Hypertension

High blood pressure (Hypertension) is often called the silent killer. For the most part, it exists without symptoms. However, when blood pressure is elevated for long periods of time there is a higher incidence of heart attacks, congestive heart failure, strokes, kidney disease and eye disease. It is important to have a relationship with a physician in which blood pressure can be measured on a regular basis and, if blood pressure starts to rise, interventions can be undertaken to prevent complications of high blood pressure. There are many ways to treat hypertension including diet and exercise. However, once medical therapy is elected, there are numerous groups of medications which can be used to lower blood pressure. A good relationship with your physician who understands your medical problem in the context of other conditions will help when a choice of medication has to be made. In people whose blood pressure is somewhat higher, it is often necessary to use groups of medications to control blood pressure and prevent complications of the disease. Again, it is important to have a relationship with the physician who can understand drug interactions and how they will affect you as a person.

In patients in whom blood pressure is difficult to control, our physicians can provide a comprehensive approach. Drs. Richard Taikowski, Robert Fishman, and Edward Tuohy have particular expertise in the vascular causes of hypertension. They are able to identify those patients in whom difficult-to-control hypertension may be linked to blockages in kidney arteries. Some of these patients may benefit from stenting procedure to unblock the arteries and provide normal blood flow to the kidney. In addition, Dr. Adam Schussheim is one of only two physicians in Fairfield County to be certified as a Hypetension Specialist from the American Society of Hypertension and has particular interest in difficult-to-control hypertension.

Since high blood pressure is so intimately involved with heart disease, Cardiac Specialists is uniquely able to handle problematic cases of hypertension. This is done in conjunction and in communication with the care delivered by your primary doctor.

For more information on high blood pressure, please visit the National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association,  web sites.

For more information on high blood pressure, please visit the National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association or American Society of Hypertension (Specialist Program) web sites.