Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common condition that can quietly wreak havoc on your health. Individuals who fail to manage hypertension are putting themselves at risk of stroke, heart failure, sexual dysfunction, vision loss, heart attack, and kidney disease. Fortunately, hypertension can be managed with assistance from the best cardiologist in Tampa, Jesal V. Popat, M.D., FACC.

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Blood Pressure and the Circulatory System

Oxygenated blood must travel throughout the body’s various systems to ensure that tissues and organs remain healthy. Every time you heart beats, the pressure it produces is used to move blood through arteries, veins, and capillaries to other parts of the body. Systolic pressure is used to move blood into the arteries of the circulatory system. Diastolic pressure is produced by the rest between heart beats. Together, these two forces can be quantified to give us an accurate blood pressure reading. If you are suffering from hypertension, these numbers will be abnormally high.

Overworked and Exhausted 

Hypertension forces the heart to work harder than it should. To make matters worse, this lack of efficiency creates extraneous force and friction, which causes severe damage to tissues found inside the arteries. This leads to bad cholesterol hardening over the small tears that have formed in the arterial wall. This is one of the main indicators of atherosclerosis, a condition in which plaque from cholesterol clogs your arteries, increasing your chances of developing coronary heart disease, angina, carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and chronic kidney disease.

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Check Your Numbers Frequently

Individuals suffering from hypertension may feel completely normal, but their heart could be screaming for help. Check your numbers frequently to ensure that you are managing your condition. If your systolic blood pressure reads 130, it’s too high, which indicates that it’s time to consult the best cardiologist in the Tampa Bay area, Dr. Popat. For reference, here’s a breakdown of blood pressure numbers by category:

 

• Normal: systolic mm Hg (less than 120); diastolic mm Hg (less than 80)

• Elevated: systolic mm Hg (120 - 129); diastolic mm Hg (less than 80)

• Hypertension Stage 1: systolic mm Hg (130 - 139); diastolic mm Hg (80 - 89)

• Hypertension Stage 2: systolic mm Hg (140 or higher); diastolic mm Hg (90 or higher)

• Hypertensive Crisis: systolic mm Hg (higher than 180); diastolic mm Hg (higher than 120)

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Treating Hypertension

Even the best cardiologist in Tampa can’t help you overcome hypertension if you don’t come forward and admit that you need treatment. Treatment for hypertension may involve changing your diet and lifestyle. This includes exercising regularly, controlling your weight, reducing the amount of alcohol you drink, and more. There are also many types of medications that can be used to treat hypertension, including:

 

• Thiazide diuretics

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors

• Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)

• Calcium channel blockers

• Alpha blockers

• Alpha-beta blockers

• Beta blockers

• Aldosterone antagonists

• Renin inhibitors

• Vasodilators

• Central-acting agents

 

The sooner you meet with a cardiologist, the sooner you can start down the road to recovery. Don’t let hypertension affect your quality of life, consult Dr. Popat, the best cardiologist in the Tampa Bay area to learn about your treatment options.

 

To consult Jesal V. Popat, M.D., FACC, the best cardiologist in the Tampa Bay area, please call (813) 344-0934 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. 

 

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are for general educational purposes only. All content and media on the Jesal V. Popat, M.D., FACC website does not constitute professional medical advice nor is the information intended to replace the services of Jesal V. Popat, M.D., FACC or other qualified medical professionals. If you believe you are having a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. 

 

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