Treating Hypertension in Lexington, KY
Baptist Health Lexington: Detecting and Treating Hypertension
Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Learn more about detecting and treating pulmonary hypertension from Baptist Health Lexington.
Treating Hypertension in Lexington, KY HealthTalks Transcript
Kristy Salley, APRN, Cardiology:
Hypertension is elevated blood pressure and is a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease. There can be many causes of high blood pressure, but most common causes are usually associated with coronary artery disease, diabetes, obesity, peripheral vascular disease, chronic kidney disease, tobacco use or advancing age. Most of the time, hypertension doesn’t have any symptoms at all, which is why it’s dangerous, because you can have vessel or organ damage and not even know that you have elevated blood pressure. This is why hypertension is often termed the “silent killer.”
You can treat hypertension by doing simple lifestyle modifications, such as limiting salt intake, decreasing the amount of fatty or fried foods in your diet, increasing your physical activity, abstaining from tobacco or alcohol use, and being compliant with blood pressure medications.
What drew me to the study and treatment of hypertension is the prevalence of hypertension in Kentucky, which is much larger than the national average. I decided to obtain specialized certification, particularly in hypertension, so I could better serve our community and help patients better treat their blood pressure and decrease [their] cardiovascular risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Next Steps and Useful Resources
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