Hypertension: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment - Coursework Example

Hypertension: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment. Inserts His/Her Inserts Grade Inserts 8 December 2010. Contents S.No Title Page No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Introduction Meaning and symptoms of hypertension Diagnosis and Evaluation of hypertension Causes or factors leading to Hypertension Effects of Hypertension Treatment and Medications for Hypertension Conclusion Works Cited 2 2 3 3 4 5 7 9 Hypertension 1. Introduction There have been a number of remarkable studies and researches on hypertension and its associated health related issues. Insights into the various adverse effects of hypertension and its possible treatment modes have contributed heavily to the health care industry. The WHO has identified that almost 20 percent of the adult population in many countries are affected with hypertension and that people with hypertension are more vulnerable to kidney failure and cardiovascular diseases (Pitts & Phillips 188). As hypertension can lead to mortality, renal and cardiovascular diseases it is essential to diagnose hypertension at the earliest and to offer timely treatment to patients who are affected with hypertension. One needs to have thorough understanding of the meaning of hypertension, the damage it causes to the health of individuals and the possible preventive measures to tackle the issue. This paper seeks to review the various aspects of hypertension that takes into account the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, medications, and prevention of the disease. 2. Meaning and symptoms of hypertension Hypertension is generally regarded as high blood pressure that leads to chronic disorders. Pitts & Phillips, in this respect, observe that hypertension is a chronic disorder caused by high blood pressure level that stem from “a specific physical cause such as renal failure, adrenal tumour or aortic disease” and such disorder is termed as secondary hypertension (Pitts & Phillips 188). On the other hand, in primary hypertension one cannot associate the chronic elevation of BPL with any identifiable physical cause. The usual symptoms shown by hypertension patients can vary from headache, dizziness, fatigue to breathlessness. The other symptoms of hypertension consist of vomiting, nausea, anxiety, increased sweating, blurred vision and chest pain. 3. Diagnosis and Evaluation of hypertension Hypertension can be diagnosed through measuring BPL within the arterial blood system. A complete medical history of the patient is essential for evaluating the degree of hypertension. It helps the physician to get a clear cut idea regarding the severity and duration of blood pressure, the chance of any present or previous major illness; so that the physician will be able to decide on the treatment schedule. Another important step is the physical examination of the patient. The height and weight of the patient is measured and the blood pressures of both arms are also measured and the one with a higher reading is recorded. Once the blood pressure is recorded, it is suggested to observe the pressure at specified intervals. There are a number of suggested laboratory tests for the regular evaluation. Initial diagnostic testing is the third step that may leads to an identification of the secondary cause of hypertension Considering the diagnosis of hypertension, Aiyagari and Gorelick suggest that three major factors are to be determined: Whether the patient is having a secondary form of hypertension, is there any cardio vascular or predisposition risk, or is there any target organ damage? (Aiyagari & Gorelick 5). Curative therapy is recommended in the case of secondary form of hyper tension and if there is the presence of cardio vascular risk factors, the medicines used must not worsen the risk. Identifying target organ damage directs the physician to take preventive measures or treatments to avoid effect of further damages while treating hypertension. Treatment regimen to control high blood pressure is determined by considering these three crucial factors. 4. Causes or factors leading to Hypertension There are a number of factors that lead to hypertension and they can be broadly categorized into genetic factors, dietary factors, situational factors, psychological risk factors, environmental factors, behavioral factors and social factors. Children of hypertensive parents are most likely to inherit hereditary hypertension. For Pitts & Phillips, factors associated with hypertension include heredity, obesity, excessive alcohol and sodium intake, reactivity to environmental stressors, and socioeconomic status” (202). Dietary factors such as the intake of salt and alcohol, behavioral factors such as regular exercise, psychological factors such as stress management and relaxation techniques, personality styles or traits and social factors such as the socioeconomic status of the person can have either a positive or negative impact on people with hypertension. Studies have also shown that patients with reflux nephropathy are more vulnerable towards developing the risk factors associated with hypertension. For Nissenson et al, “there are several risk factors for the development of hypertension in patients with reflux nephropathy, including age, gender, degree of reflux and renal scarring, and pregnancy” (343). Women with reflux nephropathy are most likely to experience maternal complications during pregnancy due to the danger of hypertension and subsequent reduction in renal function. Maternal hypertension can even lead to the risk of fetal death. The authors also observe that it is the adolescents and the children who face the risk of hypertension the most whereas among adults hypertension is often associated with proteinuria and renal dysfunction. Similarly, hypertension is more common among men than in women. Researches and clinical history have also highlighted that “patients with severe bilateral VUR or bilateral renal scarring are more likely to develop hypertension compared to those with unilateral VUR or renal scarring” (Nissenson et al 343). 5. Effects of Hypertension The physiological impacts of hypertension are many and varied. High levels of hypertension can lead to complex physiological changes in the patient that cause great impairment to one’s renal and cardiovascular systems. Hypertension becomes the causative factor for various diseases which damage vital organs of human body. Mayo Clinic Staff enumerates on the various physiological effects of hypertension. For the author, hypertension causes damages to one’s arteries, heart, brain, and kidneys. Damage to kidney occurs in the form of kidney failure, kidney scarring and kidney artery aneurysm; damage to brain manifests in the form of Transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, dementia and mild cognitive impairment; damage to heart results in Coronary artery disease, enlarged left heart, and heart failure; and, damage to the arteries culminate in Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis, and aneurysm (Staff). 6. Treatment and Medications for Hypertension It has been generally accepted that treatment of hypertension necessitates a modification of lifestyle factors among the patients which include engaging in regular aerobic exercise, reducing one’s weight, salt intake and alcohol consumption. In this respect, Whelton, He & Louis, in their seminal book Lifestyle Modification for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension, postulate that lifestyle modifications should include such five considerations as “alcohol intake, tobacco intake, diet related to sodium and potassium, relaxation, and physical activity” (Whelton, He & Louis 177). However, treatment models such as behavioral treatments, drug therapy, the use of medications, non-pharmacological treatments such as self-management systems, biofeedback and relaxation techniques have also been proved to be beneficial to patients suffering from hypertension. Pitts & Phillips stress on both antihypertensive drugs and behavioral management in hypertension treatment and the researchers purport that “inventions based on life style factors can reduce blood pressure-reducing salt and alcohol intake, taking more exercise and dieting if overweight, or using relaxation techniques to manage stress” (Pitts & Phillips 202). There have been a number of behavioral treatments for primary hypertension. Drug therapy has been proved to be one of the most effective treatment modes for patients with hypertension. However, antihypertensive drugs are not always successful and in some patients drug therapy can have its side effects too. This has prompted many to resort to non-pharmacological treatments using such behavioral treatments as self-management and this has been proved to be extremely useful for patients with mild hypertension. The self-management of hypertension calls for the need to indulge in various stress reducing techniques that facilitate relaxation and these include meditation, yoga and biofeedback. Biofeedback training is yet another useful self-management technique that can be successfully incorporated into the treatment of patients with hypertension. Biofeedback training mainly aims at alleviating the direct symptoms of hypertension and as such the direct symptom control approach is recommended for this mode of treatment. Thus, the relaxation training, stress management programs, and biofeedback training have been proved to be of clinical value in the case of patients with hypertension as these help the patients considerably to reduce high levels of blood pressure. It is quite unfortunate that very often hypertension go under diagnosed and under treated as early diagnosis and proper treatment can reduce such fatalities resulting from coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and renal disease. Kaplan & Weber have offered a comprehensive treatment model for patients affected with hypertension. For them, the treatment of the patient with high blood pressure should centre on ‘confirming the diagnosis of hypertension’, ‘evaluating the patient clinically for other cardiovascular risk factors’, ‘initiating therapy based on assessing the severity of the hypertension and concomitant risks’ and finally ‘optimizing treatment compliance and controlling other cardiovascular risk factors’ (Kaplan & Weber 2). Therefore, it is imperative that the patients with hypertension are diagnosed at the earliest and timely treatment in accordance with the severity of hypertension is provided to them to avoid further cardiovascular risk factors. It is also worthwhile to analyze the various medications and follow up activities to be employed in the care of people who suffer from hypertension. High Blood Pressure medications include water pills (diuretics) to control mildly high blood pressure, beta-blockers, Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs), Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs), and Blockers of Central Sympathetic (autonomic nervous) System whereas other alternative therapies include acupuncture and biofeedback (High Blood Pressure). Similarly follow-up care is an important prerequisite for effective hypertension treatments. These follow up measures should include regular blood pressure check ups, constant monitoring and timely changes to the treatment mode, and engaging in regular physical activities and screening blood tests. Similarly, patients with hypertension should take extra care to design a healthy lifestyle that include taking nutritious diet, regular exercise, avoiding salt intake, reducing overweight and obesity, reducing alcohol and stopping smoking, and practicing stress management and relaxation techniques. 7. Conclusions To conclude, it can be stated that hypertension is a chronic disorder that has the potential to cause further cardiovascular and renal diseases to the patient. It is therefore imperative that symptoms of hypertension are identified and diagnosed at the earliest. One should also bear in mind that timely treatment of hypertension can save the patient from such associated issues like heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and a variety of other illnesses. Similarly, a patient identified with hypertension needs to get lifelong treatment. It is also essential that follow up care is given to the patient after the treatment or therapy; the affected person needs to make considerable lifestyle changes as well as changes in diet so as to cope up with hypertension. Unless and until proper care and treatment are offered to people with hypertension, the disease is likely to result in kidney failure and other cardiovascular diseases and culminate in the death of the person. Works Cited Aiyagari, V & Gorelick, P.B. Clinical Hypertension and Vascular Diseases. springer, 2011. Print. High Blood Pressure. eMedicineHealth: WebMD, Inc. 2010. Web. 7 December 2010. < http://www.emedicinehealth.com/high_blood_pressure/page9_em.htm> Kaplan, Norman M & Weber, Michael A. Hypertension Essentials 2010. 2nd Revised ed: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2009. Print. Nissenson et al. CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment Nephrology & Hypertension. Illustrated Edition: McGraw Hill Professional, 2008. Print. Pitts, Marian & Phillips, Keith. The psychology of health: an introduction. Illustrated 2nd ed: Routledge, 1998. Print. Staff, M.C. High blood pressure dangers: Hypertensions effects on your body. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER), 2010. Web. 8 December 2010. < http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-pressure/HI00062>. Whelton, P,K., He, Jiang & Louis, G.T. Lifestyle Modification for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension. Illustrated ed: CRC Press, 2003. Print. Read More