripheral arterial disease. You may reach him at:

YRMG Cardiology

Outpatient Services Building West

1001 Willow Creek Road

Suite 2200 , Prescott, Arizona 86301

928-445-6025

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. O’Gara has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.