Among the many reasons for wellness visits with your Amberwell primary care provider is to get important screenings—like regular blood pressure checks. By monitoring your blood pressure, providers can recognize changes that may indicate a concern. High blood pressure is asymptomatic until it’s too late. Screenings help prevent, or control, this very common condition that quietly damages blood vessels and can lead to serious health risks.
A major health crisis that can impact anyone
High blood pressure, or hypertension, impacts nearly half of American adults—and many are unaware they have it. Untreated, high blood pressure could lead to heart attacks, strokes, heart failure—and even memory loss, vision loss, kidney, and lung problems. Determined by genetics or lifestyle choices, hypertension can impact anyone. People who live healthy lifestyles may still be at risk for high blood pressure when they have a family history of the condition. Lifestyle risk factors that contribute to hypertension include obesity, diet, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and stress. Blood pressure tends to elevate as we age, which makes regular primary care visits critical. With regular monitoring, your provider can mitigate your risk of hypertension and catch changes quickly to protect your health.
Primary care providers: your partners in health
Maintaining a consistent relationship with your provider is a simple, yet important way to stay healthy and reduce your risk of hypertension. As your provider gets to know your medical history, lifestyle habits, and health patterns, it’s likely they will be able to recognize when there are changes that should cause concern. If your blood pressure is high, you’ll work together to manage it, through lifestyle changes or medication.
