Hypertension: silent killer, current treatments
Introduction
Hypertension is the medical term used to describe high blood pressure, referring to a state in which arteries consistently have raised blood pressure levels (Torpy, 2010). In the UK alone approximately 30% of the population suffer from hypertension, greatly increasing their risk of severe organ damage or failure, heart attack and stroke (NHS, 2012). Symptoms for hypertension often do not arise until damage to vital organs has already taken place, therefore the majority of patients suffering from hypertension are not aware that they have the condition, hence hypertension is often referred to as the “silent killer” (Torpy, 2010).
What is hypertension?
Blood pressure is a measurement
…show more content…
All patients suspected of suffering from hypertension must undergo an assessment of their cardiovascular risk and target organ damage and must be educated on the condition before treatment is provided or recommended (NICE, 2011). There are two major types of treatment for hypertension: lifestyle changes and drug treatment (NHS, 2012).
The initial treatment of hypertension involves lifestyle changes, some of these include: quitting smoking, losing weight, drinking less caffeine and alcohol, reducing salt intake to below 6g a day and increasing exercise (NHS, 2011). There has also been a great deal of research conducted investigating the effects of diet and nutrition on blood pressure. Restricting levels of sodium in the diet and increasing levels of calcium by taking supplements have both be suggested to help reduce blood pressure (Magill et al, 2003). Introducing a diet that is high in fruit, vegetables, fish, poultry and low-fat dairy products has also provided evidence of increasing levels of calcium, potassium, magnesium and reducing levels of cholesterol (Magill,
Blood pressure is measured by mmHg (millimetres of mercury) and it is written as two numbers. The first number is the highest pressure that the heart reaches in beats and the second number is the lowest blood pressure reached between the heart beats. A normal blood pressure level in adults is blood pressure less than 120/80 but for someone with CKD; high blood pressure is if it is 130/80.
Blood pressure is measured by two pressures; the systolic and diastolic. The systolic pressure, the top number, is the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts. The diastolic pressure, the bottom number, measures the pressure between heartbeats. A normal blood pressure is when the systolic pressure is less than 120mmHg and Diastolic pressure is less than 80mmHg. Hypertension is diagnosed when the systolic pressure is greater than 140mmHg and the diastolic pressure is greater than 90mmHg. The physician may also ask about medical history, family history, life style habits, and medication use that could also contribute to hypertension
How does this history of high blood pressure demonstrate the problem description and etiology components of the P.E.R.I.E. process? What different types of studies were used to establish etiology or contributory cause?
The Mayo Clinic’s book on High Blood Pressure was full of detailed facts about blood pressure and what it is. This is extremely significant to the experiment because blood pressure is one of the variables being tested. Understanding blood pressure is one of the key components to receiving accurate results from this experiment. Most of the book is on high blood pressure, which is not necessary for the experiment, but the book still had plenty of useful information about blood pressure itself. The book explains that when the heart beats, a surge of blood is released from the left ventricle. It also tells of how arteries are blood vessels that move nutrients and oxygenated blood from the heart to the body’s tissues. The aorta, or the largest artery in the heart, is connected to the left ventricle and is the main place for blood to leave the heart as the aorta branches off into many different smaller
High Blood Pressure is anything that alters in peripheral vascular resistance, heart rate, or stroke volume that affects systematic arterial blood pressure. Long term effect of high blood pressure are serious and can cause heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and retinal damage. Hypertension is another medical word that substitutes the meaning of high blood pressure. It is known as the “silent killer” because it does not create any symptoms. The most common reason for high blood pressure is arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is the thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries, occurring in old age. Four control systems have a job in maintaining blood pressure. These are the arterial baroreceptor and chemoreceptors’ system, regulation of body fluid volume, the renin- angiotensin system, and vascular autoregulation. Primary hypertension mostly occurs from a defect or malfunction in some or all of these
Vicki is a 42 year-old African American woman who was recently diagnosed with hypertension. Hypertension, also know as high blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the arteries as it flows through them. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry the oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body’s tissues.
Blood pressure is a measurement of the force against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood through your body. Hypertension is another term used to describe high blood pressure. This common condition increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, two leading causes of death for Americans. High blood pressure contributed to more than 362,895 deaths in the United States during 2010. Approximately 67 million persons in the United States have high blood pressure, and only half of those have their condition under control. An estimated 46,000 deaths could be avoided annually if 70% of patients with high blood pressure were treated according to published guidelines (Patel, Datu, Roman, Barton, Ritchey, Wall, Loustalot; 2014).
Hypertension can be defined as a force exerted against the wall of blood vessels. However, high blood pressure occurs when there is high pressure at the time of ventricle contraction during the systolic phase against decrease contract during diastolic phase as the ventricles relax and refill. This can be recorded as systolic over diastolic in millimeters of mercury. (Wallymahmed, M. 2008).
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major health condition which affects many Americans. This health condition may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. A normal blood pressure consists of systolic blood pressure divided by diastolic blood pressure, 120/80mmHg (millimeters of mercury). High blood pressure is defined as systolic pressure which is greater than 140mm Hg, and diastolic pressure which is over 90mm Hg. Hypertension influences the health outcomes of black Americans more than other races in the United States. Racial discrimination and socioeconomic status are two major factors which influence the rate of high blood pressure in the black American population.
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure is a medical condition where the arteries are constantly experiencing high blood pressure due to the force exerted on the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood throughout the body.
Blood pressure, also called hypertension, is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries.
" Journal of Clinical Hypertension 13.5 (2011): 351-56. EBSOHost.com - a. Web. The Web.
...t cannot be ignored. Uncontrollable hypertension can be very dangerous as it may lead to many other diseases such as heart failure, stroke and diabetes. Therefore, people should have medical check-up regularly on hypertension. As written above, the pathophysiology of hypertension is due to renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system. Others like cardiac output and peripheral resistance and endothelial dysfunction can be also related to the pathophysiology of hypertension. Drug like losartan is used to treat hypertension. It acts on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system by competing with angiotensin II to bind to AT1 receptors and thus stopping the production of aldosterone that would increase the blood pressure. Lastly, this drug should be taken accordingly with the advices from doctors and pharmacists as some people may have undergo side effects and allergic reactions.
WILLIAMS, P and POULTER NR et al (2004) Guidelines for management of hypertension: report of the fourth working party of the British Hypertension Society. British Hypertension Society, pp. 139-85
Blood Pressure: Blood Pressure is the force at which blood pushes against the blood vessels. The blood pressure of women can be below, normal or above normal. When the level is below or above normal, 120/80, it poses a number of health risks. Women between ages 18- 65 years and above require a blood pressure test every two years if blood pressure is 120/80. Any blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 will require your medical doctor to require blood pressure test once a year. Above this level, the doctor will request for