Hypertension Flashcards
What is hypertension?
A blood pressure at which the benefits of treatment with an antihypertensive agent reduces cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular risk outweigh the risks.
What is the blood pressure that classifies hypertension?
140/90mmHg
What % of the adult population is affected by hypertension?
30-40%
An increase in Blood pressure of 20 mmHg systolic or 10 mmHg diastolic above the ideal _________ the risk of cardiovascular death, regardless of age.
Doubles
What happens to the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke as blood pressure increases?
Risk increases exponentially
What is the clinic and ambulatory blood pressure associated with stage 1 hypertension?
140/90mmHg clinic
135/85mmHg ambulatory
What is the clinic and ambulatory blood pressure associated with stage 2 hypertension?
160/100mmHg clinic
150/95mmHg ambulatory
What is the clinic blood pressure associated with severe hypertension?
180/120mmHg or higher
What is the difference between primary and secondary hypertension?
Primary hypertension has no known cause
Secondary hypertension occurs secondary to a known condition/cause
Which is more common- primary o secondary hypertension?
Primary (80-90% of cases)
What are some of the causes of secondary hypertension?
ROPE
R- Renal disease (renal artery stenosis, polycystic kidneys, chronic pyelopnephritis and fibromuscular dysplasia)
O-Obesity
P- Pregnancy
E- Endocrine disorders (hyperaldosterinism and cushings)
Also, coarctation of the aorta, sleep apnoea and drugs can induce hypertension (NSAIDS, combined pill and corticosteroids),
What is the number 1 cause of medical death worldwide?
Hypertension
List the 7 risk factors associated with hypertension
- Smoking
- Diabetes mellitus
- Renal disease
- Male
- Hyperlipadaemia
- Previous MI or stroke
- Left ventricular hypertrophy
List the two physiological factors that the body uses to control blood pressure
- Cardiac output
2. Peripheral vascular resistance
What are the two main targets of antihypertensive drugs?
the sympathetic nervous system and the RAAS
What are the two most likely pathophysiological causes of hypertension?
- Increased reactivity of resistance vessels and resultant increase in peripheral resistance as a result of an hereditary defect of the smooth muscle lining arterioles
- A sodium homeostatic effect. In hypertensive individuals the kidneys are unable to excrete appropriate amounts of sodium for any given blood pressure. As a result, sodium and fluid are retained and the blood pressure increases
Explain why blood pressure rises with age
The elasticity of the vessels is lost and so arteries become less complaint
Can hypertension be hereditary?
Yes
Explain the environmental factors that can cause hypertension
Mental and physical stress
What is the most important non-pharmacological intervention in hypertensive patients?
Weight loss
Explain how birth weight impacts on hypertension later in life
The lower the birth weight the higher the likelihood of developing hypertension and heart disease in adulthood
What % of the population is affected by alcohol induced hypertension?
1%
Which race is most likely to develop hypertension?
African
Which hypertension presentations (5) point towards secondary hypertension rather than primary hypertension?
- The hypertension is severe or resistant
- If the patient is a child / adolescent
- If there is a worsening of previously stable hypertension
- If the hypertension is malignant
- If no other risk factors are identified and the patient is <30 years old
Which investigations should be conducted if secondary hypertension is suspected?
- Renal function tests and urinalysis
- Renal imaging (MRI arteriography and ultrasound)
- Aldosterone to renin ratio (ARR) to look for excessive aldosterone production (caused by adenoma of the adrenal glands)
- 24h urine for catecholamines / metanephrines looking for a phaeochromocytoma or paraganglioma
What is the second most common cause of maternal and fetal death?
Hypertension in pregnancy
if a woman has gestational hypertension, when did the hypertension begin?
The patient had a normal blood pressure before pregnancy but develops hypertension during pregnancy.
What is the difference between gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia
In gestational hypertension there is no evidence of proteinuria whereas in preeclampsia proteinuria is present
What impact does gestational hypertension or preeclampsia have upon a womans risk of cardiovascular disease later in life?
It increases the risk of CVD later in life
Define the term “hypertensive emergency”
A severely elevated BP (BP>180/120 mmHg) with evidence of acute target organ damage
What are the rules regarding lowering the blood pressure of a patient with a hypertensive emergency/
In everyone except acute ischaemic stroke and aortic dissection, the aim is to lower systolic blood pressure by 10- 20% within the first hour (DO NOT LOWER ANY FASTER!) and then to 160/100mmHg over the subsequent 6 hours
Why must the blood pressure be lowered slowly in a patient with a hypertensive emergency?
a more aggressive and rapid lowering of blood pressure is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality