What is Hypertension? High blood pressure occurs when the blood is being pumped around the body with more force than usual. Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure.
Why it is important to treat? Hypertension increases your risks for cardiovascular disease (including heart attack and heart failure), kidney failure, stroke and dementia.
What is stiff vessel disease and why is it important? Stiff blood vessels change the way blood is delivered to vital organs. Stiff vessel disease is usually symptom-less and the degree of stiffness reflects the age of blood vessels which has a major impact on the body’s response to anti-hypertensive treatment.
Why do I need a lung ultrasound? An ultrasound allows us to determine the fluid contents of your lungs, also known as congestion. Lung congestion is a sign of kidney or heart failure and must be taken into account when optimizing your hypertension treatment.
What is a 24hr Ambulatory Blood pressure Monitor (ABPM) and why do I need one? This measures your blood pressure every thirty minutes through the day and every hour at night. It provides us with a detailed pattern of your blood pressure and allows us to personalize your medication scheme as different blood pressure patterns carry different risks.
What should I expect at my appointment? Your first appointment will last for about an hour. During this time we will use sophisticated equipment to measure blood pressure straight from the heart and monitor how it travels through your body and vital organs. You will also have a lung ultrasound, and a discussion with Dr Rita Cervantes to analyse all of your results while implementing a personalized management plan.