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Hypertension: A Case Study

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Hypertension in African Americans is a major clinical and public health problem because of the high prevalence and premature onset of elevated blood pressure (BP) as well as the high burden of co-morbid factors that lead to pharmacological treatment resistance (obesity, diabetes mellitus, depressed glomerular filtration rate, and albuminuria). BP control rates are lower in African Americans, especially men, than in other major race/ethnicity-sex groups; overall control rates are 29.9% for non-Hispanic Black men (Flack, Nasser, & Levy, 2011). Optimal antihypertensive treatment requires a comprehensive approach that encompasses multifactorial lifestyle modifications (weight loss, salt and alcohol restriction, and increased physical activity) …show more content…

Educate regarding lifestyle modification such as the necessity to lose weight (Loss of as little as 10 pounds may significantly reduce blood pressure), increasing aerobic physical activity to 30 to 45 min most days of the week, reducing sodium intake to no more than 6 grams per day and to adopt the dietary approaches to lower hypertension (DASH) diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products as well as low in dietary cholesterol, saturated fat, and total fat (Woo & Wynne, 2011). Follow up will be done in two to four weeks and the medications will be titrated as needed in four to six weeks as the body needs time to demonstrate the full response to the medication (Woo & Wynne, 2011).

Flack, J. M., Nasser, S. A., & Levy, P. D. (2011). Therapy of hypertension in African Americans. American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs, 11(2), 83-92. doi:10.2165/11586930-000000000-00000
Medscape. (2016). Amlodipine (Rx). Retrieved from http://reference.medscape.com/drug/norvasc-amlodipine-342372#91
Medscape. (2016). Triamterene/hydrochlorothiazide (Rx). Retrieved from http://reference.medscape.com/drug/norvasc-amlodipine-342372#91
Woo, T. & Wynn, A. (2012). Pharmacotherapeutics for nurse practitioner providers (3rd Ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis

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