Hypertension : The Silent Killer

Essential hypertension can often be without symptoms and only discover that their blood pressure is high during a doctor’s appointment. Essential hypertension can begin at any age, however it most often occurs first during the middle-age years. Hypertension is usually asymptomatic until complications develop in affected organs. Common effects of hypertension range from dizziness, flushed facies, headache, fatigue, epistaxis, to nervousness. Severe hypertension, a hypertensive crisis, can cause severe cardiovascular, neurologic, and renal. Aneurysms, abnormal bulges that forms in the wall of an artery, develop. They develop and grow for long periods of time, sometimes years, without any visible signs or symptoms until they either rupture, grow

Modern medical advancements have significantly decreased the prevalence and severity of infectious disease as well as the treatment of acute, traumatic conditions. Pharmacological research has also gained insight into the management of chronic disease. Still, there is an epidemic of chronic, treatable diseases like stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease. Hypertension proves to be the underlying factor associated with these diseases. Hypertension is often referred to as the silent killer because of its indication in deadly disease, and the importance of monitoring ones blood pressure is vital. Lifestyle, diet, and genetic predisposition are all factors of high blood pressure. Chronic high blood pressure above safe levels, known as hypertension, puts elevated physical stress on the renal and cardiovascular systems. By controlling this factor in patients, healthcare providers can decrease cardiovascular events, improve health outcomes, and decrease overall mortality. Patient education is often overlooked in its role in the control and prevention of high blood pressure. This paper analyzes the causes and physiology behind high blood pressure as they relate to the current nursing interventions. The role of nurses is discussed in relation to patient education regarding high blood pressure, and educational approaches are analyzed.

Hypertension is sometimes referred to as the silent killer (Aycock, Kirkendoll, & Gordon, 2013). Today it is a public health problem. According to the American Heart Association 2013 Statistical Fact Sheet (2013), one out of every three adults has high blood pressure, which is estimated at 77.9 million people (AHA, 2013). High blood pressure is also referred to as hypertension. Hypertension is a prevalent medical condition that carries with it the risk factor for increased chances of heart disease and stroke (Gillespie & Hurvitz, 2013). Hypertension remains one of the top 10 causes of worldwide disability-adjusted life years (as cited in Drenjančević-Perić et al., 2011). For the estimated 348, 102 deaths in 2009, high blood pressure was listed as the primary or contributing cause of death (AHA, 2013). Despite the health risk associated with hypertension, the diagnoses of high blood pressure continue to rise. By 2030, hypertension is expected to increase by 7.2% from 2013 estimates (AHA, 2013).

High blood pressure increases your risk for heart disease and stroke, two leading causes of death for both Florida and the United States (Centers for disease control, 2017). High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is known as the “silent killer” because it often has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it. Hypertension damages blood vessels in the organs, reducing their ability to work properly (National institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases, 2016). About 1 of 3 U.S. adults—or about 75 million people—have high blood pressure. Only 54% of these people have their high blood pressure under control (Centers for disease control, 2017). Hypertension education, which focuses on controlling the disease with medication, diet, and losing weight, is important in preventing or delaying the progression of serious complications. Most people diagnosed with hypertensive disease will need to see a medical professional who will recommend lifestyle changes to help you control and prevent high blood pressure (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2006, p. 1742).

High blood pressure AKA Hypertension is inflicting damage to the guts, kidney, and brain, despite the fact that there are not any visible indicators noticed nor the patient feels no symptoms.

When a stroke occurs statistically speaking , 8 out of 10 people had high blood pressure when the suffered a stroke . Again with heart failure . Patients who have heart failure also had high blood pressure . The exact causes of high blood pressure are not known , but several factors and conditions may play a role in its development , including : smoking , being overweight or obese , lack of physical activity , too much salt in the diet , too much alcohol consumption (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day ) , stress , older age , genetics , family history of high blood pressure , chronic kidney disease , adrenal and thyroid disorders , sleep apnea . Although you cannot control all of your risk factors for high blood pressure , you can take steps to prevent or control high blood pressure and its complications . Even by changing your diet and reducing the foods that contain high sodium and salt and eating healtheir can reduce your blood pressure and risk for heart disease . Even by reducing stress from your daily life can help to lower blood pressure . Adequate exercise can help with lowering hypertension and lowering your risk for heart disease . However in today's nursing workforce it is important to inform our patients the steps they can take to live healtheir and to reduce their risk of heart disease and

Hypertension is a very common problem, affecting 1 billion people worldwide, with 50 million cases in the United States, and one third of cases going undiagnosed. 1% of the cases will experience a hypertensive emergency in their life. (1,2)

Some symptoms experienced by very few is a sudden increase in nose bleeds, dizziness and headaches. On average a person will not present any signs or symptoms from being hypertensive, it is for that reason that regular monitoring of BP is necessary. Syncope can be a result in too much blood flow to the legs and not enough traveling upwards to supply the brain, which causes a person to faint. Despite these subtle appearances, people will not seek medical attention because they do appear as significant problems. Early detection allows us to effectively control the disease. Hypertension often goes unnoticed until it reaches life threatening stages. The gradual debilitating effects of Hypertension is why it commonly referred to as “The Silent Killer” (Ilyas, 2015). Hypertension is a lifelong disease with no cure. Since Vicki has been diagnosed as being hypertensive, she should implement immediate life changing commitments. Following the physicians treatment guidelines will allow her to live a more normal

American Heart Association quotes that Hypertension is an important public-health challenge worldwide. Importance should be focused on its detection, treatment control and prevention. The infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis which once were the reasons for leading the causes of deaths have been replaced by non –infectious diseases which are mostly the NCD’s such as diabetes, heart diseases, and other vascular conditions. Hypertension is an important worldwide public-health challenge because of its high frequency and concomitant risks of cardiovascular and kidney disease [78][79]. Heart attacks and strokes are major–but preventable–killers worldwide. More than 80% of cardiovascular disease related deaths take place in low-and

Adam Rudd is a 78-years-old retired mechanic who lives alone in a small village located 30 miles outside of town. He was married for 54 years and has been a widower for 3 years. Rudd has two sons Mathew and Douglas, who live in different states and come to visit him once a year. Rudd has a friend, Jennifer, who lives close by and visits him twice a week. Rudd has been diagnosed with hypertension 15 years ago and has been taking Tenormin, Norvasc, and aspirin daily. Rudd takes care of himself alone and lately he has been feeling very weak and tired. He was not able to refill his medication for the past month because he was feeling very weak and could not drive to the pharmacy. He does not like to depend on other`s for getting help and

You may be wondering, why does high blood pressure matter? Why is it so important? If you did not know high blood pressure is a life threatening sickness that can lead to serious health problems. High blood pressure doesn’t have any clear symptoms, so you may not even know it’s damaging your arteries, heart, and other organs. Which is why it is also known as “the silent killer.” If high blood pressure isn’t controlled or left untreated it can cause damage to the heart and coronary arteries (heart attack, heart disease, congestive heart failure, aortic dissection and atherosclerosis), stroke, kidney damage, vision loss, erectile dysfunction, memory loss, fluid in the lungs, angina, and peripheral artery disease. Some risk factors are age, heredity, gender, overweight/ obesity, if you smoke, high cholesterol, diabetes, and physical inactivity. Blood pressure above 140/90 is defined as hypertension and blood pressure 180/120 is considered severe. It is treatable by a medical professional, and it requires a medical diagnosis. Approximately 72 million people have high blood pressure and 1 in every 3 adults have high high blood pressure. People of the ages 41 and up have the highest risk of having high blood pressure.

Patient education programme designed to improve self-care in hypertension management (nurse-led education session plus patient information booklet)

Hypertension is commonly known as high blood pressure. What does it mean to have high blood pressure? Blood pressure can be defined as the amount of blood the heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in the arteries. It is when the systolic reading is greater than 140 and the diastolic is greater than 90. Systolic is blood pressure when the heart contracts while diastolic is the time when the heart is relaxed. Primary care physicians are accustomed to seeing cases of hypertension. However this common diagnosis can lead to more serious illnesses such as chronic kidney disease, stroke, heart attack, aneurysm, peripheral artery disease, and even death (Tipton & Sullivan, 2014).

It is no longer advisable to put too much faith in the medical establishment to

Hypertension is defined a consistent elevation of the systolic blood pressure above 140mmHg, a diastolic pressure above 90mmHg or a report of taking antihypertensive medication. Early diagnosis and effective management of hypertension is essential because it is a major modifiable risk factor to cerebrovascular, cardiac, vascular, and renal diseases. The higher the blood pressure, the greater the risk for heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease.