An endocrinologist can help you get your high blood pressure under control.
According to the CDC, about 75 million American adults have high blood pressure. This translates to about 1 in every 3 adults. Having untreated hypertension is dangerous, as this can increase your risk for stroke and heart disease. While long-term medications and lifestyle changes can often get high blood pressure under control, sometimes it isn’t enough. If you are dealing with resistant hypertension it’s time to turn to our endocrinologists.
What is resistant hypertension?
Resistant hypertension is characterized as uncontrolled high blood pressure, at or above 140/90, despite having tried three or more medications. The most common medications to treat hypertension include calcium channel blockers, diuretic and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
There may be certain reasons why someone may be more prone to resistant hypertension than others. These factors include,
- Having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- Being obese
- Heavy alcohol consumption
- Having renal artery stenosis (causes an accumulation of plaque in blood vessels that go to the kidneys)
How is resistant hypertension diagnosed?
The best way to determine whether a patient has true resistant hypertension is to take a urine sample after the patient has taken the medication. This urine sample is then tested for drug metabolites within the bloodstream. There are many factors that could lead a doctor to improperly diagnose resistant hypertension, such as improper blood pressure measurement techniques or intolerance to certain hypertension medications and even “white coat” hypertension (a blood pressure spike caused by anxiety around doctor’s visits); fortunately, our endocrinologists have the medical expertise, experience and diagnostic tools to be able to properly diagnose resistant hypertension.
How is resistant hypertension treated?
Some patients may need to wear a blood pressure recorder on their person for 24 hours to continue monitoring their blood pressure throughout the day. Treatment will usually involve a combination of lifestyle changes and medications (often more than one type of medication). Our endocrinologists will also look for other underlying factors and health problems that could be affecting your blood pressure. Some of the ways you can improve your blood pressure are by,
- Maintaining a healthy weight and losing excess weight
- Getting regular physical activity
- Eating a healthy, balanced and low-sodium diet
- Avoiding alcohol
- Managing stress
- Taking your medications exactly as directed by your endocrinologist
If you are having trouble getting your hypertension under control it’s time to contact Endo 247 to schedule a comprehensive evaluation. We are available 24 hours a day and accessible through your computer, tablet or smartphone. Our endocrinologists are happy to work with you to create a treatment plan that will finally provide you with the relief you’ve been looking for.