Treating Blood Pressure

High blood pressure affects millions of Americans, but interestingly, so does low blood pressure. At Humble Cardiology Associates, Dr. Madaiah Revana and his team provide state of the art diagnostics and treatments for blood pressure problems and also educate patients to manage their symptoms for better cardiovascular health.

What is blood pressure?

It's the measure of how hard your heart works and how much it rests as it pumps blood through the body. The systolic pressure, or top number in a blood pressure reading, tells about the pumping phase of the cardiac cycle. The diastolic pressure, or bottom number, shows the resting phase of the cardiac cycle.

High blood pressure, or hypertension

Typically, a physician wants to see a B/P reading of 120/80 or lower. Higher top or bottom numbers indicate varying degrees of hypertension. A reading of 180/120 represents a hypertensive crisis and is a medical emergency. The American Heart Association (AHA) says that steadily elevated blood pressure creates serious health problems such as atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke.

Low blood pressure, or hypotension

Low blood pressure also presents several health challenges. 90/60 is diagnostic for low blood pressure if you consistently have readings in this range or lower.

Symptoms of low blood pressure may appear when a person stands up too quickly. This is called orthostatic hypotension.

The AHA says symptoms of low blood pressure include:

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Fainting
• Clammy skin
• Depression

Some medications, pregnancy, bed rest, low thyroid function and blood sugars and other factors may contribute to low blood pressure.

Controlling blood pressure

At Humble Cardiology Associates, Dr. Revana recommends several ways to keep your blood pressure within a healthy range. While medications may be necessary, lifestyle changes also significantly impact cardiovascular function and blood pressure. These changes include:

• Getting adequate rest
• Avoiding and controlling stress
• Exercising regularly
• Staying hydrated
• Reducing fat and salt in the daily diet
• Smoking cessation
• Limiting alcohol and caffeine
• Losing weight
• Home monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure

A healthy heart and a healthy you

Blood pressure is a great indicator of how well you really are. At Humble Cardiology Associates, Dr. Madaiah Revana and his staff value patient education as part of long-term treatment plans for better cardiovascular health and function. They are available for consultation at both their Humble and Houston locations.

Do you need treatment for your high blood pressure? Call Dr. Madaiah Revana at  Humble Cardiology Associates at 281-446-4638 to schedule your appointment! We proudly serve the Humble, TX, Kingwood, TX, and Atascocita, TX area!