High blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer. Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure, and many don’t know it. It has no obvious symptoms, but it can raise the risk of major cardiovascular health events.
“Blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most common causes of heart attack, heart disease, heart failure—everything related to the heart,” says Dr. Ahmad Morshed, Interventional Cardiologist at Arnot Health, a Member of Centralus Health.
Blood pressure is the result of two forces. The first force, systolic pressure, happens as blood pumps out of the heart and into the arteries. The second force, diastolic pressure, is created as the heart rests between heart beats. These two forces are each represented by numbers in a blood pressure reading. A normal blood pressure reading is under 120/80.
“Nowadays, the guideline is to treat those with a blood pressure of 130/85 or more.”
High blood pressure can affect all age groups: children, young adults, adults, and older adults. People should check their blood pressure often if they have high risk factors like obesity, family history, or already have high blood pressure.
“Most high blood pressure is asymptomatic, meaning people don’t have any symptoms. After the age of 40, you need to check your blood pressure often. If you see it’s persistently high, even one time, you should talk with your primary care doctor to get it treated and controlled,” says Dr. Morshed.
When blood pressure is high for too long, it can damage the walls of blood vessels, causing them to develop tiny tears. To fix these damaged areas, the body sends special cells that stick to the site. Over time, substances such as cholesterol and fats may also build up at these damaged spots, forming plaque.
“Once it’s uncontrolled, your heart is working against high pressure, and you can end up with heart failure or a heart attack.”
Lifestyle changes help, but medication often becomes necessary to reach target blood pressure levels and protect vital organs long-term, as untreated hypertension strains the heart and damages vessels. Dr. Morshed says that patients often feel they no longer need medication once they get their blood pressure under control. However, stopping medication can cause blood pressure to gradually increase again, causing dangerous side effects. Consulting a doctor before stopping blood pressure medication is crucial in preventing those rebound effects.
“We, the physicians, should see if the blood pressure is dropping with the medication or not, and then cut the medication if needed,” says Dr. Morshed.
Certain devices can help you stay on top of monitoring your numbers. Smartwatches can monitor heart health by using lights and sensors to track heart rate, detect irregular rhythms like atrial fibrillation, offer on-demand ECGs, and provide insights through heart rate variability and activity tracking. This alerts users to potential issues like high/low heart rates or palpitations, prompting timely medical consultation, though they don’t replace a professional diagnosis.
“More and more people are wearing devices, like Apple Watches. People are getting data they didn’t have 10, 15 or 20 years ago,” says Dr. Lynn Swisher, Medical Director of the Cayuga Heart and Vascular Institute at Cayuga Health, a Member of Centralus Health.
Dangerously high blood pressure requires immediate medical help. Symptoms to look out for are severe headache, chest pain, shortness of breath, vision changes, confusion, dizziness, numbness, nausea, vomiting, back pain, difficulty speaking, or blood in urine, indicating potential organ damage to the brain, heart, kidneys, or eyes.
“Along with those symptoms, if their heart rate is elevated or irregular, that would be the time to seek medical care,” says Dr. Swisher.
Cayuga Heart and Vascular Center has been providing cardiac services for 40 years and has more than a decade of experience in invasive cardiac care. Cayuga Health’s Heart and Vascular Centers are located at 201 Dates Drive, Ithaca; 40 Catherwood Road, Ithaca; and 220 Steuben Street, Montour Falls.
Whether you need critical care in a crisis or preventative care to improve your heart health, the most qualified specialists are waiting for you at Arnot. Arnot Health’s Heart and Vascular Institute is located at 600 Roe Avenue, Elmira.
