Dr. David S. Macpherson M.D.

Michael E Moreland MSW , Ali F Sonel MD , Amy M Kilbourne PhD, MPH , David S Macpherson MD, MPH ,

Adam Joseph Gordon MD, MPH , David S Macpherson MD, MPH ,

Your search for David S Macpherson returned the following results:
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Adam Joseph Gordon MD, MPH , David S Macpherson MD, MPH ,
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Michael E Moreland MSW , Ali F Sonel MD , Amy M Kilbourne PhD, MPH , David S Macpherson MD, MPH ,
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Galen E Switzer PhD , David S Macpherson MD, MPH ,

David S Macpherson, MD, MPH Professor of Medicine University of Pittsburgh

David S Macpherson, MD, MPH Affiliate Investigator Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Email: david.macpherson@med.va.gov PubMed Link: Click Here last update:August 28, 2003

Galen E Switzer PhD , David S Macpherson MD, MPH ,

The assessment of cardiac risk before surgery is critical as perioperative complications due to cardiac events may be deadly, say Adam Gordon (Veterans Affairs [VA] Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pennsylvania) and David Macpherson (University of Pittsburgh).
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Gordon and Macpherson set out to determine whether recommendations from the two guidelines would result in a difference in the number of noninvasive tests in patients being evaluated for elective non-cardiac surgery, and also whether these recommendations differed from those requested by the healthcare provider.

David S Macpherson, MD, MPHAssociate Professor of MedicineUniversity of Pittsburgh

Michael E. Moreland, MSW; Amy M. Kilbourne, PhD MPH; Joseph B. Engelhardt, PhD; Rajiv Jain MD; Jian Gao, PhD; David S. Macpherson, MD MPH; Ali F. Sonel, MD FACC FACP; Guibo Xing, PhD
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David S. Macpherson is vice president of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Primary Care Service Line and professor of medicine, University of Pittsburgh.

Most physicians like to have several readings – including a least one taken at home – before they prescribe a treatment, says David Macpherson, M.D., a primary care physician and Vice President for Primary Care at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.

Because it is called hypertension, a common misconception about the disease is that it can be caused by tension or stress.Not true, says Dr. Macpherson.In fact, in the majority of cases, high blood pressure cannot be linked to any specific cause.High blood pressure generally causes no noticeable symptoms, so about half of those with the disease aren't even aware of it.If your blood pressure is not checked, you might never know you have hypertension, says Dr. Macpherson.

High blood pressure is life threatening when left untreated.Over a period of time, the excessive pressure from the disease causes blockages in the arteries.These blockages can eventually restrict blood flow to the heart, brain, and kidneys.High blood pressure kills by causing strokes, heart attacks, and kidney damage, explains Dr. Macpherson.

The good news is that the disease can be effectively treated ; and controlling blood pressure levels can diminish the potential for – and even prevent - damage.

How is hypertension controlled.There are two methods of treating high blood pressure – without drugs and with drugs, says Dr. Macpherson.Veterans who have slightly elevated blood pressure are treated through changes in lifestyle.Recommended changes include shedding extra weight, exercising at least three times per week, decreasing the amount of salt in the diet, improving the diet to include less red meat and more fruits and vegetables, and eliminating smoking and excessive alcohol intake.

If lifestyle changes aren't enough, or if blood pressure levels are consistently high, the Veteran patient may need to begin a drug treatment program.There are many drugs that are effective in lowering high blood pressure, says Dr. Macpherson.He points out that, because hypertension doesn't usually have any symptoms, you shouldn't feel much different after taking blood pressure medication… even if your blood pressure is lowered.However, if you begin to feel worse after beginning a drug treatment, talk to your primary care provider as soon as possible, he advises.

The best course of action to follow to keep hypertension from sneaking up on you, says Dr. Macpherson, is to have your blood pressure checked at least yearly or every time you visit your primary care provider.

VA Stars & Stripes Healthcare Network :On the Leading Edge of Patient Safety

In 1997, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began a program to study patient safety concerns and develop new safety procedures for VA's health care system.