Hypertension And Treatment Of Hypertension

Hypertension (HTN), also known as high blood pressure, is the persistent, chronic elevation of blood pressure force in the arteries that can cause health problems, and damage to the body’s organs. There are two main types of hypertension consisting of, primary (essential) and secondary (Khan, et al., 2013). Primary hypertension is a gradual increase in blood pressure without a known cause or contributing underlying disease. Secondary hypertension is an acute onset, or a spike in blood pressure associated with an underlying factor, such as: illness, medications, pain, and/or disease process. There are approximately 200 different diseases and condition that contribute or cause secondary hypertension. The most common chronic diseases that have been shown to cause secondary hypertension involves OSA, diabetes, chronic liver disease, congenital heart disease, and thyroid or parathyroid disease (Chobanian, et al., 2003).

Hypertension diagnosis

The measurement of systolic and diastolic blood pressure is achieved by using a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope. The blood pressure measurement/diagnosis is completed in a physician’s office or clinic; it is repeated over time to ensure accuracy, and the measurement is quick and painless. Systolic pressure is the blood pressure in the arteries during the contracting phase of the heart. The diastolic pressure is the pressure in the arteries during the relaxing phase of the heart. Currently, the JNC 7 (2003) has classified blood pressure into categories based on systolic and diastolic blood pressures for diagnosis, based on evidence associated with cardiovascular disease. The JNC 7 (2003) blood systolic/diastolic pressure classifications are divided into the following diagnosis:

• normal...

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... use,

• stress,

• sedentary lifestyle, and

• obesity (Pedrosa, Krieger, Lorenzi-Filho, & Drager, 2011).

The various categories’ of hypertension linked by OSA consist of the following:

• nocturnal hypertension (abnormal 24-hour blood pressure that includes high blood pressure during sleep with non-dipping and/or reverse dipping),

• resistant hypertension (hypertensive blood pressure that is uncontrolled despite the use of three antihypertensive medications including a diuretic),

• masked hypertension (blood pressure that is normal in a clinic or physician’s office, and becomes hypertensive while ambulating, or in the home environment.), and

• pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lung arteries, separate from the systemic hypertension) (Zhang & Si, 2012).

Currently, PAP therapy is not mentioned, or consided, a treatment measure for hypertension.