high blood pressure

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Management

1 in 4 adults in Singapore have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. It is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and one of the major risk factors for stroke and coronary heart disease.

Find out how to reduce your risk and keep your blood pressure within healthy range.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition where your blood pressure is constantly higher than normal.

When the force of blood pushing through the walls of your blood vessels increases, your arteries can become damaged and narrowed making them less elastic. With high blood pressure, your blood vessels must work harder to transport oxygenated blood around your body.

This eventually damages the tissues surrounding the walls of your arteries (atherosclerosis) and can put you at risk of heart disease.

What is a Doctor Home Visit?

What causes high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is typically caused by unhealthy lifestyle choices or preexisting medical conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease.

Certain risk factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking, obesity and a high BMI also increases your blood pressure.

BMI
Risk of heart disease
27.5 and above
High risk
23.0 - 27.4
Moderate risk
18.5 - 22.9
Low risk (healthy range)
Less than 18.5
Risk of nutritional deficiency diseases and osteoporosis

Those with a family history of high blood pressure are prone to developing the condition. This risk is increased if you:

  • Do not practice a healthy diet and have a sedentary lifestyle – this type of lifestyle increases plaque buildup in your arteries
  • Smoke – smoking can cause further damage to the walls of your arteries (atherosclerosis) and affect your blood’s ability to clot normally

Fortunately, hypertension can be managed with the appropriate treatment and medication. Your Speedoc doctor will tailor and adjust your medication to optimise care and management of your condition.

What are the signs of high blood pressure?

High blood pressure often comes with no symptoms until significant damage has been done to the heart and arteries. For this reason, hypertension is often touted as a “silent killer” and many patients go undiagnosed for years.

Some tell-tale signs to look out for:

  • Blurry vision
  • Headache
  • Nosebleeds
  • Chest pains
  • Arrhythmia (Irregular heartbeats)

If you frequently experience these symptoms, please see a doctor and go for high blood pressure screening immediately.

How is high blood pressure diagnosed?

Hypertension can be measured with a blood pressure monitor at home or at a doctor’s clinic.

There will be two readings: the higher number checks for systolic pressure (pressure in arteries when your heart beats) and the lower number tests for diastolic pressure (pressure in arteries when your heart is at rest in between heart beats).

Blood Pressure Level (mmHg)
Category
Systolic BP (mmHg)
Diastolic BP (mmHg)
Normal BP
< 130
< 80
High - Normal BP
130 -139
80 - 89
Grade 1 Hypertension
140 - 159*
90 - 99
​Grade 2 Hypertension
160*
100
Isolated Systolic Hypertension*
140
< 90

*For adults aged 18 years and above.

If your blood pressure is recorded to be higher than 180/120 mm Hg, it is considered Stage 2 hypertension and an emergency.

If you suspect you may be suffering from hypertension, seek medical help immediately and change your lifestyle habits to bring down your blood pressure to normal levels.

Testing for high blood pressure at Speedoc

High blood pressure is diagnosed during a blood pressure reading. The numbers from the reading will be an indication of whether your blood pressure is within normal range or if you have stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension. Blood and urine tests may also be performed to check for preexisting medical conditions that may be contributing to an abnormally high blood pressure.

You may also have your BMI (body mass index) recorded and undergo an electrocardiogram test (ECG) to evaluate your cardiovascular health – undergoing these extra tests will help us tailor a management plan for your condition.

Unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking are additional causative factors to your high blood pressure, you may be advised to undergo a smoking cessation programme to help you kick the habit.

What are some treatment options for high blood pressure in Singapore?

In Singapore, high blood pressure can be treated with medication that is prescribed by a doctor to help widen blood vessels and allow blood flow to return to normal.

It is key that you also manage your health at home by practicing healthier lifestyle habits. This involves consuming a healthy diet, exercising for at least 30 minutes daily and undergoing regular health checkups to continue to monitor your condition.

Managing Your High Blood Pressure At Home

Package Details
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Overview:
  • All relevant lab tests
  • 1 doctor house call
  • 1 nurse house visit
  • Quarterly review via teleconsultation
  • Medication not included
Programme Details:
Blood tests to:
Measure blood sugar levels
Measure cholesterol
Urine test to assess kidney health
ECG to detect heart conditions
Blood pressure readings
Smoking cessation (if applicable)
BMI measurement
Schedule:
Visit 1
Doctor and nurse visit
Lab tests
Review of test results over doctor teleconsultation
+3 mo
Visit 2
Teleconsultation with Speedoc doctor to review condition
+6 mo
Visit 3
Teleconsultation with Speedoc doctor to review condition
+9 mo
Visit 4
Teleconsultation with Speedoc doctor to review condition

Frequently Asked Questions

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How common is high blood pressure in Singapore?
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Can lack of sleep cause high blood pressure?
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Can I film the doctor/nurse during the appointment?
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How many deaths are caused by blood pressure per year?
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Is there a preferred time of day to take my blood pressure reading?