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How we diagnose, prevent, and manage high blood pressure (hypertension)

We go beyond the numbers — with root-cause labs, emotional resilience, lifestyle, and targeted treatment when needed.

Updated this week

High blood pressure often builds quietly — but early detection and the right support can change everything.

At Fishtown Medicine, we don’t just monitor your BP. We help you understand what’s driving it and what you can do to shift it — through personalized, data-informed care.


🩺 How we diagnose it:

  • Multiple readings over time (home logs or wearables)

  • Labs for kidney, thyroid, metabolic, and hormonal contributors

  • Full context: sleep, stress, movement, medications, hydration


🔬 What labs we often include:

  • Renal function (BUN, Cr, eGFR)

  • Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium)

  • TSH and Free T4 (thyroid function)

  • Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR (metabolic risk)

  • Lipids, hs-CRP, uric acid (vascular inflammation)

  • Renin/aldosterone (if resistant or erratic)


⚙️ How we manage and prevent:

We build your plan around six personalized pillars:

🥗 Nutrition

  • Sodium-aware, potassium-rich foods

  • Glycemic control to reduce insulin-driven hypertension

  • Real-life adaptations of the DASH or Mediterranean patterns

🏃 Movement

  • Post-meal walks

  • Resistance training

  • Zone 2 aerobic exercise for vascular flexibility

😴 Sleep

  • Screening for sleep apnea

  • Evening cortisol and melatonin rhythm support

  • Restorative strategies for better blood pressure variability overnight

❤️‍🩹 Emotional Resilience

  • Stress triggers affect blood pressure more than most people realize

  • We help you build self-awareness, recovery time, and regulation skills

  • This may include journaling, therapy coordination, movement-based stress relief, or trauma-informed support

  • Our goal isn’t “relax more” — it’s heal smarter

💊 Supplements (when appropriate)

  • Magnesium glycinate or citrate

  • Potassium (dietary or supplemental)

  • CoQ10, L-theanine, omega-3s

  • Beetroot, garlic extract, or adaptogens (based on labs and symptoms)

💊 Medications

  • Lowest effective dose, reassessed regularly

  • Always integrated into a broader care plan — not prescribed in isolation

  • Tapering is considered when blood pressure improves and root causes are addressed


Want to monitor blood pressure at home?

We recommend these options from Wirecutter:
👉 The Best Blood Pressure Monitors – Wirecutter


Let us know when you’re ready to understand your blood pressure more deeply — and build a plan that works with your biology, your life, and your values.

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