"About 1 of 3 U.S. adults—or about 75 million people—have high blood pressure. Only about half (54%) of these people have their high blood pressure under control," says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fortunately for those dealing with this condition, here at Virgin Island Orthopedics and Medical Specialists in St. Thomas and St. Croix, our physicians make it their mission to help those dealing with high blood pressure and hypertension.
Here are some FAQs on the topic:
What is high blood pressure/hypertension?
"Hypertension is the most common, costly, and preventable cardiovascular disease risk factor," according to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health.
Blood pressure normally fluctuates throughout the day, but the problem is when it doesn't come down. This increases your risk of having a stroke, heart attack, and other problems.
How do you measure your blood pressure?
Patients generally use a blood pressure monitor to accomplish this. When taking a reading, there are two numbers: systolic and diastolic. The systolic number indicates how hard the blood pushes when the heart is pumping, while the diastolic number shows how hard the blood pushes between each heartbeat.
What causes high blood pressure?
When it comes to hypertension, there often isn't a single cause. Instead, there are a number of contributing factors, including being overweight, family history, age, race, not being physically active, using tobacco, consuming too much sodium, and consuming too little potassium in your diet.
How to deal with hypertension?
If your doctor says you have high blood pressure, you need to get it under control. This often requires making a few lifestyle changes, including:
- You need to eat a diet that's healthy for your heart, so eat fresh fruit and vegetables, and limit trans fats.
- Exercise is important, about 30 minutes a day, for everyone, especially if you suffer from obesity.
- Medicine and reducing stress will help manage blood pressure effectively.
Contact Us
If you have any more questions about hypertension, contact one of our office in St. Thomas and St. Croix:
- St. Thomas: (340) 714-2845
- St. Croix: (340) 692-5000