KWARA STATE UNIVERSITY

OGUN STATE COLLEGE OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ILESE, IJEBU

(CEERMS)
DEPERTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCE

Assignment On:

HYPERTENSION

COURSE TITLE:
CONTROL OF COMMUNICABLE AND NON-
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Course Code:
PHS 316

SUBMITED BY:
DIYA, DEBORAH ADEBOWALE
MATRIC NO: 19D/57CPS/00039

MRS. OLUKOYA
LECTURER

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 HYPERTENSION
This is also known as High Blood Pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which
the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. Blood pressure is written as two
numbers. The first (systolic) number represents the pressure in blood vessels when the heart
contracts or beats. The second (diastolic) number represent the pressure in the vessels when the
heart beat rests between beats.

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PATTERN

An estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 years worldwide have hypertension, most (two-
third) living in low and mild income countries. As estimated 46% of adults with hypertension
are unaware that they have the condition. Less than half of adult (42%) with hypertension are
diagnosed and treated. Approximately 1 in 5 adult (25%) with hypertension have it under
control. One of the global target if non-communicable disease is to reduce the prevalence of
hypertension by 33% between 2010 and 2030.

RISK FACTORS

1. High salt intake.

2. Obesity
3. Mental stress
4. Alcoholism
5. Saturated
6. Socio-economic status
7. Hormonal contraceptive
8. Family history
9. Age
10. Co-existing disease such as diabetes and kidney diseases.

CAUSES OF HYPERTENSION

The exact causes of hypertension are not known, but several things may play a role, including:

a) Smoking
b) Being overweight or obese
c) Lack of physical activity
d) Too much salt in the diet
e) Too much alcohol consumption
f) Stress
g) Genetics
h) Family history
i) Older age
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j) Chronic kidney disease
k) Sleep apnea
l) Adrenal and thyroid disorder

SIGN AND SYMPTOMS

Hypertension is called a “silent killer”. Most people with hypertension are unaware of the
problem because it may have no warning signs or symptoms. For this reason, it is essential that
blood pressure is measured regularly.

When symptoms do occur, they include early morning headaches, nosebleeds, irregular heart
rhythms, vision changes, buzzing in the ears. Severe hypertension can cause nausea, vomiting,
anxiety, chest pain, muscle tremors, confusion, and fatigue.

METHOD OF PREVENTION

a) Maintain a healthy weight.

b) Eat a balanced diet.
c) Exercise regularly
d) Limit alcohol
e) Manage stress
f) Monitor blood pressure
g) Reduce sodium in diet
h) Quit smoking
i) Cut back on caffeine
j) Get support

CONTROL

Behaviour Modification

a) Regular checking of blood pressure

b) Reducing and managing stress
c) Managing other medical condition
d) Limiting the intake of foods high in saturated fats
e) Avoiding use of tobacco
f) Being physically active on regular basis
g) Eating more fruits and vegetables
h) Reducing salt intake
i) Reducing alcohol consumption

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Engineering measures

Telephones and new communication technologies can help physicians and patients improve
hypertension management. Remote monitoring can improve adherence to treatment and
physician-patient interactions, thus favouring achievement of lower blood pressure values.
New health-related applications for smartphones can provide additional features, such as
decisional tools and education sections. Novel technologies may allow the implementation of
such strategies on a population basis, with acceptable costs. However, tighter control on this
sector is needed in order to improve safety and security. Available data are promising, but there
is a strong need for large, randomized long-term clinical trials, to confirm a favourable impact
of these strategies on outcome and to support their adoption in daily practice.

DIAGNOSIS

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is often called a "silent disease" because you usually
don't know that you have it. There may be no symptoms or signs. Nonetheless, it damages the
body and eventually may cause problems like heart disease. Therefore, it's important to
regularly monitor your blood pressure, especially if it has ever been high or above the "normal"
range, or if you have a family history of hypertension. The USPSTF recommends that all
adults 18 years or older be screened for hypertension.

Blood pressure is most often measured with a device known as a sphygmomanometer, which
consists of a stethoscope, arm cuff, dial, pump, and valve.

Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers: the systolic and diastolic pressures.

Systolic blood pressure is the maximum pressure during a heartbeat, when the heart is
sending blood throughout the body while Diastolic blood pressure is the lowest pressure
between heartbeats, when the heart is filling with blood

Blood pressure measurements fall into several categories:

 Normal blood pressure: Your blood pressure is normal if it's below 120/80 mm Hg.
 Elevated blood pressure: Elevated blood pressure is a systolic pressure ranging from
120 to 129 mm Hg and a diastolic pressure below (not above) 80 mm Hg. Elevated
blood pressure tends to get worse over time unless steps are taken to control blood
pressure. Elevated blood pressure may also be called prehypertension.
 Stage 1 hypertension: Stage 1 hypertension is a systolic pressure ranging from 130 to
139 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure ranging from 80 to 89 mm Hg.
 Stage 2 hypertension: More-severe hypertension, stage 2 hypertension is a systolic
pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher or a diastolic pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher.
 Hypertensive crisis: A blood pressure measurement higher than 180/120 mm Hg is an
emergency situation that requires urgent medical care. If you get this result when you

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 take your blood pressure at home, wait five minutes and retest. If your blood pressure is
still this high, contact your doctor immediately.

EFFECTS AND COMPLICATIONS OF HYPERTENSION

Among other effects and complications,

1. Hypertension can cause serious damage to the heart.

2. Excessive pressure can harden arteries
3. Decreasing the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. This elevated pressure and reduced
blood flow can cause Chest pain, also called angina.
4. Heart attack, which occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked and heart muscle
cells die from lack of oxygen. The longer the blood flow is blocked, the greater the damage
to the heart.
5. Heart failure, which occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to other
vital body organs.
6. Irregular heart beat which can lead to a sudden death.
7. Hypertension can also burst or block arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain,
causing a stroke.
8. In addition, hypertension can cause kidney damage, leading to kidney failure.