High Blood Pressure Specialist
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Integrated Family Medical Center
Kalpana Desai, MD
Family Practice Physician located in Lady Lake, FL now servicing patients from Villages, FL.
When left ignored, high blood pressure can lead to serious health problems, including death. Kalpana Desai, MD, at Integrated Family Medical Center in Lady Lake, Florida, offers comprehensive services to diagnose and manage high blood pressure. A triple board-certified physician, Dr. Desai offers traditional treatments, holistic therapies, and lifestyle counseling to help improve your overall health and wellness. Call or schedule an appointment online today to learn more about high blood pressure and the treatments available at Integrated Family Medical Center.
High Blood Pressure
What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure, also known as HBP and hypertension, occurs when your blood pressure is too high for extended periods of time.
As your heart beats, it pushes blood through a complex network of arteries, blood vessels, capillaries, and veins to send oxygenated blood to your organs and tissues. Your blood pressure is the force your blood applies against the walls of your blood vessels as it leaves the heart.
High blood pressure usually doesn’t have symptoms, and is often referred to as the “silent killer.” The best way to protect yourself is through regular testing during your routine men’s and women’s health screenings.
What are the risks of high blood pressure?
When your blood pressure is high for an extended period, it makes your heart and blood vessels work harder and less efficiently. This leads to damage inside your arteries. As damage occurs, LDL (bad) cholesterol attaches to the tears within your artery walls, forming plaque.
As damage and plaque continue to develop, your arteries grow smaller, causing your blood pressure to rise more. If left untreated, high cholesterol result in several conditions, including:
- Stroke
- Aneurysm
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
- Kidney disease
What causes high blood pressure?
High blood pressure comes in two forms: primary (essential) hypertension and secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension usually develops gradually with no obvious cause.
Secondary hypertension often comes on suddenly and is caused by an underlying health condition, such as:
- Thyroid problems
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Kidney problems
- Certain medications
- Illegal drugs or alcohol abuse
Who is at risk of developing high blood pressure?
Several factors can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, including:
- Being older
- Smoking
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Diets high in salt
- High levels of stress
- Being overweight or sedentary
- Diets low in potassium and vitamin D
Chronic conditions like diabetes, sleep apnea, and kidney disease might also lead to high blood pressure.
How is high blood pressure treated?
High blood pressure responds positively to lifestyle changes. Dr. Desai develops integrated treatment plans tailored to your needs, including:
- Educational information
- Lifestyle counseling
- Stress management techniques
- Diet and exercise recommendations
In addition to holistic therapies, medication might be used to lower your blood pressure.
To closely monitor your condition, Dr. Desai uses routine EKGs and stress tests.
Call Integrated Family Medical Center or schedule an appointment online today to have your blood pressure checked.
