If your car is running perfectly smooth, do you still make sure to change the oil? Or do you wait until there’s a knocking sound under the hood and the Check Engine light comes on? Most car owners know that a well-running vehicle should have its oil changed before there are signs that it needs one. And that’s how Andrew Mrugala, MD, of St. Joseph’s/Candler’s Primary Care in Pooler wants his patients to think about managing blood pressure.
“Keeping one’s blood pressure at a controlled level can limit the development of heart disease,” he says. “But sometimes elevated blood pressure, or hypertension, can be largely without symptoms.”

Carrying Extra Weight
Dr. Mrugala likens blood pressure to a backpack that your heart wears. An increase in blood pressure adds additional weight to the backpack your heart has to carry every day, and just like a person who has to carry a heavy load, your heart muscle gets stronger and thicker.