As many of you know, high blood pressure (hypertension) is also known as the silent killer because there are often mild or no symptoms associated with it until it is too late. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association defines hypertension as a systolic (top number) of greater than 130 or a diastolic (bottom number) of greater than 80. Diet, exercise, and stress can all affect your bl

Spending a few minutes ahead of time preparing for your doctor's appointment is very beneficial for both you and your physician. Before your next appointment, consider doing the following: List the concerns that you want to discuss at your appointment, starting with the most important one first. For each concern, note what your symptoms are, when they started, what you have tried doing to improve the symptoms (such as what over the counter meds you tried, changing your diet,