Hypertension is a condition in which the pressure of blood through the arteries rises beyond what it should conventionally be. Over time, the high blood pressure negatively affects the arteries within which the blood flows resulting in damage. The cumulative damage caused to the arteries can often result in very serious health issues that can be fatal. In the United States, hypertension is one of the most common diagnoses and it occurs in two stages namely, stage 1 hypertension (where either the systolic blood pressure (SBP) is 130—139 mmHg or the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) is 80—89 mmHg); and elevated hypertension (where the SBP is 120—129 mmHg or the DBP is less than 80 mmHg) (Beevers, Lip and O’Brien 913). Hypertension is a risk factor for other diseases like myocardial infarction, chronic kidney disease and stroke. The disease entails the interaction of several organ systems as well as the many mechanisms of interdependent and independent pathways.
Hypertension is associated with various comorbidities and the management often requires treatment for these comorbidities as well. The risk for these comorbidities is heightened when hypertension is diagnosed in young adults. According to Winters the treatment of hypertension involves the combination of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical procedures (Par. 4). Specifically, mild to moderate hypertension is usually controlled by using a single-drug regimen consisting of diuretics. On the other hand, more severe hypertension is managed using a combination of methods that include stress relief, aerobic exercises, smoking cessation, weight reduction, diet management to incorporate foods that foster healing, and reduced alcohol consumption. Customer is also included as part of the effective treatment process. Customer education on stress management and self-care for hypertension is necessary. Patients have to be informed of the food choices to make, the need for exercise, and other probable risks to escalation.
Works Cited
Beevers, Gareth, Gregory Y.H. Lip, and Eoin O’Brien. The Pathophysiology of Hypertension. BMJ 322, 7291 (2001), pp. 912-916. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1120075/. Accessed 14 Feb 2020.
Winters, William L. Hypertension Pathology. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2020. www.britannica.com/science/hypertension. Accessed 14 Feb 2020.