Hypertension FAQ

There are two different numbers for blood pressure. The top or first number is systolic and the bottom or second number is diastolic. A normal systolic number is under 120, and a normal diastolic number is under 80. Your blood pressure is considered high when it begins to go above 130/80. However, a number of situations, including stress, can cause temporary spikes in blood pressure, a single reading may be insufficient to diagnose you with hypertension.

One of the risks of hypertension is that you can have high blood pressure without experiencing any symptoms. However, once your blood pressure has been high for a while, you might develop a number of symptoms. These include fatigue, headaches, blood in your urine, difficulty breathing and chest pain.

High blood pressure may be treated with lifestyle changes, medication or a combination of the two. At Low T Center, we’ll determine the best course of treatment for you based on your blood pressure, your overall health and other factors. We’ll make lifestyle recommendations to help you exercise more, eat more nutritiously and manage your weight. Medication is also necessary in some cases. We’ll continue to monitor your health and make adjustments to your treatment plan as needed.

If you have high blood pressure, you are at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke. However, there are a number of other dangers of high blood pressure if it goes undiagnosed. Damage to blood vessels can affect other organs in the body. For example, your kidneys and your eyes could be damaged if your hypertension goes untreated.

Anyone can develop high blood pressure, but you may be less likely to get hypertension if you are active. A habit of regular exercise and keeping your weight within a healthy range can reduce the likelihood that you will get high blood pressure. Quitting smoking and avoiding overuse of alcohol can also lower your blood pressure risk.

High blood pressure is very common, and in particular, it is not unusual for people to develop high blood pressure as they get older. Around 75 million adults in the United States have high blood pressure. This is roughly one-third of all adults.