Health Essentials - Summer 2010 - Marymount - (Page 6)

ask the doctor Marymount Hospital’s top-rated physicians answer your health questions i checked my blood pressure at a machine in the grocery store, and it says it’s high. What should i do? Fortunately, hypertension can be easily diagnosed, and once detected, you can work with your physician to control it. Everyone should have their blood pressure checked periodically beginning at age 20. Individuals who have already been diagnosed with hypertension or risk factors for heart disease should have theirs checked more often. You can help control and prevent high blood pressure by: Eating a healthy diet Decreasing salt in your diet, so that you do not exceed 3,000 milligrams daily (per American Heart Association guidelines) Maintaining a healthy weight Increasing physical activity Limiting alcohol Not smoking Reducing stress Monitoring your blood pressure with a good home unit that you use every other day Practicing relaxation techniques or slow, deep breathing While these lifestyle changes can go a long way toward helping high blood pressure, they may not be enough. In this case, your doctor may recommend medications to treat your hypertension. —Wael Khoury, MD, is the medical director of cardiology at Marymount Hospital. important to realize that a:First, itofisthe do-it-yourself blood many pressure machines found in grocery stores and drugstores may be inaccurate. Although they were probably accurate when first installed, these machines must be regularly recalibrated and maintained in order to Wael Khoury, MD provide valid readings. Plus, for some people, the blood pressure cuffs on these machines may be too small to give accurate information. I suggest that you have your blood pressure checked by a health care professional at a medical facility or community screening program. If your blood pressure truly is high, then you should be under a physician’s care. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, can lead to heart disease, which can result in heart attack, heart failure or stroke. The tricky thing about hypertension is that it is a silent disease that can be present for years without producing a single symptom—even if it is dangerously high. The disease affects the majority of people at some point, with your risk increasing as you age. This is why proper screening is so important. 6 HEaltH ESSEntialS (call) to schedule an appointment with Wael Khoury, MD, or other Marymount physicians, please call MedMatch, our physician referral line, at 216.581.WEll (9355). COntROl YOUR BlOOD PRESSURE SUMMER 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Health Essentials - Summer 2010 - Marymount

Health Essentials - Summer 2010 - Marymount
Contents
A Message from the President of Marymount Hospital
Stop the Pain and Get Back into the Game of Life with Rehab Services
Serving Up Health
Questions on Blood Pressure Tests? Get the Answers from Our Physician
Special Delivery: Marymount’s Birth Place Offers Comfort and Care
Don’t Miss Our Upcoming Health Care Events

Health Essentials - Summer 2010 - Marymount