Blood Pressure as a drug target Flashcards
What is the approximate percentage of adults in the UK who are hypertensive?
Approximately 25% of all adults in the UK are hypertensive.
How much of primary care consultations are related to hypertension in the UK?
Hypertension accounts for 12% of consultations in primary care in the UK.
How does a 2mmHg increase in blood pressure affect the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke?
A 2mmHg increase in blood pressure increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 7% and the risk of stroke by 10%.
How does cardiovascular mortality risk change with increasing blood pressure?
Cardiovascular mortality risk approximately doubles with each 20/10mmHg increase in blood pressure.
What is the total prescription cost for hypertension and heart failure in 2024?
The total prescription cost for hypertension and heart failure in 2024 is estimated to be £256 million, due to 78,259,407 items used.
What are some long-term complications of hypertension?
Long-term complications of hypertension include cardiac failure, vascular complications of diabetes, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular accidents, left ventricular hypertrophy, peripheral vascular disease, chronic hypertensive renal disease, and hypertensive retinopathy.
What factors contribute to the development of hypertension?
Contributions to hypertension include salt and volume retention in the kidneys, as well as issues with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, vasoconstriction, and systemic vascular resistance.
What is the standard procedure for measuring blood pressure?
Blood pressure should be measured with the patient seated on a chair with a back, feet on the floor, and resting for at least 5 minutes. The arm should be supported at heart level, with no tight clothing. The cuff should be placed 2cm above the brachial artery, and the measurement should be repeated three times.
What are the three places where blood pressure is routinely monitored?
Blood pressure is routinely monitored in a clinical setting, at home, and through ambulatory monitoring, which uses a portable device to measure blood pressure regularly throughout the day.
Why is ambulatory blood pressure monitoring considered superior to clinic measurements?
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is superior because it provides more data, showing the function across multiple readings and better predicting cardiovascular disease risk, with a greater risk per mmHg increase in blood pressure compared to clinic measurements.
What is postural hypotension and how is it managed?
Postural hypotension is when systolic blood pressure falls by more than 20mmHg within 1 to 3 minutes of standing. It can lead to dizziness or falls, and the current recommendation is to treat standing blood pressure to reduce the risk of falls.
What are some secondary causes of hypertension?
Secondary causes of hypertension include renal disease, endocrine diseases, drugs like NSAIDs or corticosteroids, obstructive sleep apnoea, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and eclampsia.
What is considered in the management of hypertension in a healthcare setting?
Management involves assessing lifestyle factors, potential causes of hypertension, the presence of target organ damage, and any potential difficulties with therapies.
What factors can lead to resistant hypertension?
Resistant hypertension may occur due to failure to increase medication doses, non-compliance, intolerance to medications, white coat hypertension, or unaddressed secondary causes.
What is the importance of standardizing the blood pressure measurement process?
Standardizing the blood pressure measurement process ensures consistency and accuracy in results, making sure that blood pressure is measured correctly each time, which is crucial for diagnosis and treatment decisions.
What role does the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system play in hypertension?
The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system contributes to hypertension by affecting salt and volume retention in the kidneys and causing vasoconstriction, which can increase systemic vascular resistance and impact left ventricular filling.
Why is ambulatory blood pressure measurement considered more accurate than clinic blood pressure measurement for prognosis?
Ambulatory blood pressure measurement is considered more accurate because it captures a broader range of readings over time, reflecting blood pressure fluctuations during normal daily activities, which better predicts cardiovascular disease risk.
What are some lifestyle factors and potential causes of hypertension that should be considered when diagnosing a patient?
When diagnosing hypertension, healthcare providers consider lifestyle factors (such as diet and exercise), potential causes like renal disease, endocrine disorders, and medications (e.g., NSAIDs or corticosteroids), as well as the presence of any target organ damage.
