The Power Of Teamwork: Heart Center

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WHAT IS BLOOD PRESSURE AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Blood pressure is the amount of force that the blood puts on your blood vessels with each heartbeat. If you have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, your heart is forced to work harder than normal to push blood through your body, which makes the heart and arteries more prone to injury. If your heart is forced to work harder for a long time, it tends to weaken and enlarge.

High blood pressure affects nearly one in three adults in the United States, and because there are usually no symptoms, nearly one third of those people do not even realize they have a problem.

High blood pressure can be very harmful and, if not treated, it can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure, or even kidney failure.

WHAT CAUSES HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
Although medical experts don't know exactly what causes most cases of high blood pressure, there are several factors that can put you at risk for hypertension. Family history and ethnicity play a significant role in your risk for hypertension. Other risk factors include:

- Obesity
- Smoking
- Stress
- Lack of exercise
- Excessive use of salt
- Excessive alcohol consumption

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
Your doctor can determine if you have hypertension by measuring your blood pressure. Blood pressure is measured with two numbers. The higher number is the systolic pressure and the lower number is the diastolic pressure. A normal reading for systolic pressure is 140 or less; normal diastolic blood pressure is 80 or less. Having a higher number one time does not mean you have high blood pressure, but it is important that you get it checked again soon.

Patients whose blood pressure is between 120 and 140 mm Hg systolic, or between 80 and 90 mm Hg diastolic are now defined as being "pre-hypertensive." Pre-hypertensive patients do not currently require antihypertensive drug therapy but are encouraged to follow the life-style modifications (salt restriction, exercise, weight loss, limited alcohol ingestion, and smoking cessation) that will help control blood pressure values:

If your blood pressure seems high, additional tests may be conducted to check your heart, such as:

- Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG): To measure the electrical activity of your heartbeat, including the rate and rhythm
- Cardiac stress test: Exercising while doctors monitor an electrocardiogram
- Echocardiogram: Ultrasound to look at the size and pumping action of the heart chambers

SYMPTOMS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Most people who have high blood pressure do not feel symptoms. However, if your blood pressure is extremely high, you could experience several symptoms, including:

- Headache
- Blurry or double vision
- Abdominal pain
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness

MANAGING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Managing your blood pressure is an important part of keeping your heart healthy. Many medications can be used for the treatment of hypertension. These medications include diuretics, beta-blockers, calcium channel antagonists, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor antagonists, and alpha-blockers. Most often patients will require two or more types of medications, used in combination, for adequate blood pressure control.

Although medications are very helpful, they are not the only solution when trying to lower or maintain your blood pressure.

There are steps you can take at home to keep yourself healthy:

- Cut back on the amount of salt in your diet by reducing the amount you cook with. Most importantly, avoid salty foods.
- Drink alcohol in moderation. Alcohol has no nutritional value, and can raise blood pressure in some people. Moderate consumption of alcohol is no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.
Get rid of the excess weight. If your are overweight, losing some of that weight can lower your blood pressure
- Quit smoking
- Exercise regularly
- Most importantly, make sure your diet is rich with potassium, calcium, magnesium and protein. It is also good to include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet.

THE HYPERTENSION PROGRAM AT THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPIPAL HEART CENTER
The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center's Hypertension Program is specifically designed for the treatment of patients with blood pressure problems. We understand that the control of blood pressure is a highly individualized process which not only involves blood pressure control but also consideration of patients' other medical illnesses -- such as palpitations and migraine headaches -- and other cardiac risk factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity. Our goal is to control patients' blood pressure elevations with a minimum number of medications and without disruption of their life style or the need to tolerate unwanted side effects.

MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL HEART CENTER
The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center stands on a long tradition of innovation and excellence, dating as far back as 1914. Our physicians have made significant contributions to advancing the world of cardiac care through trailblazing discoveries in research, and by making unparalleled improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases.

We give our patients access to the latest advanced technologies, clinical trials, and promising treatments. People from around the world come to us seeking diagnosis and treatment for the entire spectrum of heart disease.
Our team approach to cardiac care allows us to provide the best and most appropriate diagnosis and treatment for our patients. Drawing on the depth and breadth of our cardiac specialists, we are able to treat each patient individually and offer care that is customized to each patient's specific needs.

For more information or to make an appointment, please call us at 866-MGH-8910.

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