At Prime Medical Care, LLC, Dr. Dan Bishwakarma and his staff offer a variety of tests and treatment options for their patients who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Patients who live in the Alexandria, Virginia area are encouraged to visit the facility for all of their urgent Care needs.
High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Q & A
What constitutes high blood pressure?
Having high blood pressure means the pressure of the blood in your blood vessels is higher than it should be for your age and gender. This is a very common health condition affecting about 1 of 3 U.S. adults. This common condition increases the risk for heart disease (angina, heart attack, heart failure, and arrhythmias), stroke, kidney disease and peripheral vascular disease.
What causes high blood pressure?
Because high blood pressure often does not cause any warning symptoms or signs, it is often called a “silent killer.” Many people don’t even know that they have it. Sometimes, it can cause racing of heart, headache, shortness of breath etc. Most of the time we don’t know the cause for it and it’s called Primary or Essential Hypertension. In some cases, it can be due to some causes for examples, kidney disease, high blood cholesterol leading to narrowing of arteries etc. This is called secondary High blood pressure. There are some risk factors associated with high blood pressure, for example, eating too much salt in the diet, overweight or obesity, stress, family history etc.
What tests are used to monitor high blood pressure and other conditions that affect the heart?
One of the most commonly used tests that monitor how the heart functions is an electrocardiogram or EKG. An EKG monitors the electrical activity of the heart and helps identify potential problems with how the heart is functioning. It can detect spikes in the amount of pressure it takes the heart to pump the blood throughout the body. EKGs are performed in Dr. Bishwakarma’s office and the results are immediately available. In most cases, regular monitoring with a blood pressure cuff is sufficient to provide day to day readings but to evaluate the true extent of the impact on the heart Dr. Bishwakarma may ask for an EKG during an annual physical examination.
What is medically supervised weight loss?
Medically supervised weight loss is beneficial to individuals who want to lose weight safely and build positive lifestyle patterns to help them maintain an ideal weight. Individuals who suffer from high cholesterol or high blood pressure can benefit from a medically supervised weight loss program. Dr. Bishwakarma can create a diet and exercise program addressing patient health issues and allowing them to lose the weight they need. Throughout the program, Dr. Bishwakarma will closely monitor their progress and alter their weight loss plan to accommodate the changes in their health. This will help the patient to eliminate negative lifestyle patterns and give them the tools they need to create new ones.
Will making positive lifestyle changes help control high blood pressure and cholesterol levels?
Making small lifestyle changes over time can improve a person’s health and boost their metabolism. These may include:
Eliminating smoking and alcohol will improve the way the body functions almost immediately.
Exercising 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes a day will increase circulation and strengthen the muscles.
Adding more water is essential to staying hydrated and flushing toxins from the system.
Including the proper ratio of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, as well as sufficient amounts of fiber into your diet to keep the digestive system functioning efficiently.
All of these things combined will help regulate both blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
How does Dr. Bishwakarma treat high blood pressure?
At Prime Medical Care, LLC, Dr. Dan Bishwakarma and his staff routinely check the blood pressure and blood cholesterol of patients. Dr. Bishwakarma offers nonpharmacologic and/or pharmacologic treatments based on the severity of blood pressure and its effects on the heart, kidneys, blood vessels etc. He orders blood tests, urine tests, Chest x-ray, and EKG to find out if there is any complication of high blood pressure. He refers patients to corresponding specialists if complications are already present.
