Hypertension Flashcards
What is the leading global risk factor for death and disability? (CHEP)
- Hypertension
How common is hypertension in Canada? (CHEP)
- Affects 1 in 4 (23%) Canadian adults
What benefit can treating hypertension have on the risk of stroke and CVD?
- Reduces stroke by 1/3 and CVD by 15%
- Treating HTN and cholesterol can reduce CVD by almost half
What are 11 risk factors for hypertension?
- Demographics
- Age >55
- Male
- Southeast Asian, African, First Nations
- Lifestyle
- Sedentary
- Poor diet
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol
- Stress
- Personal medical history
- Dysglycemia
- Family medical history
- CAD <55 in men, <65 in women
In patients presenting with hypertension, what are non-modifiable and modifiable cardiac risk factors that should be asked about? (CHEP)

In patients presenting with hypertension, what are 5 organ systems that should be asked about to assess for end organ damage?
- Brain – recent TIA/stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, aneurysmal sub-arachnoid hemorrhage, dementia (vascular, mixed vascular and Alzheimer’s)
- Eyes – visual blurring (hypertensive retinopathy)
- Heart – prior MI/angina, CHF, LVH, CP, SOB
- Kidney – asymptomatic (CKD)
- Peripheral Arterial Disease - claudication
What are 8 secondary causes of hypertension and associated signs or symptoms?
- OSA – snores, AM headaches, non-refreshing sleep
- RAS – asymptomatic, CAD risks
- Renal insufficiency – CKD, diabetes, or recent strep infection
- Pheochromocytoma – paroxysmal sweating and headache and palpitations
- Hyperaldosteronism – weight loss, low energy
- Cushings – weight gain
- Hyperthyroidism – weight loss, tremor, heat intolerance, diarrhea, light menses
- Medications
What are 12 exogenous substances that can induce/aggravate hypertension? (CHEP)
- NSAIDs
- Steroids
- OCP/HRT/Testosterone
- Decongestants
- Calcineurin inhibitors – cyclosporine, tacrolimus
- EPO
- MAOIs, SSRIs, SNRIs
- Midodrine
- Licorice root
- Stimulants/cocaine
- Salt
- Alcohol
What are 3 important considerations when performing a physical exam on a patient with hypertension?
- Signs of end organ damage
- Secondary causes of hypertension
- Metabolic syndrome
What are 4 organ systems that should be evaluated for end organ damage on physical exam in patients with hypertension?
- Brain – neurologic exam, carotid bruits, dementia
- Eyes – retinal hemorrhage
- Heart – loud S2, precordial heave
- Peripheral vascular – poor pulses, AAA
What are signs on physical exam that could be associated with 7 different secondary causes of hypertension?
- OSA – wide neck, micronathia
- RAS – abdominal bruits
- Renal insufficiency - asymptomatic
- Pheochromocytoma – flank mass, tachycardia
- Hyperaldosteronism – flank mass
- Cushings – central obesity, hirsutism, easy bruising, striae
- Hyperthyroidism – tachycardia, goiter, ophthalmoplegia, hyperreflexia
How is metabolic syndrome diagnosed?
≥3 measures to make the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome
Waist Circumference
≥102 cm (Men) / ≥88 cm (Women)
TG
≥1.7 mmol/L
HDL
<1.0 mmol/L (Men) / <1.3 mmol/L (Women)
BP
SBP ≥130 mm Hg and/or DBP ≥85 mm Hg
FPG
≥5.6 mmol/L
What are 4 different scenarios in which BP can be measured?
- Office
- Non-AOBP
- AOBP
- Home
- Ambulatory
What is the preferred method of measuring in-office blood pressure? (CHEP)
- Automatic office BP (AOBP)
- Taken WITHOUT patient-health provider interaction
- Using a FULLY-automatic device
What are the advantages of AOBP over the non-AOBP approach for diagnosing hypertension? (CHEP)
- Eliminates the risk of conversation during readings
- Reduces the risk of the white coat effect
- Facilitates multiple measurements with each clinical encounter (and automatically calculates the mean)
- Closely approximate mean awake ambulatory BP levels
- Consistent from visit to visit
- Are not significantly altered by the setting (e.g. ambulatory BP monitoring unit, office waiting room, physician’s examination room, pharmacy)
- Predict the presence of end-organ damage (carotid intima-media thickness, left ventricular mass index, microalbuminuria) and incidence cardiovascular events
How should BP be measured in the office with non-AOBP?
- Bladder width ~40% of arm circumference
- Patient resting for 5 minutes, legs not crossed
- Cuff 3 cm above antecubital fossa, bladder over brachial artery
- First reading by palpation to evaluate for systolic gap
- Elevate to 30 mmHg above cessation of radial pulse
- Slow deflation of the cuff by 2 mmHg each heartbeat
- No conversation
- First reading disregarded, average second 2 readings
How should the mean BP be measured in the office with non-AOBP? (CHEP)
- First reading discarded
- Latter readings averaged
How should BP be measured for home BP measurement? (CHEP)

How should BP be measured for ambulatory BP monitoring? (CHEP)

How should postural hypotension be assessed? (CHEP)
- Check after 2 minutes of standing (with arm supported)
What levels are considered to be elevated for BP in the 4 measuring scenarios? (CHEP)
- Non-AOBP
- High = SBP ≥140 mmHg or DBP ≥90 mmHg
- High-Normal = SBP 130-139 mmHg or DBP 85-89 mmHg
- AOBP
- High = SBP ≥135 mmHg or DBP ≥85 mmHg
- Ambulatory
- Mean awake SBP ≥135 mmHg or DBP ≥85 mmHg
- Mean 24-hour SBP ≥130 mmHg or DBP ≥80 mmHg
- Home
- High = SBP ≥135 mmHg or DBP ≥85 mmHg
How can hypertension be diagnosed? (CHEP)

What are examples of hypertensive urgencies or emergencies? (CHEP)
- Urgency: Asymptomatic diastolic BP ≥130 mmHg
- Emergency: Severe elevation of BP in the setting of any of:
- Hypertensive encephalopathy
- Acute aortic dissection
- Acute left ventricular failure
- Acute coronary syndrome
- Acute kidney injury
- Intracranial hemorrhage
- Acute ischemic stroke
- Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia
- Catecholamine-associated hypertension
What BP levels can lead to the diagnosis of hypertension on visit 1? (CHEP)
- Mean non-AOBP or AOBP SBP ≥180 mmHg and/or DBP ≥110 mmHg









