March 5, 2026
David Boudreaux of Thibodaux, Louisiana, had known for years that he had high blood pressure, but he never felt it was fully under control. That concern became more real after a trip to Georgia with his wife, when he experienced a sudden discomfort in his chest – a warning sign he knew he couldn’t ignore.
As soon as he returned, he visited his primary care physician, who referred him to Cardiovascular Institute of the South, where he began seeing CIS interventional cardiologist and vascular specialist Dr. Ahmad Jabbar.
“I was assigned Dr. Jabbar by chance, but it was very fortuitous,” said David. “I’m very grateful that I was.”
At David’s appointment, he expressed his concerns about his elevated blood pressure, the vague symptoms that had been making him feel uneasy, and how he had struggled to find medications that could effectively control it.
Dr. Jabbar made thoughtful adjustments, fine-tuning his medications until they were better suited to his body and his lifestyle. With time and careful adjustments, they were able to find the right fit to bring his blood pressure under control.
Since starting his new regimen, David says he feels better than he has in years. “I feel very good,” he said. “Every time I go to the doctor’s office now, my blood pressure is normal. Before, it would spike dramatically when I came in, so I knew it was spiking at other times too. Now, it’s not something I spend a second worrying about because I know it’s under control.”
David’s experience reflects what many patients face when managing high blood pressure – symptoms can vary, and sometimes there are none at all. “High blood pressure can be challenging because many people don’t feel any symptoms at all,” said Dr. Jabbar. “Others may notice headaches, blurry vision, chest pain or heaviness, or shortness of breath.”
Dr. Jabbar also emphasizes that some patients may not feel right even when their blood pressure readings look good. In those cases, the issue may be their medication, which may not agree with their body. Rather than stopping treatment altogether, he encourages patients to have open conversations with their providers to understand what is working and what isn’t, so adjustments can be made to find a medication that works best for them.
Reflecting on his journey, David warns others of the dangers of uncontrolled high blood pressure, “High blood pressure is a killer,” he said. “It’s not something you should take lightly, so my recommendation would be to come here, get the checkup, get the treatment, follow your physician’s instructions, and live a better life.”
Request an appointment today with a CIS cardiologist.