ARE YOU AT RISK

FOR A HEART
ATTACK? STROKE?
OR HEART
DISEASE?
THESE ARE
COMLPLICATIONS
OF
HYPERTENSION
LEARN WHAT
HYPERTENSION IS
AND HOW TO
PREVENT IT.
 WHAT IS HYPERTENSION ?

 Blood pressure is expressed as two numbers, for example 120/80 mmHg

 These numbers represent the pressure against the walls of your blood
vessels as the blood moves through them.
 The top number (or first number) represents the systolic pressure, which occurs
when the heart contracts.
 The bottom number (or second number) represents the diastolic pressure,
which occurs when the heart relaxes.
 Normal blood pressure is less than 120 (systolic) over 80 (diastolic), typically
written as 120/80 mm Hg (read 120 over 80 millimeters of mercury).
 Hypertension, or High blood pressure is persistent
Systolic blood pressure SBP ≥140 mmHg, and
Diastolic blood pressure DBP ≥ 90 mmHg.
The organs and tissue in your
body need oxygen to survive.
Lets take a
Oxygen is bound to your
blood and is delivered( after step back
an exchange of carbon and learn a
dioxide for oxygen in your
lungs) to your body by blood little about
vessels.
what happens
When your heart beats, it in our
creates pressure that
pushes blood through your bodies…
arteries and veins, also
known as blood vessels and
capillaries.

Blood pressure is the force

of blood pushing against your
blood vessel walls.

Your blood pressure must be

within a normal range to
properly deliver this oxygen
rich blood to your organs and
tissues in order to survive.
 Okay…so what does this mean?

 When someone has high blood pressure , this increased force makes the heart

work harder to pump blood to the body.

 The increased force puts a strain on both the heart and the blood vessels.

 If the force of the blood flow is high for some time, eventually the tissue

that makes up the walls of the arteries gets stretched beyond its healthy
limit.
 This overstretching of the blood vessels makes them more prone to rupture.

 Damages to the vessels results in the development of Atherosclerosis

( hardening of the arteries).

 Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of serious health

problems, including heart attack and stroke.

 Classifications of Blood Pressure

Normal BP ‘ Stage 1 Hypertension

SBP <120 mmHg & DBP < 80 SBP 140-159 mmHg or DBP
mmHg 90-99

Prehypertension Stage 2 Hypertension

SBP 120-139 mmHg or DBP SBP ≥ 160 mmHg or DBP ≥ 100
80-89 mmHg
 Who is at risk for Hypertension?
 Age- Blood pressure rises with increasing age.

 Alcohol- Excessive alcohol intake is associated with Hypertension

 Cigarette smoking- Smoking increases your risk for Cardiovascular disease. If you

have hypertension & smoke and/or take Oral contraceptives you have a greater risk
for Cardiovascular disease and blood clots.
 Diabetes Mellitus- Hypertension is more common in Diabetics

 Elevated Cholesterol & Triglycerides- High levels of cholesterol &

triglycerides are primary risk factors for atherosclerosis (plaque build up in
your blood vessels).
 Too much salt in your diet- High sodium intake contributes to high blood

pressure and causes water

retention.
 C ont inue…
 Gender- Hypertension is more common in young adulthood men & middle aged

men (<55 yr of age). After the age off 55 Hypertension is more common in
women.
 Family history- Having a close blood relative ( parents or sibling) with
hypertension increases your risk of developing hypertension.
 Obesity- Weight gain is highly associated with increased frequency of

hypertension, especially with central abdominal obesity.

 Ethnicity- The incidence of hypertension is twice as high in African
Americans as they are in whites.
 Sedentary lifestyle- Inactivity and weight gain are associated with high

blood pressure & increases the risk for heart disease.

 Stress- People exposed to repeated stress may develop hypertension more

 frequently than others.

 Signs & Symptoms Of Hypertension

 Hypertension is often called the “Silent killer” because it is frequently

asymptomatic- meaning “without symptoms” until it has become severe and
damage to organs have occurred.
 A person with severe hypertension may have symptoms caused by the effects on

the blood vessels

which my be:
 Fatigue

 Reduced activity tolerance

 Dizziness

 Palpitations

 Angina (chest pain)

 And difficulty breathing

 C ont inue…
According to the American Heart Association There's a common misconception that people with
high blood pressure will experience symptoms such as nervousness, sweating, difficulty sleeping or
facial flushing. The truth is that HBP (high blood pressure) is largely a symptomless condition. If
you ignore your blood pressure because you think symptoms will alert you to the problem, you are
taking a dangerous chance with your life. Everybody needs to know their blood pressure numbers,
and everyone needs to prevent high blood pressure from developing.

There are also myths of headaches/nosebleeds believed to be related to HBP. According to the
AHA studies have shown that people with higher systolic (top number) blood pressure were up to
40% less likely to have headaches ( except in the cases of Hypertensive crisis SBP ≥180mmHg and
DSP ≥110mmHg)

It is important to know that nosebleeds can be associated with other factors,. Most common
reasons for nosebleeds are dry air especially in hot climates like the desert Southwest (Arizona).
Other causes may be allergies, sinusitis or anticoagulants such as Warfarin or aspirin.
 Complications of Hypertension

 Cardiovascular disease  Heart Failure – overtimes as the

 Artherosclerosis- “ hardening of the heart works harder to push the
arteries ” blood thoroughout the body, the
 Coronary artery disease – damage to heart ( which is a mucle ) just like
the heart & coronary arteries any other muscle in your body
 Cerebrovascular disease enlarges when you work it out. This
 Stroke or heart attack enlargement causes stretching of
 Angina – chest pain the muscle and eventually not
 Kidney damage enaugh blood is pumped out of heart
 Vision loss to the body to meet the body’s
requirements of oxygen as discussed
earlier.
How can I prevent Hypertension ?

Prevention Of Hypertension

 Maintain a healthy weight- A weight loss of

even 10 pounds can decrease your SBP ( top
number of your blood pressure)by 5-20mmHg .
 Exercise- at least 30 minutes of aerobic
physical activity (brisk walking, jogging, swimming)
most days of the week.
 Reduce salt and sodium intake- Foods that have a
lot of salt are processed foods ( frozen dinners,
canned foods) and Lunch meats.
 Increase level of physical activity.
 Limit alcohol consumption to moderate levels- Men
should limit their alcohol intake to no more than 2
drinks per day and women to no more than one drink
per day.
1 drink = 1.5 oz. alcohol or 12 0z. Beer, 5 oz. of
wine, 1.5 oz 80 proof whiskey.
 Monitor Blood pressure and know if it is high,
low, normal, or borderline for hypertension.
 Regular check ups with your Primary care
Physician.
Prevention: Numbers to Remember

Lifestyle Maintain a healthy

weight BMI < 25% Waist
circumference Men: 40 in. or
less Women: 35 in. or l less

Regular Health Check ups LDL Diet 5 or more servings of

Cholesterol < 130 mg/dl HDL fruits & veggies a day 1 tsp or
Cholesterol 50 mg/dl or higher less of salt per day

Quit smoking Limit Exercise Jogging,

Alcohol walking,
consumption to 1 0z per swimming
day 30 minutes a day most
days of the week
 Monitoring your Blood pressure
 Your blood pressure should be taken during your regular health

check ups.
 Your doctor may recommend checking your blood pressure at home if you have risk
factors of hypertension or if you have been diagnosed with pre-hypertension
(systolic -top number between 120 and 139 mm Hg OR diastolic -bottom number
between 80 and 89 mm Hg).
 A record of readings taken over time can provide you and your healthcare
provider a clearer picture of your blood pressure.

AHA Recommendation:
 The American Heart Association recommends an automatic, cuff- style, bicep
(upper-arm) monitor. Wrist and finger monitors are not recommended because
they yield less reliable readings.
 Prevention is Key

According to the U.S. Health and Human Services a

combination of increased physical activity, moderation in
alcohol intake, and consumption of an eating plan that is lower
in sodium content and higher in fruits, vegetables and low-fat
dairy products than the average American diet represents the
best approach for preventing high blood pressure in the

general population and in high risk groups.

 References

Lewis, S.L., & Heitkemper, M.M., & Dirksen, S. R., &

O’Brien, P. G., & Bucher, L. (2007). Medical Surgical
Nursing. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Elsevier.
Primary prevention of hypertension. (2002). National
Institutes of Health , 14.
What is high blood pressure. (2010).
Retrieved October 20th, 2010, from
http://www.heart.org.
 Created By :
Dian Ayu Nurjanah
Erika Kartika Putri
Nuni Triyani