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Today’s Top Health Concerns
Regular Screenings Are Key to Detecting Health Issues
By Linda L. Esterson, Contributing Writer
L
eonard H. Raucher, M.D., a family medicine provider in Owings
Mills, Maryland, saw a patient
with blood pressure that was high
enough that he was sent to the emergency room immediately.
The patient was previously diagnosed with high blood pressure but
did not act on it, refraining from medical care for two years. The result was
compromised kidney function so severe that he needed dialysis. He ultimately underwent a kidney transplant.
The moral to the story: everyone
should undergo regular screenings
with a primary care practitioner and
follow-up with the recommended care.
“Regular
screenings,
regular
checkups and if they discover something, take it seriously,” explains
Raucher, who serves as regional
medical director for the central primary care region of the LifeBridge
Health Medical Group (LBHMG), and
practices in Owings Mills. “Listen to
your health care provider and do what
you’re supposed to do.”
Hypertension
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), hypertension,
the medical term for high blood pressure, is prevalent in 47.7% of adults
in the United States. The incidence
increases with age from 23.4% for 1839 year-olds to 52.5% in 40-59 yearolds and 71.6% in those over 60 years
of age.
Blood pressure measures the
heart’s two phases: systole and diastole. According to the American Heart
Association, systolic blood pressure
measures the force of the blood
pushing against artery walls during
a heartbeat. The diastolic pressure
measures the heart muscle at rest between beats. The American College of
Cardiology and American Heart Association jointly de昀椀ne hypertension as
systolic blood pressure of 130 mm Hg
or above or diastolic blood pressure of
80 mm Hg or above.
Raucher suggests checking blood
pressure regularly either with a home
unit or at one in at pharmacies, exercise clubs like LifeBridge Health &
Fitness in Pikesville, Jewish Community Centers of Greater Baltimore
and even BWI Airport. There’s also a
home monitoring kit that sends data
directly to physician of昀椀ces.
High blood pressure is referred
to in the medical community as “the
silent killer,” since it usually carries
no symptoms. It is an important risk
factor for cardiovascular disease and
stroke.
Raucher explains that high blood
pressure can be genetic. “I have patients who have lost weight. They do
everything I asked them to do. They
still have high blood pressure. Why?
Because if mom and dad gave you
the wrong genes, doing the right thing
makes a huge difference, but you still
may need help.”
That help can come in the form of
medication, in addition to a lifestyle
change to quit smoking, limit alcohol,
eat healthier, exercise regularly and
lose weight.
While hypertension affects a large
number of Americans, the top medical
condition people deal with today is diabetes, Raucher notes.
