Hypertension Flashcards
What is the NHS health check?
A free check-up of your overall health and identifies any risk factors you might have for health problems.
What specific health problems does it calculate the risk for?
- heart disease, diabetes, stroke (cardiovascular risk)
- kidney disease
- dementia
What happens at an NHS health check?
- History
- Measurement of height + weight
- BP reading
- Blood test
What are the effects of hypertension on the brain?
- Transient Ischaemic Attack
- Stroke
What causes a TIA?
An embolus that briefly blocks blood supply causing a mini-stroke which lasts for less than 24hrs.
What are the 2 main types of stroke?
- Haemorrhagic: damage to blood vessels leading to rupturing of an artery
- Ischaemic: reduction in blood supply to brain due to clot etc.
What are the effects of hypertension on the eyes?
- Hypertensive retinopathy
- Optic neuropathy
What is hypertensive retinopathy?
Damage to the blood vessels feeding the retina due to the hypertension.
What are the signs of retinopathy?
- microaneurysms
- ‘cotton wool’ spots
What is optic neuropathy?
Blurring of the disc margin due to damage to the optic nerve caused by a lack of blood supply to it.
What are the signs of optic neuropathy?
- angiogenesis of new vessels across the optic disc (leading to blurring)
- disc becomes paler
What are the effects of hypertension on the heart?
- hypertrophy
- coronary heart disease
Why does hypertrophy occur?
There is increased vascular resistance so the heart tries to adapt by growing muscle. This is inefficient and can progress into heart failure.
What primarily causes coronary heart disease?
atherosclerosis in the coronary vessels
What are the effects of hypertension on the kidneys?
- Glomerulosclerosis
- Kidney failure
What is Glomerulosclerosis?
Narrowing and hardening of the the blood vessels that make up the glomerulus.
How does high BP cause aneurysms?
- Hypertension stretches the blood vessels.
- This makes the walls weaker and more friable.
- This increases risk of aneurysms.
How is hypertension managed in a GP setting?
- Recheck BP
- 24hr ambulatory BP monitoring
- Give lifestyle advice
- Recheck BP
- Start medications
What is 24hr ambulatory BP monitoring?
BP monitoring done at home
Why is 24hr ambulatory BP monitoring carried out?
It mitigates white coat hypertension (patients naturally feel more stressed when seeing a doctor)
What kind of lifestyle advice may be given?
- reduce obesity
- encourage aerobic exercise -> this will increase blood flow to muscles, skin and kidneys
- restrict salt intake
According to NICE guidelines, what should all people with hypertension be offered?
- test for proteinuria with urine sample
- blood test for HbA1c, eGFR, cholesterol
- fundoscopy for retinopathy (use light to look into eye)
- 12 lead ECG
What does the P wave denote?
Positive deflection caused by atria depolarisation
What does the Q wave denote?
Small negative deflection as the electrical signal move through (horizontally) the slow myocytes in interventricular septum.