Hypertension Specialist

What is hypertension?

Hypertension is the medical term for chronic high blood pressure. If the pressure and force of your blood are consistently too high against the walls of your arteries, you have hypertension.

Over time, if hypertension isn’t treated and managed properly, it can lead to certain complications like heart disease. 

Dr. Jafari evaluates your blood pressure with a special machine measuring the amount of blood your heart pumps and the resistance of your arteries to the blood flow. Hypertension usually signals narrowed arteries and excess blood pumping from your heart.

What are the symptoms of hypertension?

Since hypertension doesn’t typically present any symptoms, it’s often referred to as a “silent killer.” Some symptoms of hypertension include:

• Headaches
• Lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath
• Nosebleeds

If you have hypertension, Dr. Jafari should evaluate your health regularly. You might not even know you have hypertension.

What causes hypertension?

A number of factors can cause hypertension including:

Primary hypertension

Primary hypertension typically happens over many years without a clear cause.

Secondary hypertension

Secondary hypertension can happen suddenly, often as the result of an underlying medical condition.

You might have a heightened risk of developing hypertension if you:

• Have kidney complications
• Have obstructive sleep apnea
• Have adrenal gland tumors
• Have a thyroid disorder
• Consume alcohol excessively
• Use certain illegal drugs like amphetamines

Some medications can also increase your risk of getting hypertension, such as birth control pills, prescription drugs, and cold remedies.

The complications of hypertension include memory loss, heart failure, and metabolic syndrome.

How is hypertension treated?

Dr. Jafari evaluates your medical history, checks your blood pressure, and performs a physical exam. 

She might recommend additional testing when necessary and often discusses healthy lifestyle changes to boost your health, such as regular appropriate exercise and fitness, a nutrient-dense diet, and stress management. 

Dr. Jafari might suggest several effective methods to lower your blood pressure, such as quitting smoking, keeping your weight in a healthy range, limiting your alcohol intake, and managing stress.

She may prescribe medication. Prescription medication has been proven safe and can be a successful way to help you regulate your blood pressure. Dr. Jafari also gives you lots of information to improve the health of your heart and circulatory system.

If you have hypertension or if you’d like to assess and improve your heart health, call Texas Premier Physicians or click to book here via the web.