Nursing Blog

Hypertension Degree of Severity Stage I (mild) – 140/90 to 159/99 mm Hg Stage II (moderate) – 160/100 mm Hg or greater Stage II (severe) – systolc pressure greater than 180 and diastolic pressure greater than 110 Stage IV (very severe) – systolic pressure greater than 210 or greater with diastolic pressure greater than 120 Etiology Primary (essential), which accounts for approximately 85% to 95% of all cases, has no identifiable cause Secondary, which occurs as a result of an identifiable, sometimes correctable,pathological condition, such as kidney disorders, adrenal gland tumors, or primary aldosteronism, medications, drugs, or other chemicals Statistics (NHLBI, 2006; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], CDC, 2006b; 2007a) a. Morbidity: 72 million Americans are hypertensive (nearly 1 in 3). i. 23% of adults aged 20 to 75 are hypertensive. ii. 70% of adults over age 75 are hypertensive. iii. Approximately 20% are undiagnosed. iv. Prevalence: African Americans 32%, whites...

Nursing Care Plan for Hypertension Hypertension (HTN) or high blood pressure is a chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. It is the opposite of hypotension. It is classified as either primary (essential) or secondary. About 90–95% of cases are termed "primary hypertension", which refers to high blood pressure for which no medical cause can be found. The remaining 5–10% of cases (Secondary hypertension) are caused by other conditions that affect the kidneys, arteries, heart, or endocrine system. Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic kidney failure. Moderate elevation of arterial blood pressure leads to shortened life expectancy. Dietary and lifestyle changes can improve blood pressure control and decrease the risk of associated health complications, although drug treatment may prove necessary in pati...