Why You May Need a Heart Pressure Screening
Keeping your heart healthy is crucial, and even if you practice lifestyle habits such as healthy eating, exercising and not smoking, a blood pressure test is necessary to ensure your heart is in peak shape.
Starting at age 18, a blood pressure test every one to two years is advised to make sure your blood pressure isn't too high or too low. Measuring the pressure in your arteries while your heart is pumping, a blood pressure test can also help detect or monitor other health conditions, such as heart disease.
At Biggers Family Medicine in Brandon, FL, we recommend blood pressure tests for younger individuals if they have heart disease risk factors such as family history or obesity. If previous tests have indicated you have high or low blood pressure, we may suggest more frequent testing to watch for fluctuations in readings or other concerns. You can also check your blood pressure at home using a manual cuff and dial machine. Ask your provider at our Brandon, FL clinic for assistance in selecting and using an at-home blood pressure check tool.
When looking at the results from your blood pressure test, your provider can determine if it is normal, low, elevated or high, and recommend a course of action if necessary.
While low blood pressure is not usually a cause for concern, talk to your provider if it is resulting in frequent dizzy spells or faintness.
Lifestyle changes will likely be advised if you have high blood pressure, such as reducing salt intake, cutting back on alcohol consumption, quitting smoking, losing excess weight, exercising, and eating a nutritious diet.
Having an annual or bi-annual blood pressure test is an important part of your health care routine. Call our Brandon, FL office at 813-655-4646 if you are due for a blood pressure screening.