...Silent Killer | High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) | The Silent Killer | High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) | What Is High Blood Pressure? Blood pressure is the measurement of force that blood applies against the walls of your arteries. Blood pressure tends to rise and fall regularly throughout the day, but if it remains high, you have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is also referred to as Hypertension. Damage can occur to blood vessels, the heart, and the kidneys when blood pressure is high. This can lead to more serious conditions such as: heart attacks, strokes, and other problems. Hypertension is often considered “the silent killer” because there are typically no symptoms present while damage is occurring. Your blood pressure consists of two numbers, systolic and diastolic, and is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Someone with a systolic pressure of 120 and a diastolic pressure of 80 has a blood pressure of 120/80, or “120 over 80” (U.S. PSTF, 2007). Note: * The systolic number shows how hard the blood pushes when the heart is pumping. * The diastolic number shows how hard the blood pushes when the heart is relaxed and filling with blood (between heartbeats). An ideal blood pressure for an adult is less than 120/80. Hypertension is 140/90 or higher. Many people fall somewhere in the middle, this is known as prehypertension. Individuals with prehypertension need to make lifestyle changes to bring their blood pressure down to prevent...
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...2/2/2016 6 Ways to Prevent Hypertension - Hypertension Center - Everyday Health Recommended For You Are You Eating Too Much Salt? Are Your Meds Raising Your Blood Pressure? Brought to you by Everyday Health 6 Ways to Prevent Hypertension By Krisha McCoy, MS | Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH Making an effort to prevent high blood pressure can reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other serious illnesses. If you are at risk for hypertension, take these steps to help prevent it. High blood pressure, which is also called hypertension, increases your risk of developing many serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. It is estimated that nearly one out of every three Americans has high blood pressure. While you can't always control whether you get high blood pressure, there are healthy lifestyle habits you can develop to help prevent hypertension and reduce your risk of high blood pressure-related health problems in the future Hypertension Prevention Factors You Can Control Your age, along with a family history of hypertension and ethnicity are among the hypertension risk factors that are out of your control. When it comes to preventing high blood pressure, the idea is to focus on the risk factors that you can change. "We can't do anything about our age, but we can do something about our lifestyle," says Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH, a clinical hypertension specialist, director of the Center...
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...Hypertension Shelley J. Wilson HS200, Section 2 Unit 4 Capstone Project: Case Study #3 Hypertension Kaplan University 14 October, 2014 Hypertension Hypertension is commonly known to many people as high blood pressure. Hypertension is a condition in which the arteries in the body have elevated blood pressure. When heart beats, it will pump blood throughout the body your body from your arteries. The blood pressure stems from the force of blood that pushes against the blood vessel walls. When an individual has elevated blood pressure, the harder the heart has to work to pump blood. The normal range for blood pressure is below 120/80. “The 120 in the blood pressure represents the systolic measurement, or the peak pressure in the...
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...How to choose a healthy, low sodium diet: How to choose a healthy, low sodium diet: Monitoring Your Blood Pressure Monitoring Your Blood Pressure Most People | <140/90(<135/80 at home) | People with diabetes or kidney disease | <130/90 | Most People | <140/90(<135/80 at home) | People with diabetes or kidney disease | <130/90 | Choose from the following: -Whole grains -Lean meat, fish, and poultry -Low fat dairy products -Fresh fruit and vegetables -Herbs and spices to flavor food – avoid adding extra salt What to Avoid: -Food high in salt, sugar, or trans fat -Cured meats or fish -Use of condiments such as ketchup, mustard, gravies, or any sauce that has a high salt or sugar content Choose from the following: -Whole grains -Lean meat, fish, and poultry -Low fat dairy products -Fresh fruit and vegetables -Herbs and spices to flavor food – avoid adding extra salt What to Avoid: -Food high in salt, sugar, or trans fat -Cured meats or fish -Use of condiments such as ketchup, mustard, gravies, or any sauce that has a high salt or sugar content What Is High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)? What Is High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)? What should your blood pressure be? What should your blood pressure be? By: Nina Skaria, RN By: Nina Skaria, RN References: . (n.d.). . Retrieved July 15, 2014, from http://www.rorc.research.va.gov/rescue/prevention/RFP_Hypertension_2-UP_Bookmark.pdf Recommended Childhood Immunization...
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...12/10/2013 How to Lower High Blood Pressure Alfred Guerrero American Intercontinental University Abstract High blood pressure can lead to other health problems if it goes uncontrolled. This article explains what blood pressure is in order to offer an understanding of high blood pressure. The long-term detrimental effects of high blood pressure or “hypertension” are discussed. Ways to lowering blood pressure are offered from a nurse’s perspective and experience along with suggested lifestyle changes. Keywords: blood pressure, systolic, diastolic, hypertension, smoking, overweight, anti-hypertensives, BMI What is Blood Pressure? Blood pressure is the measured as the force of blood that pumps in the arteries. It is measured in two numbers such as 120/80, 110/60, 118/70, etc. The top number is referred to the systolic blood pressure and the bottom number is referred to as the diastolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure is the action of the heart as it pumps blood throughout the body. Diastolic blood pressure is the heart at its relaxed state. Normal blood pressure is 120/80. Anything above that is referred to high blood pressure or hypertension. High blood pressure is divided into two stages. What is Hypertension? Hypertension (in medical terms) or high blood pressure is persistent elevated pressure on the walls of the arteries. There are two stages depending on the numbers obtained from a blood pressure reading. Pre-Hypertension is a reading between...
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...Hypertension in Older Adults Jihan Leonard Labouré College Abstract This research paper looks at the medical condition hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure. The history of the disease from the first discoveries of Stephen Hale to the implementation of high blood pressure testing as a standard in routine health care by Samuel Karl Ritter Von Basch are among the topics discussed. In addition to past and current treatments of this condition like angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and diuretics, etc., new approaches are reviewed (removal of the carotid body to the use of radio waves). Hypertension in Older Adults – Past, Current and New Treatments Something often attributed to old age, being overweight, etcetera, hypertension has become a common place medical condition in adults. This paper will look at the efficacy of past and current treatments, and new approaches to treat this medical condition. With the phrase older adults, it’s referring to those over 60 and in some of the journal articles the mean age of those in the studies average 80/83 years old. Hypertension is a medical condition that occurs when you have a continually high systemic arterial blood pressure. It is defined when the systolic pressure is constantly bigger than 140 mmHg or when the diastolic pressure is constantly bigger than 90 mmHg or more. But for people over the age of 60, hypertension is bigger than 150/90. Hypertension is...
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...Hypertension Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure. Hypertension is the consistent elevation of systemic arterial blood pressure. It is also the most common primary diagnosis in the United States (Brashers, 2010). It is one of the most common worldwide diseases afflicting humans. Because of the associated morbidity and mortality and the cost to society, hypertension is an important public health challenge. Over the past several decades, extensive research, widespread patient education, and a concerted effort on the part of health care professionals have led to decreased mortality and morbidity rates from the multiple organ damage arising from years of untreated hypertension. I. Prevalence of disease (in US) and risk factors Hypertension is a major U.S. health problem affecting some 50 million individuals. Approximately 65% of Americans older than age 60 have hypertension. Of those diagnosed with hypertension, over 30% do not have their hypertension adequately treated and controlled. Ninety to ninety-five percent of hypertension is idiopathic and called primary hypertension. Five to ten percent of hypertension is the result of an identifiable etiologic cause and is called secondary hypertension. According to Center of Disease Control (CDC) the prevalence of hypertension, 45.3% had been treated...
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...Hypertension (HTN) or high blood pressure, sometimes called arterial hypertension, is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevatedHypertension is a common disorder and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The majority (90%) of patients have ‘primary’ or ‘essential’ hypertension where no identifiable underlying cause is found. The remaining minority (up to 10%) have ‘secondary’ hypertension where a cause is identified. Complete assessment of the hypertensive patient must include an assessment of overall cardiovascular risk and the identification of potential secondary causes of hypertension. Any decision to treat hypertension should be based on repeated blood pressure readings or the 24 h ambulatory BP measurements monitor. Treatment of hypertension is based on large international trials and extensive meta-analyses, which have now been condensed into established published guidelines. NICE/BHS proposes the ACD rule that recommends drug classes that can be used to control blood pressure depending on the age and race of the patient.Most patients will require two or more drugs and will need to be followed up for side effects and nonadherence. It is important to be vigilant for secondary causes of resistant hypertension. Epidemiology The prevalence of hypertension in the general population is about 20e30% and more frequent with increasing age and in certain ethnic groups. Isolated diastolic or systo-diastolic hypertension is more...
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...Hypertension or High blood pressure is a prevalent cardiovascular disease in the United States and other nations around the world. It is estimated that 1 billion is affected with the disease and about 7.1 million hypertension related mortalities annually. It is a condition in which the long-term force of blood against artery walls is high enough to ultimately cause heart attack, aneurysm, stroke or left ventricular hypertrophy leading to congestive heart failure. Many people with hypertension do not realize they have because the symptoms are subtle and that it generally develops over a long period of time. Most often, vital organs like the kidneys and eyes may damage or other diseases may occur before it is detected; for this reason, it is often called the "silent killer (American Heart Association, 2014). According to Woo & Wynne (2012), a report from the World Health Organization indicates that suboptimal blood pressure higher than 115mm Hg (systolic) is liable for 62% of all cardiovascular disease and 49% of all ischemic heart disease. A normal blood pressure level is systolic reading of blood pressure (SBP) less than 120mmHg with diastolic level (DBP) less than 80mmHg. Hypertension disease has the following stages. A pre-hypertensive level is SBP 120-139, and DBP 80-89. Hypertension stage 1 is SBP 140-159, with DBP of 90-99. Hypertension stage 2 is SBP greater than or equal to 160 with DBP of 100 or more. Stress and emotional tension may temporarily increase blood pressure;...
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...Hypertension Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them. Description As blood flows through arteries it pushes against the inside of the artery walls. The more pressure the blood exerts on the artery walls, the higher the blood pressure will be. The size of small arteries also affects the blood pressure. When the muscular walls of arteries are relaxed, or dilated, the pressure of the blood flowing through them is lower than when the artery walls narrow, or constrict. Blood pressure is highest when the heart beats to pump blood out into the arteries. Between beats, when the heart relaxes to refill with blood, the pressure drops to its lowest point. The blood pressure peak, when the heart pumps, is called systolic pressure. The blood pressure trough, when the heart is filling, is called diastolic pressure. When blood pressure is measured, the systolic pressure is stated first and the diastolic pressure second. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). For example, if a person's systolic pressure is 120 and diastolic pressure is 80, it is written as 120/80 mm Hg. The American Heart Association considers systolic blood pressure less than 140 and diastolic blood pressure less than 90 normal for adults. Hypertension is a significant public health problem. Since it has no symptoms, many people are unaware that they have hypertension. In the United States...
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...Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and stroke which have a systolic and a diastolic blood pressure level of >140/90 mmHg. 31% of US adults continue to suffer from hypertension, with minorities being more likely to have the condition. Of these, 25% have uncontrolled blood pressure. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 1999–2002 showed that the hypertension prevalence rate was highest among African American, almost 50% higher than white people. African Americans develop hypertension at an early age, reach advanced levels of hypertension, are prone to experience further complications, and are less likely to attain control of their hypertension. Hypertension is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States and among African Americans. African Americans have the highest risk for hypertension-related deaths. Among all racial/ethnic groups, African American women have the highest prevalence (45%) and lowest control of high blood pressure (59%). NHANES data examining the 2001–2010 time period also showed African Americans were more likely to have uncontrolled hypertension than white people and Hispanic people. Poor adherence to medication has been identified as a major contributor to uncontrolled hypertension among African American patients. Women are about as likely as men to develop high blood pressure during their lifetimes. However, for people younger than 45 years old, the condition affects more men...
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...Patient- Centered Education Plan Pascale Comeau NUR/427 July 29, 2014 Debra Ayer MSN, RN, MBA This paper will discuss of a case study related to hypertension and the lack of awareness of the disease. Hypertension is a chronic disease. Chronic illness is a condition that last six months. It can be managed but not cure. The CDC stated (2014) “As of 2012, about half of all adults- 117 million people have one or more chronic diseases. Seven of the 10 causes of death in 2010 were chronic disease. Heart disease and cancer together accounted for nearly 48% of all deaths.” The objectives of this case study are to review the history and physical, describe the disease process, and formulate a patient- centered education plan. Disease process Mr. Larry Garcia is a 45 year old Hispanic male. He was newly diagnosed with hypertension during a physical exam for his employment. He does not consult his primary physician regularly. His previous physical exam was six years ago. Larry is overweight and lack of physical activity. He does not smoke but drinks alcohol occasionally on the weekend. He complains of shortness of breath, dizziness, headache and blurry vision occasionally. However, he stated “I feel fine.” Mr. Garcia refused prescribe medication for his hypertension. He takes only one multivitamin daily. Larry is married and has three children. He has a stressful job as a sale representative. He is the only child. He assists both of his parents with their financial...
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...Care Plan Elements of Hypertension Susan Salby American Sentinel University Care Plan Elements of Hypertension Worldwide, hypertension is the most common contributor to death of any medical risk factor. HTN contributes to the development of heart disease, heart failure, chronic renal failure requiring dialysis, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and cognitive decline. The risk of cardiovascular events doubles for every 20/10mmHg rise in blood pressure above 115/70mmHg. Untreated HTN causes progressive renal and vascular damage, eventually leading to a treatment resistant state. Hypertension is usually diagnosed and treated in the community. As this is largely an asymptomatic disease, particularly in its initial stages, compliance with treatment regimens can be problematic. Successful treatment of HTN relies on the patient establishing an ongoing therapeutic relationship with a trusted and knowledgeable health professional (Casey, 2011). Tools to manage care, such as clinical pathways, practice guidelines, and best practices have increased as the health care insurance industry has put more pressure on health care providers to improve care and provide more cost-effective care. These tools offer health care providers the opportunity to determine the best approaches to clinical problems based on current research and expertise (Finkleman, 2011). Best Practices Best practices are those treatments, procedures, tests, therapies and interventions that have consistently...
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...Patient education plan for Larry Garcia Hypertension Case Study Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, affects about 8.1 million Americans, and is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure is dangerous, as it increases the risk for heart attacks and stroke, which is the number one cause of death in the United States. There are typically no warning signs or symptoms associated with high blood pressure. Unfortunately, it is a life time disease once it occurs. Hypertension has multiple risk factors associated with it; middle age men have a higher risk than women, a family history of hypertension, being overweight, not being physically active, tobacco and alcohol use increases ones risk, as well as high levels of stress (Matteucci, Caple, & Pravikoff, 2011). Larry Garcia, a 45 year old Hispanic male, was recently diagnosed with hypertension during a physical exam for work. His risk factors include; being slightly overweight, does not exercise regularly, and his mother has hypertension that is not medically controlled. Larry is married and has four children. He supports his elderly mother and father financially, and his wife provides transportation to appointments and shopping for them. Larry has a high pressure position as a sales representative, which has been his career for 10 years. Larry has an associate’s degree in business, and has thought of returning to school for his bachelors, but his family obligations keep him from pursuing...
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...High blood pressure or also known as hypertension is one of the most common disease afflicting humans worldwide. Hypertension represents a major public health problem affecting more than one billion individuals worldwide (Faselis, Doumas, & Papademetriou, 2011).Hypertension is a significant public health problem in the United States and worldwide, primarily due to its place as a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease (Minor, Smith, Wofford, & IPA, 2012). High blood pressure is a major life-threatening disease of high morbidity and mortality, which affects between 10% to 40% of the general population in an age-dependent manner. High blood pressure is estimated to cause 7.5 million deaths worldwide, about 12.8% of the total of all deaths, and it accounts for 57 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYS), or 3.7% of the total DALYS (Papathanasiou et al., 2015). It is a chronic medical condition and a major risk factor to other diseases such as stroke, myocardial infarction, vascular disease and kidney disease. An elevated blood pressure is an important risk factor for premature disability and mortality and contributes to the burden of heart disease, stroke and kidney failure (Papathanasiou et al., 2015). It is a condition where the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated. It is a force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. The heart is composed of two independent pumping systems, one on the right...
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