High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure. It’s one of those conditions you might know you have, but tend to ignore. The problem however, is that if left untreated, high blood pressure—also known as hypertension—leads to severe cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Your blood pressure is affected by many factors: age, ethnicity, diet, weight, family history, and stress. Dr. Bereliani is vigilant in his efforts to help all of his patients achieve a healthy blood pressure because his practice is dedicated to preventing cardiovascular issues before they start.
What does “high blood pressure” entail?
Standard blood pressure tests involve using a pressurized cuff to obtain the reading of your systolic/diastolic numbers. The higher your blood pressure, the more susceptible you are to cardiac conditions. Healthy blood pressure ranges are under 120/80; elevated blood pressure ranges from 120/80 to 140/90 and is considered “borderline”; high blood pressure ranges are above 140/90.
High blood pressure is an enabler of dangerous cardiac conditions
There is a very close relationship between high blood pressure and heart attack, coronary heart disease, and congestive heart failure. Hypertension can also affect the brain – causing stroke and cognitive impairment – and the kidneys.
What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?
Frequently, people with high blood pressure have NO symptoms. If the condition does produce symptoms, they are often so vague – such as headache or dizziness – that they go unnoticed, or the person doesn’t connect them with high blood pressure. That’s why high blood pressure is commonly called “the silent killer.” Far too often, it takes a sudden heart attack to bring this underlying condition front and center. High blood pressure affects more than 74 million Americans, or roughly one in four of the U.S. population.
How do I correct high blood pressure?
Dr. Bereliani will first give you an extensive physical exam and obtain a thorough medical history, identifying key contributors to high blood pressure in your individual case. He will then order the appropriate series of diagnostic tests, which may include a Cardiac Risk Assessment panel and procedures such as an IMT test and a coronary calcium scan.
Depending on the results of your evaluation, Dr. Bereliani develops a customized cardiovascular program to not only reduce high blood pressure, but to optimize your overall cardiovascular health. Often, high blood pressure treatment starts with lifestyle modifications. This may call for reducing your sodium intake and other dietary changes, losing weight, and taking specific nutritional supplements known to help high blood pressure. These types of lifestyle modifications are an important part of Dr. Bereliani’s preventive cardiology philosophy. Having a home blood pressure monitor is usually also recommended.
If he finds that these steps are not sufficient to control your high blood pressure, Dr. Bereliani will prescribe an antihypertensive (medication that lowers blood pressure). When choosing a medication, he takes a cautious approach; whenever possible, he uses next-generation drugs that require only moderate doses and have fewer side effects.
What should I do next?
Call the Beverly Hills Institute for Preventive Medicine and Cardiology at 310-550-8000 or click here to make an appointment. We will be glad to schedule a consultation for you with Dr. Bereliani, and to answer any questions you might have. Once you are in our comfortable, relaxing offices and meet our friendly staff, your blood pressure might even drop a couple of points! We are experts in preventive cardiology. Conveniently located in the heart of Beverly Hills, our office is an easy drive from all of greater Los Angeles.