Many people live with hypertension today and cannot control its signs and development because of different reasons. Hypertension is defined as a public health problem that many people around the whole world experience (Villarreal, Nielsen, & Samudio, 2018).
Uncontrolled hypertension causes serious damage to the body, and it is expected to gain control over it. Ephraim et al. (2014) say that African American patients face considerable self-identified barriers in carrying out hypertension and recommend achieving blood pressure control for African American patients to identify new non-pharmacological interventions with the engagement of a patient, family, and healthcare workers. In this paper, the purpose is to investigate African American patients aged between 18 and 35 years who may have hypertension and analyze if education on lifestyle modifications with medication therapies can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.
Definition
Uncontrolled hypertension can provoke heart-related diseases and complications in African American patients. It happens when the level of blood pressure increases considerably, and the blood moves in the arteries fast, causing the damage of artery walls. Hypertension is defined as a health condition that is characterized by systolic pressure of more than 140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure of more than 90 mm Hg (Ephraim et al., 2014). Healthcare workers, as well as people at home or pharmacies, can check the level of blood pressure with the help of a sphygmomanometer.
Epidemiology
Hypertension among African American patients is one of the major clinical problems. It is explained by a high prevalence of elevated blood pressure in the chosen population (Ortega, Sedki, & Nayer, 2015). When the occurrence of high blood pressure is related to such comorbidities as diabetes or kidney disease, the increase of morbidity and mortality in this group is also observed. Uncontrolled hypertension in the black population is associated with obesity and Sodium intake, especially in women (Ortega et al., 2015). The prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension in patients aged 25 and over was about 40% in 2008 and continues growing today (World Health Organization, 2014). Overall, both men and women are at risk of having high blood pressure that is hard to control.
Clinical Presentation
Uncontrolled hypertension is not the primary diagnosis that African American patients can have. Clinical presentation of this condition may include shortness of breath, regular or acute headache, or unexplainable nose bleeding (World Health Organization, 2015). Some patients may complain about chest pain, fatigue, or vision problems (World Health Organization, 2015). Finally, the use of illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco increases the possibility of having blood pressure problems (World Health Organization, 2015). Each patient has to be properly interviewed and examined by a healthcare expert.
Complications
The main threat of uncontrolled hypertension in African American patients is the possibility of complications. Hypertension is an asymptomatic disease, and if it remains untreated, fatal outcomes can be observed (Villarreal et al., 2018). For example, high blood pressure can influence the work of the heart and lead to heart attack or stroke (World Health Organization, 2015). To avoid complications, patients must be properly educated to be ready to manage the condition.
Diagnosis
As soon a patient visits a doctor, the measurement of blood pressure is required to make a final diagnosis. There is a special pressure meter, also known as a gauge, that is used by therapists. Normal pressure is around 120/80 mm Hg (World Health Organization, 2015). Hypertension is defined as uncontrolled when it is equal to or more than 140/90 mm Hg (World Health Organization, 2015). It is recommended to measure blood pressure regularly and report on any change.
Conclusion with PICOT Question
In general, uncontrolled hypertension is a serious health problem that has to be properly managed and controlled in African Americans. They need to control their blood pressure and reduce the risks of cardiovascular complications by using special medication and learning available lifestyle modifications. In addition, it is recommended to involve family members in the treatment process. In the future project, the following PICOT question can be developed: “For African American patients aged between 18 and 35 years who have uncontrolled hypertension and receive care from a community health center (P), does ongoing education on lifestyle modifications like healthy eating habits and 30-minute physical activity daily with patient and family engagement (I), compared to medication therapy alone without education and family engagement (C), contribute to better control of blood pressure and the reduction of the incidence of cardiovascular diseases and strokes (O) over a 1-year period (T)?”
References
Ephraim, P. L., Hill-Briggs, F., Roter, D. L., Bone, L. R., Wolff, J. L., Lewis-Boyer, L., … Boulware, L. E. (2014). Improving urban African Americans’ blood pressure control through multi-level interventions in the achieving blood pressure control together (ACT) study: A randomized clinical trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 38(2), 370–382. Web.
Ortega, L. M., Sedki, E., & Nayer, A. (2015). Hypertension in the African American population: A succinct look at its epidemiology, pathogenesis, and therapy. Nefrología, 35(2), 139–145. Web.
Villarreal, V., Nielsen, M., & Samudio, M. (2018). Sensing and storing the blood pressure measure by patients through a platform and mobile devices. Sensors, 18(6), 1805-1830. Web.
World Health Organization. (2014). Global health observatory (GHO) data: Raised blood pressure. Web.
World Health Organization. (2015). Q&As on hypertension. Web.