Hi
everyone, welcome back! This week I'm reviewing hypertension. If you haven't
already, be sure to watch our Medical Minute on antihypertensive medications
following this video! It gives a high-level overview of the many medications
used to treat this disease. For this reason, I
won't be going into the treatment of hypertension in this Medical Minute.
Hypertension is abbreviated as HTN and is commonly referred to as high blood
pressure. It's a common condition in which the force exerted on
the walls of the arteries by the blood consistently exceeds normal ranges.
Affecting 1 in every 3 Americans, I can guarantee that you'll come across
hypertension in your documentation.
There are two types of hypertension, primary and secondary. Primary hypertension, also referred to as essential hypertension, tends to develop gradually over the years and is idiopathic, meaning that it arises spontaneously and without a known cause. With secondary hypertension, also referred to as inessential hypertension, the cause is known and it may develop rapidly. Some examples include Kidney disease Thyroid disease Obstructive sleep apnea Pregnancy Congenital birth defects And the use of certain medications or illicit drugs Its important to know that many people with hypertension remain asymptomatic, and therefore go undiagnosed. With that said, some report symptoms. These often include: Headache Shortness of breath Nosebleeds And Dizziness Over time, the constant elevation in blood pressure can cause damage to the vessels and the organs.
Luckily, hypertension can be easily detected and controlled, if the proper treatment is given. Blood pressure readings measure systolic blood pressure (the larger number) and diastolic blood pressure (the smaller number). Major blood pressure stages can be seen here in this table created by The American Heart Association. Keep in mind that anything less than 120/80 does truly mean that the blood pressure is normal. Once we go below 90/60 were-entering hypotension, but that's another topic entirely! Hereditary and physical risk factors for hypertension include a family history of hypertension, old age, and African ancestry. Gender also plays a role, as men are more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension before the age of 64. Modifiable risk factors include: Chronic kidney disease Diabetes A poor diet, especially diets that are high in sodium.
A lack of exercise Tobacco uses Alcohol abuse And an abnormal level of stress Uncontrolled hypertension changes the blood vessels, causing them to become thickened, weakened, narrowed, or torn. This can lead to myocardial infarction, stroke, aneurysms, kidney disease, vision loss, and vascular dementia. Hypertension affects each individual differently, and the level of documentation that is needed can be intimidating! As with any patient, pay close attention to the patient's past medical history and active medications. If the patient presents with a hypertensive emergency, frequent updates on the patient's status should be documented. Small episodes of high blood pressure are common, especially in times of stress or when we're in pain.
Sometimes, even the presence of the clinician in the room is enough to raise a patient's blood pressure! Distinguishing between a benign episode of high blood pressure and undiagnosed hypertension requires monitoring over some time. For this reason, patients with abnormal blood pressure readings in the emergency department are often provided education on hypertension and asked to follow up with a primary care provider. Be sure to document this discussion between the clinician and patient in the medical record! I hope that this video has increased your understanding and confidence in documenting this disease! The Medical Minute is transitioning to a new release schedule. You can tune in for a new Medical Minute on the first Monday of each month!
There are two types of hypertension, primary and secondary. Primary hypertension, also referred to as essential hypertension, tends to develop gradually over the years and is idiopathic, meaning that it arises spontaneously and without a known cause. With secondary hypertension, also referred to as inessential hypertension, the cause is known and it may develop rapidly. Some examples include Kidney disease Thyroid disease Obstructive sleep apnea Pregnancy Congenital birth defects And the use of certain medications or illicit drugs Its important to know that many people with hypertension remain asymptomatic, and therefore go undiagnosed. With that said, some report symptoms. These often include: Headache Shortness of breath Nosebleeds And Dizziness Over time, the constant elevation in blood pressure can cause damage to the vessels and the organs.
Luckily, hypertension can be easily detected and controlled, if the proper treatment is given. Blood pressure readings measure systolic blood pressure (the larger number) and diastolic blood pressure (the smaller number). Major blood pressure stages can be seen here in this table created by The American Heart Association. Keep in mind that anything less than 120/80 does truly mean that the blood pressure is normal. Once we go below 90/60 were-entering hypotension, but that's another topic entirely! Hereditary and physical risk factors for hypertension include a family history of hypertension, old age, and African ancestry. Gender also plays a role, as men are more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension before the age of 64. Modifiable risk factors include: Chronic kidney disease Diabetes A poor diet, especially diets that are high in sodium.
A lack of exercise Tobacco uses Alcohol abuse And an abnormal level of stress Uncontrolled hypertension changes the blood vessels, causing them to become thickened, weakened, narrowed, or torn. This can lead to myocardial infarction, stroke, aneurysms, kidney disease, vision loss, and vascular dementia. Hypertension affects each individual differently, and the level of documentation that is needed can be intimidating! As with any patient, pay close attention to the patient's past medical history and active medications. If the patient presents with a hypertensive emergency, frequent updates on the patient's status should be documented. Small episodes of high blood pressure are common, especially in times of stress or when we're in pain.
Sometimes, even the presence of the clinician in the room is enough to raise a patient's blood pressure! Distinguishing between a benign episode of high blood pressure and undiagnosed hypertension requires monitoring over some time. For this reason, patients with abnormal blood pressure readings in the emergency department are often provided education on hypertension and asked to follow up with a primary care provider. Be sure to document this discussion between the clinician and patient in the medical record! I hope that this video has increased your understanding and confidence in documenting this disease! The Medical Minute is transitioning to a new release schedule. You can tune in for a new Medical Minute on the first Monday of each month!
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