Hypertension Specialist
-
- Tweet
Consultants in Kidney Diseases
Nephrology & Hypertension Specialists located in Hamilton, NJ
Hypertension (high blood pressure) can both cause kidney disease and develop as a result of kidney disease. Zak Maniya, MD, FACP, and the board-certified nephrologists at Consultants in Kidney Diseases in Hamilton, New Jersey, are experts in assessing patients with hypertension. They address both kidney disease and hypertension to offer patients better all-round health. To find out more, call Consultants in Kidney Diseases today or book an appointment online.
Hypertension Q & A
What is hypertension?
Hypertension is high blood pressure, a condition that can affect the health of your entire circulatory system.
Blood pressure is the force created as blood flows through your arteries, pushing against the walls of your blood vessels. The degree of pressure varies according to how much blood you're pumping, how strongly your heart beats, and how healthy your arteries are.
If your blood pressure is high, it causes damage to the walls of your arteries that can lead to:
- Heart attacks
- Strokes
- Aortic aneurysms
- Kidney disease
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
- Congestive heart failure
- Vascular dementia
Fortunately, measuring blood pressure is a simple procedure offered by all health care providers.
How do I know if I have hypertension?
Consultants in Kidney Diseases can assess you for hypertension using a simple test. It involves having a blood pressure cuff around your arm that your provider inflates.
They record the pressure when your heart beats (the systolic measurement) and again between beats (diastolic measurement) to produce two figures.
Raised blood pressure (120-129 systolic and diastolic below 80) is the first sign of hypertension. Systolic pressure at 130-139 or diastolic pressure between 80 and 89 signifies stage 1 hypertension, while stage 2 is 140 or higher systolic or 90 or higher diastolic.
It's vital that you have your blood pressure measured regularly because there’s no other way to tell if you have hypertension. People frequently have no idea they have hypertension until they experience a heart attack or stroke because the condition doesn't cause obvious symptoms.
What causes hypertension?
Hypertension can sometimes be a complication of another health condition like thyroid or kidney disease. Often, it's due to issues with your lifestyle, such as:
- Obesity
- Lack of exercise
- High-salt diet
- High dietary cholesterol
- Chronic stress
- Smoking
If you have any risk factors for hypertension, you can lower your blood pressure by addressing these issues. Your provider at Consultants in Kidney Diseases can offer advice and support.
How is hypertension treated?
If you have underlying health problems, it's important that you identify and manage them, and address any unhealthy aspects of your life. These are the foundations of hypertension treatment, and for some patients, all that's necessary.
If your hypertension is a cause for concern, your provider at Consultants in Kidney Diseases might recommend medications to help lower your blood pressure and protect your kidneys.
For expert assessment of hypertension and its effects on your kidneys, call Consultants in Kidney Diseases today or book an appointment online.