You already know that your blood vessels play an important role in your body. You might not realize the complexities of that system, though, and the ways it can be compromised. With more than 60,000 miles of veins, arteries, and capillaries in your body, it’s no surprise that you can run into some issues.
And if you do, you aren’t alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that almost half the adult population in America has high blood pressure. More pressingly, only about a quarter of those people have it under control.
Here at Loudoun Walk In Medical Center in Ashburn, Virginia, Fuad Alykhan, MD, can determine whether you have high blood pressure with a quick, painless test. If you do, he works with you to develop a plan to bring the pressure in your blood vessels down to healthy levels. In many cases, you can reverse high blood pressure without medication.
If you don’t consider high blood pressure a serious health risk, we probably know the reason. This issue doesn’t cause any symptoms unless your blood pressure levels spike suddenly (hypertensive crisis). For most people with hypertension — what doctors call high blood pressure — the condition is symptom-free.
Because it doesn’t cause symptoms, you can live with this issue, unaware you have it. That spells trouble over time. Left unchecked, hypertension can cause complications like:
The dangerous combination of no symptoms and major health risks earns the “silent killer” moniker for high blood pressure.
Here’s the good news: Getting your blood pressure checked is quick, noninvasive, and painless. At our office, we put a specialized cuff around your arm. It inflates, then slowly deflates. This allows the cuff to determine the pressure at which blood flows again.
This allows us to check your diastolic pressure (your blood pressure when your heart is at rest) and your systolic pressure (your blood pressure when your heart beats). Ideally, you want your systolic pressure below 120 mm Hg and your diastolic pressure below 80. If your reading shows anything over 120/80, you have hypertension.
Fortunately, you have options to lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of serious complications. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and stress management all make a big difference.
If we learn that you have high blood pressure, Dr. Alykhan comes alongside you to develop a personalized treatment plan. He helps you find tools to support lower pressure inside your blood vessels.
For a quick, pain-free blood pressure check, call our office to schedule an appointment or simply walk in.
