“When should you see a cardiologist for high blood pressure?”
I have had high blood pressure for 2 weeks. I wonder when should I see a cardiologist for high blood pressure?
6 Answers
Only when your PCP treatment is inadequate or you don't feel comfortable.
Check your blood pressure daily and keep a log of blood pressures. You should first consult your primary care for your blood pressures and if the primary care refers you to a cardiologist, you may see a cardiologist. In the meantime, reducing salt intake, avoiding regular use of pain medicines like ibuprofen, daily exercise, relaxation/meditation will help lower your blood pressure.
Most patients with high blood pressure never need to see a cardiologist as primary care providers can appropriately treat this condition. In rare cases, patients can have resistant hypertension (on 4 medications and still uncontrollable). These patients may need to see a cardiologist.
Record the blood pressure on a piece of paper or in your machine's memory. Take it to your primary care or a cardiologist. Low-salt diet.
There are a lot of medical conditions that are treated either by primary care practitioners (internists or family practice doctors) or specialists. A lot of who manages the condition is based on expertise. Hypertension is one of those conditions. In general, if there is a primary cardiac condition like angina (coronary artery disease) or heart failure the choice of antihypertensive meds and doses are dictated by the cardiologist. Suffice it to say though, blood meds are adjust by both primary care doctors and specialists and we communicate the rationale for any change in meds.
If you are having symptoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations, and chest pain. If you are in a high-risk group, family history of coronary disease at early age, has diabetes Mellitus, and high cholesterol and smoker, or if your blood pressure cannot be controlled.
