Case Study On Hypertension
Case Study On Hypertension
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirement in
NCM 101- Health Assessment RLE
Submitted to
Submitted by
BSN 1-F Group 5
April 29, 2021
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Objectives 4
A. Biographical Data 8
Review of Systems 18
References 30
Consent Form 32
Documentation 33
2
Introduction
Health assessment stands as an essential element in the grand scheme of a very dynamic
and cyclical nursing process. It is basically an evaluation of the health status of the client through
performing a physical examination after taking a health history (Health Science Journal, n.d).
Skills involved in health assessment serve as a decisive role in assessing and determining the
client’s health problems and caring needs, and consequently have a vital job in developing
clinical care programs and determining appropriate nursing treatments and interventions (NCBI,
2013). In addition, higher standards of health evaluation expertise enable nurses to help track
improvements in their client’s health, as well as make better decisions and nursing diagnoses.
The more detailed and accurate the assessment, the better the outcomes and in turn a higher level
of health is attained. Another aspect of health assessment being beneficial is that it assists nurses
in identifying and prioritizing patient health concerns and priorities. It allows nurses to engage
with clients about what matters to their well-being and eventually equip them in assisting clients
to understand their overall health condition and taking steps to change it.
Hypertension or commonly known as high blood pressure, is when blood pressure – the
force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels, is consistently too high. Blood pressure
is written as two numbers. Systolic, the first number represents the pressure in blood vessels
when the heart contracts or beats. Whereas diastolic, the second number represents the pressure
in the vessels when the heart rests between beats. Hypertension is a serious medical condition
and can increase the risk of heart, brain, kidney and other diseases (World Health Organization,
2019). In the Philippines, studies show that deaths and burden of disease associated with
hypertension has significantly increased over the last three decades. Hypertension death rate
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elevated from 11% in 1990 to 21 percent in 2017, while other related hypertension disabilities
and disorders rose from 4 to 11%. Hypertension is considered as a "silent killer" (Mayo Clinic,
2018). Based on the latest WHO data published in 2018, deaths in the Philippines caused by
hypertension reached 14,488 or 2.38% of total deaths. The estimated death rate every 100,000 of
the population is 23.44 ranking Philippines number 25 in the world. In addition, a study
conducted by the Philippine Heart Association for hospitalized patients in the Philippines,
considered hypertension as the leading cause of death with a percentage of 38.6 (Asian
trends (1993 to 2015), prevalence of hypertension among Filipino adults is projected to remain
stagnant. Assuming the prevalence rate continues to persist, the projected number of Filipino
adults with hypertension is expected to grow almost double in the year 2050.
I. Objectives
● Able to discuss the anatomy and physiology of specific organs of the body.
● Able to recognize the limitations and difficulties in performing activities of daily living
It all starts with the arteries, which are the blood vessels that are responsible for the
supply of oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the tissues of the body (National Cancer Institute,
n.d). Normally, healthy arterial blood vessels are flexible, strong, and elastic. Added to this, their
inner lining is smooth, which allows blood to flow freely, supplying all the vital organs and
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tissues with enough nutrients and oxygen (Mayo Clinic, n.d). However, due to the increase of
blood pressure level, or hypertension, the pressure of blood flowing through the arteries
gradually increases. Thus resulting in the damage in the cells of the inner lining, wherein fats
enter the bloodstream and damage the arteries, which will eventually become less elastic, and
limits the blood flow throughout the body. In addition, the constant pressure of blood moving
through a weakened artery can cause an enlargement and a bulge formation on a section on its
wall, making it harder for the blood to circulate. Hence, it allows the development of several
systemic problems in the human body, which involves the heart, kidneys, and brain. First, is the
human heart, which is the organ responsible for the circulation of blood in the body. Primarily, it
provides oxygen and nutrients to tissues while removing carbon dioxide and other wastes. Added
to this, the heart is one of the organs in the body that is greatly affected when hypertension or
high blood pressure afflicts an individual. In relation to this, Hypertension occurs, when one's
blood pressure rises to dangerously high levels. This damages the arteries by making them less
elastic, which results in the decrease of blood flow and oxygen to the heart, thus leads to heart
disease, and causes chest pain, also referred to as angina. The narrowing of the heart's arteries
causes an increase in resistance, and the narrower the arteries become, the greater the blood
pressure levels. In addition, High blood pressure could also cause Coronary artery disease,
wherein the arteries are narrowed and is damaged by the high level of blood flowing through the
blood vessels, resulting in difficulties in the supply of blood in the heart. When this occurs, chest
pain, erratic heart rhythm, and, in the worst-case scenario, a heart attack may occur. Furthermore,
High blood pressure also forces the heart to work harder in pumping blood to the rest of the
body, which may cause the left ventricle of the heart to thicken, and this increases an individual’s
risk of heart failure, and cardiac death. Second, is the human kidneys, which are the two bean-
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shaped organs found in the renal system. These are the ones in charge of excreting waste
products, drugs, and toxins from the body through urine. Added to this, kidneys aid in filtering
blood until it is returned to the heart. It also performs various critical functions, including blood
pressure regulation. Moreover, blood flows into the kidneys through the renal arteries, which are
branches of blood vessels that carry blood to the kidneys from the aorta (National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, n.d). The renal arteries supply oxygen and
nutrients to the kidneys. Hence, when clogged, kidneys will not be able to function normally,
which leads to the narrowing of renal arteries, also referred to as renal artery stenosis (RAS),
wherein it prevents normal amount of oxygen-rich blood from reaching the kidneys, thus will
injure the kidney tissues and increase blood pressure throughout the body (Mayo Clinic, n.d).
The increase in the blood pressure caused by RAS, is called Renovascular hypertension (RVH)
(National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, n.d). Furthermore, damaged
kidneys will lose their ability to function normally, resulting in the inability to control blood
pressure because they are unable to develop aldosterone, a hormone that helps the body maintain
blood pressure levels. Lastly, is the human brain, which is a three-pound organ, composed of
cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem, that is found in the Nervous System. It is responsible for
the interpretation of information, and control of the functions of the body. Added to this, it
receives information through the five senses, namely, the sense of sight, smell, touch, taste, and
hearing, wherein it properly organizes the message to be able to be stored in the memory of an
individual. Moreover, for the brain to function properly, nourishing blood supply that is rich in
oxygen and nutrients is needed. The Blood flow in the brain is referred to as cerebral circulation,
which is vital for a healthy brain function. Additionally, blood provides oxygen and glucose to
the brain, and although the brain is only a small part of the body’s weight, it still requires a lot of
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energy to function and survive (Kinman, T., 2016). According to Davis Lab at the University of
Arizona, the brain needs about 15 percent of the heart’s cardiac output to get the oxygen and
glucose it needs, thus a lot of blood is needed for it to remain functional and healthy. However,
when the circulation is impaired and damaged, a variety of complications to the brain could
happen. In relation to this, high blood pressure could cause disruption of the blood circulation,
wherein it could cause several brain damage and neurological problems. First is the Transient
blood supply to your brain, wherein the arteries are hardened, and blood clots occur. Second is
Stroke, wherein high blood pressure level damages the blood vessels causing it to narrow,
rupture, and leak. This as well deprives the brain of enough oxygen and nutrients, which causes
the brain cells to die. Third is Dementia, wherein arteries are blocked or narrowed which causes
a limited blood flow to the brain. Lastly, is mild cognitive impairment. It is a condition in which
a transition stage between the changes in understanding and memory that generally come with
aging and the more-serious problems caused by dementia (Mayo Clinic, n.d).
A. Biographical Data
● Name: M.P.V
● Address:
● Gender:
o Female
o Patient
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● Birth date:
● Age:
o 50 y/o
● Place of Birth:
o Bacolod City
● Nationality:
o Filipino
● Marital Status:
o Married
● Religion:
o Roman Catholic
● Educational Level:
● Occupation:
● Problems at birth
● Childhood illnesses
o Rheumatoid Arthritis: The pain started during preschool until grade school. The
pain was moderate and bearable and was usually felt during walking. It radiates
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from the knee down to the calves. The condition has affected the ability of the
o Chronic Epistaxis: The condition began during the patient’s first year in high
such conditions. And pain was not experienced alongside with the stated
condition.
o Tonsillitis: Condition first occurred when the client was in 3rd year in high school
and it lasted until she was already 2nd year in college. Initially, the client was not
able to feel the pain, but as soon as it did pain was felt every other week along
with fever and sore throat. After 2 to 3 years the condition worsened accompanied
by the presence of pus. The pain was characterized to be moderate but the client
could not attend her music class each time pain was felt. Around the time the
● Immunizations to date
o HepB: Year 2003, the patient received her first immunization. While in 2005 was
o Ureter stone (right side): The condition was diagnosed in 1997 while the patient
was unconscious about the pain brought about by the condition. It was discovered
as the client sought treatment due to a tea-like appearance of her urine and was
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eventually diagnosed and got treated. From the time the pain was already felt--
usually due to minimal water intake--, it spreads from the anterior right lumbar
region to posterior right lumbar region. The pain was characterized to be ranging
from moderate to severe by the patient to the point that it makes the client feel
like vomiting.
o Kidney stone (left side): The condition was accompanied with pain and was
initially felt in 2003. The patient was diagnosed with the condition between 2004-
2005, diagnosis was initiated due to the severe pain felt by the patient. The patient
has experienced recurring pain in the lumbar area especially when water intake
was minimal. Lesser pain was felt when the patient was in a relaxed sitting
position or when she rested the area. The pain felt varies from mild, moderate to
severe and was characterized like a numbing pain and gradually turns into a sharp
pain over time. When the pain experienced is severe, it limits the ability of the
patient to carry out activities of daily living. In 2017, Lithotripsy was performed
for the patient due to a 3cm stone left inside, as the other was dissolved by
o Hypertension: The condition was experienced by the patient during her late 40’s
and was diagnosed last 2017. Age, lifestyle and family history were some of the
pressure the patient has been experiencing headache and this usually happens
whenever the patient misses to take her maintenance. Her blood pressure mostly
is no lower than 130/80 and reaches up to 180/110. The pain affects the ability of
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the patient to carry out daily activities. Medications being taken are a combination
● Surgeries
o 1997: Client underwent hemorrhoidectomy due to swollen veins in the lower part
o 1995, 2001, 2013: Gave birth to all three living children through cesarean section.
o 2017: Underwent lithotripsy due to the presence of stones in the kidney and the
ureter.
● Pregnancies
o October 15, 1995: Gave birth to a healthy female with no complications during
birth.
o February 21, 2001: Gave birth to a healthy female with no complications during
birth.
o March 3, 2013: Gave birth to a healthy male with no complications during birth.
● Accidents
o Post birth cramps after cesarean sections (pain felt after giving birth to all
children)
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● Allergies
Strength Weakness
Physical ● Very energetic ● Occasional body pain
Emotional ● Emotionally strong and /
mechanism
Social ● Can adjust with the ● Gets nervous during
well
people
Spiritual ● Strong faith to God /
▪ Hypertension – discovered when she was 30 years old; after giving birth
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o Father (December 29, 1939 – February 8, 2021)
● Recurring
▪ Hypertension
▪ Acid Reflux
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▪ Heart Ailment (5 years) – cause of death
▪ Diabetes
● Description of a typical day (AM to PM): upon waking in the morning and until bedtime
o Client usually starts her day at 5 am to get ready for work. She drinks coffee daily
after she eats her breakfast. At work, she would usually prepare her work for the
day and clean and decorate her office. She eats her lunch with her colleagues at
around 12 P.M. After work, the client usually heads home or stops by the market
to buy dinner. She eats upon getting home at around 3-4 PM. After eating, the
client rests or naps for a while before washing up. She eats dinner at around 7-8
PM and starts to work on her laptop or help her youngest child with his
movies while lying down on the bed. The client normally sleeps at around 12-1
AM.
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● Nutrition and weight management: 24-hour dietary intake (foods and fluids), who
o The client eats 3 meals a day. The meals would mostly contain meat and the
served breakfast is usually processed food and eggs. Lunch and dinner, however,
are home cooked meals prepared by the household help. The client or the
household help are the ones who purchase the ingredients for the meals. They try
o The client does not engage in any activities but is planning to start once she gets a
break from work. She also plans to incorporate it in her daily activities. The most
that she currently does is going up and down her work place’s stairs.
● Sleep and rest habits and patterns: how many hours a night the person sleeps,
interruptions, whether the client feels rested, problems sleeping (e.g., insomnia), rituals
the client uses to promote sleep, and concerns the client may have regarding sleep habits
o The client sleeps well, having no trouble sleeping. However, she only sleeps for
about 4-5 hours at night. The only concern she has with sleeping is forcing herself
● Use of medications and other substances (caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, recreational drugs)
o Aside from the medications prescribed by the doctor, the client drinks coffee. She
● Self-concept and self-care responsibilities: health care checkups (i.e., dental, visual,
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o The client goes to a cardiologist for a check-up once a year, and to a nephrologist
once in a while for her kidney stone. She puts sunscreen on before leaving the
● Social activities for fun and relaxation: social activities contributing to society
o The client likes travelling and going on a road trip. She also goes out with her
friends to support local businesses. The client watches a lot of movies during her
free time.
● Relationships with family, significant others, and pets: composition of the family into,
which they were born and about past and current relationships with family members
o The client has a healthy relationship with her family and friends. She has a dog
that loves getting her attention. She was also brought up well by her parents
despite being occasionally separated from them when she was little.
o The client highly values respect and humility. She is anchored in faith, grace, and
● Past, current, and future plans for education: type of work, level of job satisfaction, work
stressors, finances
she studied nursing and worked as a volunteer nurse in the dialysis department at
Doctors Hospital Bacolod. She also worked as a freelance massage trainer under
TESDA. Due to financial situations, she had to switch into a lot of different
careers. Currently, the client works as a senior high school teacher and is fine with
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her current job. She only stresses about having a lot of paperwork and reports but
o The client only stresses about finances occasionally. However, she gets through it
very peaceful and friendly. There are, however, some neighbors who smoke and
burn piles of dried leaves. The location of her house is near a creek so there are
times when the rain is heavy, the creek overflows and floods the area.
● General Appearance
with head well-proportioned to the body, hair is short with dye and facial features
bilaterally equal.
Skin:
⮚ Assessment Findings: skin is brown to fair skin; no odors emanating from the
skin; due to sun exposure upper limbs appear darker than the rest of the body;
discolorations was not detected; skin is intact with no redness present; skin is
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warm, smooth and moisturized; elastic and mobile; no presence of lesions;
Hair:
⮚ Assessment Findings: dyed mahogany red hair, above shoulder, and thin and
dry; evenly distributed hair on scalp and perineum; thin and shiny; moderate
oiliness; evenly distributed to the rest of the body; no signs of infection and
infestation on the scalp; dandruff is found on some parts of the scalp; hair in the
Nails:
⮚ Assessment Findings: clean and well-groomed nails; nails form about 160
degree angle from base; no detachment of nail plate; nail bed is pinkish; hard,
Head
⮚ Client’s History: Hair was dyed a few months ago with occasional appearance
of dandruff and experiences dizziness or headaches once in a while.
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Neck
thyroid is non-palpable
● Ears
⮚ Client’s History: Family history present with the client’s father experienced
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⮚ Assessment Findings: ears equal in size bilaterally; color, position and size of
the auricles are normal and symmetrical; mobile and firm; pinna recoils after it
was folded; small amount of cerumen present in the ear canal; ears are smooth
with no signs of lumps and lesions; texture, and elasticity of the auricles are
● Eyes
and eyelids’ position is normal; conjunctive and sclera looks moist and smooth;
opacities; both irises are round, flat and evenly colored; pupils are equal in size;
Mouth
⮚ Assessment Findings: lips are pinkish to brown, fairly hydrated, and no visible
lesions; teeth are properly aligned; one central incisor is discolored due to root
canal; mucosa and gums are pinkish, well hydrated, and no visible lesion
found;
Throat
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⮚ Assessment Findings: hard and soft palates are in normal shape and color.
Mucosa is pink with a ridged hard palate and good condition uvula. No
⮚ Client’s History: No listed history associated with the nose and sinuses.
flaring and discharge; mucosa is pink; nasal septum is intact and in position; no
are non-tender upon palpation and percussion; can breathe through both nares;
satisfactorily
⮚ Client’s History: Client’s father had tuberculosis; Client used to smoke and
⮚ Assessment Findings:
in a sitting position the client is relaxed, unlabored breathing; face, lips, chest are
than the transverse diameter; respiration is normal within 15 breaths per minute,
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movement of the chest wall is symmetrical; normal vocal fremitus; thorax is normal
upon percussion; excursion is equal bilaterally and measures at 3.8 cm; breath
sounds are all normal; voice transmission is normal with indistinct and soft
generated sounds
Anterior Thorax: breathing pattern is symmetrical and passive; breathing did not
require much effort from the muscles; tactile fremitus is normal; no lumps, no
⮚ Client’s History: No family history of breast cancer; Breast fed her first 2
children
Breast
⮚ Assessment Findings: breast are not symmetrical-- left breast is bigger than
the other; breast are large in size and asymmetrical with looser breast tissue; no
on the skin; no redness, itchiness nor discharges found; no hard lump felt; no
rashes and infection in the axilla; ; thickened muscle at the lower inner
Note: Wedged pattern technique was used and palpation was performed by the
Client.
Regional Lymphatics
⮚ Assessment Findings: lateral, posterior, and pectoral nodes are not felt ( due to
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● Heart and neck vessels
Heart
heard loudest at the base; 67 beats per minute; average interval between S1 and
S2 is 0.40 seconds
Neck Vessels
⮚ Assessment Findings: pulsations were detected but veins are not visible; no
bruits heard in the carotid arteries: both pulses in the carotid arteries are equally
strong
● Peripheral vascular
⮚ Assessment Findings: skin color of the lower extremities are the same; the
skin is dry and pain is not felt; minimal and evenly distributed hair; nails are
integrity upon inspection and palpation; skin color remains the same despite the
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Palpation of Peripheral Arteries
● Abdomen
⮚ Client’s History: Experienced pain in the lumbar area due to kidney and ureter
and aortic pulsations are not visible; no visible vascular pattern; bowel and
vascular sounds are audible upon eating last meal 1 hour before the assessment;
is relaxed and has consistent tension; scarring in the abdomen is present due to
cesarean sections
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● Female genitalia
⮚ Client’s History: Age of onset menstruation-- 12; last menstrual period-- April
5, 2021; regularity of the cycle-- 3 days and every 28th or 30th day cycle; at least
3-4 pads are used per day; menstruation is painful on the 1st and 2nd day; no
perineum
● Musculoskeletal
deformities and bony enlargements; body alignment is normal; hips are aligned
with the shoulders; normal gait; muscles on both side are equal but have slight
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heat or tenderness felt; no heat, tenderness in bones and joints upon palpation;
Assessment of Joint ROM: most joint move smoothly; knee joint is slightly weak
● Neurological
⮚ Assessment Findings:
Assessment the LOC: client is responsive to the questions asked; normal level of
consciousness
Assessment of Extremities for Sensation: client is reactive to pain and light touch
Assessment of the Deep Tendon Reflex: was not assessed due to unavailability of
equipment
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Assessment of the Superficial Reflexes: umbilicus move towards the areas
touched; toe curls in response to the light scratch on her plantar; equal elevation of
the uvula
OD: 20/63
OD: 20/50
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OU: 20/63
Note: The visual acuity test was done without the use of reading glasses
Oculomotor Movements of extraocular muscles are smooth and symmetrical; both
Abducens
Trigeminal Temporal and masseter muscles are normal; client feels a sharp sensation
in her forehead, cheeks, and chin when sharp in contact with the sharp
end of the paper clip and feels dull when touched by the paper clip’s dull
end
Facial Facial movements are symmetrical
Vestibulocochlear /
Glossopharyngeal Normal motor function; client is able to swallow normally
Vagus
Spinal Accessory Normal trapezius and sternocleidomastoid function
Hypoglossal Tongue is strong and mobile
References
American Heart Association (2016). How High Blood Pressure Can Lead to Kidney Damage or
pressure/health-threats-from-high-blood-pressure/how-high-blood-pressure-can-lead-
to-kidney-damage-or-failure
https://davislab.med.arizona.edu/content/blood-supply-brain
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Kinman, T. (2016). Cerebral Circulation. Rterieved from
https://www.healthline.com/health/cerebral-circulation
Mayo Clinic (n.d). High blood pressure dangers: Hypertension’s effects on your body. Retrieved
from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-
depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045868#:~:text=High%20blood%20pressure%20can
%20also,of%20dementia%20(vascular%20dementia).
conditions/renal-artery-stenosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352777
National Cancer Institute (n.d). Classification & Structure of Blood Vessels. Retrieved from
https://training.seer.cancer.gov/anatomy/cardiovascular/blood/classification.html
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (n.d). Your Kidneys &b How
disease/kidneys-how-they-work#:~:text=Each%20of%20your%20kidneys%20is,your
%20blood%20and%20removes%20wastes.
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (n.d). Renal Artery Stenosis.
artery-stenosis
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Consent Form
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Documentation
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Palpating supraclavicular nodes
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Auscultating breath sounds
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