Ask the Lexington Medical Center Clinician: Why Blood Pressure Matters

Kenya Cooper, MD, is a physician at Lexington Family Practice Gilbert, a Lexington Medical Center physician practice. As a primary care physician, she sees a lot of patients with high blood pressure. In honor of American Heart Month, we sat down with her for a hyper-important Q+A on hypertension + heart health.

Kenya Cooper, MD | Photo courtesy Lexington Medical Center

Q: How often do you see patients with high blood pressure?

A: More than 1 in 3 people in S.C. has high blood pressure. I see patients with it every day and ask them to come back in six months for a follow-up. I also talk to them about eating a nutritious diet and exercising.

Q: What do each of the numbers in your blood pressure reading mean?

A: Blood pressure is measured using two numbers. The first number, called systolic blood pressure, represents the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats. The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, represents the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart rests between beats.

Q: Guidelines for high blood pressure recently changed from 140/90 to 130/80. What do you think of this change and what does it mean for patients?

A: Overall, it’s a good change. Intervention to lower blood pressure and improve overall health will begin earlier because a greater number of people will have high blood pressure. It will most likely affect younger adults.

Q: What happens inside the body when your blood pressure is high?

A: Over time, high blood pressure causes blood vessels to narrow, weaken or harden. That makes it even harder for blood to pump throughout the body.

Q: What are the complications of high blood pressure?

A: Some common complications include stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, eye damage, peripheral artery disease, aneurysms and even cognitive damage.

Q: Studies show that many people don’t take their blood pressure medicine regularly. What’s your message about that?

A: Taking blood pressure medications regularly and as directed can prevent many life-altering complications that will inevitably arise from uncontrolled high blood pressure.