Dr. Robert J. Ward relocated to Statesville in 2007 after practicing medicine for 10 years in High Point, NC.

He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

As an internal medicine physician, he is trained to diagnose puzzling medical issues and to treat patients with multiple health problems, such as hypertension, diabetes, lung disorders and more.

Dr. Ward earned his MD at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, KY.

He served his internship and residency at Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus.

Many of the risk factors for high blood pressure are under your control.

High blood pressure is a serious medical condition. It's one of the leading risk factors for heart disease and early death, according to the American College of Cardiology (ACC). It's also really common—nearly 1 in 2 adults in the U.S. has it, according to the ACC/American Heart Association (AHA) High Blood Pressure Guidelines.

Anyone can get high blood pressure. Fortunately, a number of the factors that increase your risk are things you can change.

Flu season is upon us and for some people, the flu is more than unpleasant, it's downright dangerous. You can get protected with a quick and simple vaccine, even if you've had a COVID-19 vaccine.

The flu, or influenza, is caused by a virus that infects the respiratory system. Though colds are also caused by viruses, the symptoms of the two illnesses have some differences. The flu is much more likely to be accompanied by fever, headache and extreme exhaustion.