Hypertension (HTN)

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Hypertension (HTN)

The hypertension in the life of Vicki is the state whereby the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently increased. The heart is perceived to pump the blood all the way through the arteries to the entire parts of the body, which is said to occur after every heart beat. When the blood force is acting against or pushing the of vessel walls, the result is what is referred as blood pressure. In this sickness, there is counter balance that is always done by the heart in order to ensure that the rate of blood movement is uniform. However, as the pressure increases, the heart is obliged to function faster and more violently in order to match the phase of blood pressure and that of the heart itself. Through this action, the heart experiences dangerous constraints that may affect the performance of different parts of the body. Illnesses such as the stroke, heart attack, aneurysm and heart failure are among the harmful effects of the high blood pressure in the human body.

Causes of Hypertension

For Vicki who is a 42-year-old African American, several factors have been associated with her origin of the high blood pressure illness. The most concurrent serious problem that has always been perceived to cause high blood pressure is stress. She seems to be traveling frequently such that her work is demanding much of her attention. In addition, other factors such as the use habitual drugs may have influence on imparting false feelings on the body senses and this might cause hypertension. This is because it has the effect of increasing the blood pressure that acts against the walls of the vessel thus posing a greater risk of vessel bursting. The situation of being overweight is another cause of high blood pressure in an individual. This is because the level of the fat in the body is high and thus compresses the vessels carrying the blood whilst also the blood inside the vessels exerts pressure on the walls of the veins. This “double constraint is dangerous for it may result to severe blood vein problem” (Matthews and Bellenir, 2004). Obesity is one of the stages in the human life that is associated commonly with high blood pressure because the blood vessels are suppressed by the fat in the body. Therefore, the external force that excites the blood pressure is what is responsible for the blood pressure or hypertension. Other common causes include lack of vitamin D, lack of magnesium and calcium, aging status of the body, diabetes and kidney disease. Other times, this sickness is passed from one generation to the other in connection to the family background.

Symptoms of Hypertension

In the present state of health report, it has been deduced that there is no certification that an individual will show the symptoms of hypertension. This is because, many people are living with hypertension without knowing it and without presenting any form of sign of the disease as the sickness is capable of lasting in the body for a long time before it is identified. Thus, it is advisable for Vicki to undergo regular checkups in order to eliminate the doubt or start proper medication on the same. The most tremendous symptom that is associated with stress is the severe headache, which is because of constraint effect in the blood. “Other symptoms that may signify the presence of hypertension include, chest pains, nausea, dizziness, lack of consistency in heartbeat and blood clots in the urine” (Cheriyan, McEniery and Wilkinson, 2010).

Diagnosing Hypertension

For Vicki to receive proper diagnosis of hypertension, the health experts should be involved in order to determine the pressure of her blood. However, if the pressure is found to be above 14/9, then the patient is suffering from hypertension. The doctor also may enquire if an individual smokes or is undergoing stressful conditions in her life and the response will be determinant of the hypertension diagnosing. In addition, blood test is important to determine the amount of sugar and other substances in the body that may facilitate to high blood pressure.

Treatment

The key objective of treating the hypertension illness in Vicki’s body is by ensuring that the level of blood pressure has been reduced. One of the treatments relate to the change of lifestyle of individuals in order to avoid things like stress and smoking, which are major causes of high blood pressure. In her situation, she should reduce the number of journeys in order to avoid the probable stress that may have caused the illness. The use of medication to lower the level of blood pressure is another form of treatment that incorporates the use of medicines such as the beta-blockers and ACE.

References

Cheriyan, J., McEniery, C., & Wilkinson, I. (2010). Hypertension. Oxford, UK: OxfordUniversity Press.

Matthews, D.D., & Bellenir, K. (2004). Hypertension sourcebook: Basic consumer health information about the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of high blood pressure, with facts about consequences. Detroit: Omnigraphics.

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