Introduction
Hypertension is a condition that affects a large portion of the population and presents significant danger in the daily lives of people. The term can be used to describe a long-term state in which a person’s blood pressure is elevated above the general norm, resulting in increased danger for a person’s health and wellbeing. Increased blood pressure puts a strain on an individual’s body and their blood circulation as a whole. In particular, the danger of having a stroke, suffering from coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and other types of heart-related disease. It is important to recognize some of the major contributing factors to hypertension, as well as the proper ways of addressing it from a nursing perspective. In this paper, some of these considerations will be covered in detail.
Risk Factors
There is a variety of risks for people to develop hypertension, including modifiable and non-modifiable factors. Most notably, a person’s lifestyle can either decrease or increase their probability of suffering from the condition. The first such relevant factor is obesity, which can lead to excessive amounts of fat in a person’s body and cardiovascular system (Seravalle & Grassi, 2017). Furthermore, the increased body mass puts increased strain on a person’s blood pressure, as it has to deliver blood with more effort. Heavy drinking is also a large contributor to hypertension, leading to the deterioration of the person’s blood circulation (Jarvis et al., 2019). Another factor, which is not modifiable, on the other hand, is a person’s age (Buford, 2016). When an individual gets older, they are more likely to suffer from hypertension and face more severe health risks because of it as well.
Nursing Care
Nursing care and support play a significant role in managing the health of people with hypertension, but their practice makes the largest impact in prevention efforts. Through active practice, nurses are able to help individuals to lead more healthy and prosperous lives, avoiding major factors causing hypertension. With effective advocacy for a healthy lifestyle and life advice, nurses are able to help people manage their health conditions themselves, which falls in line with advocating for personal responsibility and self-management (Drevenhorn, 2018). A nurse acts as an intermediary between a patient and the working physician, using their medical knowledge and caring approach to make understanding easier. Furthermore, nurses perform evaluations and can assess a person’s progress continuously, improving the effectiveness of self-care procedures.
Prevention
Prevention of hypertension can be accomplished on both an individual basis, and a systematic basis. As an individual, a person can make changes to their daily routine, habits, and lifestyle, which will contribute to overall healthy living. Adhering to a balanced diet, often engaging in physical activity, and having enough rest are all actions a person can take to minimize their risk of suffering from hypertension. On a systematic level, similarly, there is a number of actions that can be taken both by the government and medical institutions. Patient education stands at the helm of such efforts, as an informed population can find the ability to effectively respond to the dangers of hypertension (Carey et al., 2018). Another important part is improved access to healthcare and health checkups. This effort gives people the ability to be informed about the state of their health.
Conclusion
In conclusion, hypertension is an important consideration and issue in the sphere of healthcare. Best described as a continuous state of elevated blood pressure, this condition puts individuals at risk of severe health complications. Interference from a medical professional, a nurse in particular, can be extremely effective in preventing hypertension and spreading awareness among the population. Being informed about the ways of minimizing the risk is the best way to protect oneself from harm.
References
Buford, T. W. (2016). Hypertension and aging. Ageing Research Reviews, 26, 96–111. Web.
Carey, R. M., Muntner, P., Bosworth, H. B., & Whelton, P. K. (2018). Prevention and Control of Hypertension. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 72(11), 1278–1293. Web.
Drevenhorn, E. (2018). A Proposed Middle-Range Theory of Nursing in Hypertension Care. International Journal of Hypertension, 2018, 1–11. Web.
Jarvis, C., Tarlier, D., Pelt, V. L., Labrecque, M. E., & Newton, L. (2019). Jarvis Physical Examination & Health Assessment. Elsevier.
Seravalle, G., & Grassi, G. (2017). Obesity and hypertension. Pharmacological Research, 122, 1–7. Web.