Hope Integrative Medicine · Care, step by step
Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Diabetes and Weight: Care, Step by Step
High blood pressure usually causes no symptoms until it causes serious problems; treatment helps prevent heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.
What care looks like
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Request an appointment
New patients are often able to be scheduled within a week of requesting an appointment. Send the form or call; our front desk can check your insurance before your first visit.
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First visit
We review your history, medicines, blood pressure, weight and goals, in person in West Ashley or through a hybrid of video visits and an in-person exam when indicated.
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Check your numbers
Blood work drawn in our office or at the LabCorp or Quest location of your choice, and an EKG in the office when it is needed.
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A plan you choose together
Daily habits that move your numbers, and medication when it fits your situation, decided with your provider after weighing the benefits and risks.
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Follow-up visits
We recheck your numbers and adjust the plan until you reach your goals; home blood pressure readings help between visits.
Ready for the first step?
New patients are often able to be scheduled within a week of requesting an appointment.
What treating blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes helps prevent
- Heart attackHigh blood pressure and high cholesterol both raise the risk
- StrokeLinked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes
- Heart failureControlling blood pressure helps prevent or delay it
- Kidney diseaseHigh blood pressure and diabetes both damage the kidneys
- Nerve damageDiabetes can damage nerves in the feet and legs
- Eye diseaseDiabetes can damage the eyes; yearly eye exams catch it early
- Peripheral artery diseaseNarrowed leg arteries, made more likely by diabetes, high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol and obesity
Sources: NHLBI: High Blood Pressure; NHLBI: Blood Cholesterol; NHLBI: Peripheral Artery Disease, Causes and Risk Factors; NIDDK: Preventing Diabetes Problems.
Common Questions
High blood pressure usually causes no symptoms until it causes serious health problems. Controlling it can help prevent or delay heart attack, heart failure, stroke and chronic kidney disease.
Managing blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol helps prevent heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage and eye disease in people with diabetes.
We can draw blood in our office, or you can go to the LabCorp or Quest location of your choice. EKGs are done in our office when needed.
Yes. Some primary care services are often able to be delivered through a hybrid model combining video visits with an in-person physical exam at our West Ashley office when indicated. Not sure what applies to you? Call us and we will talk through your situation.
Read the full guide to high blood pressure care
This article is general information, not medical advice, and does not create a patient–provider relationship. Every situation is different, so see a provider who can evaluate yours and develop a plan of care. If you are ever in doubt about an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.