ESSAY: Disorders of Blood Pressure Regulation

A 56-year-old patient with newly diagnosed stage I hypertension has been referred to you for counseling regarding lifestyle modifications. He is married, with four children––two in high school, two in college. His job as a senior vice-president for a major retail chain requires that he work long hours and frequently eat at restaurants. He smokes two packs of cigarettes a day, has a body mass index (BMI) of 29 kg/m2, and a waist–hip ratio of 1.6. He usually drinks one to two dry martinis to relax after he gets home from work.

In your initial post answer the following questions:

How would you develop a realistic plan to help this patient reduce his blood pressure and prevent complications?
Which risk factors would be among your top two or three priorities for this patient, and what interventions or recommendations would you provide for modifying these?

ANSWER

Disorders of Blood Pressure Regulation

Blood pressure is among the most variable and easily regulated functions in the body.  Control of blood pressure is critical to ensure constant blood flow to vital body organs such as the brain, kidney, and heart. Improper blood flow to the above organs results in emergence of health problems in the body, which can cause death in worst scenarios. Despite the adverse effects of reduced blood flow in the body, continuous increase of blood pressure as a result of hypertension also results in disabilities and premature death because of how it affects the heart, kidney, and blood vessels, especially the arteries (Liu et al., 2016). Hypertension is defined as the extreme pressure exerted by blood on the walls of the arteries, which cause health problems in the long-term. The initial post intends to provide sufficient information, which can be used as an intervention for stage 1 hypertension, for the health problem presented in the case study.

The patient referred to me for counseling is a56-year-old patient with newly diagnosed stage I hypertension.  The patient is married with four children. He is a senior Vice-president for a major retail chain, a job that forces him to work for long hours and eats mostly at restaurants. The man smokes two packs of cigarettes a day, has a waist-hip ratio of 1.6 and body mass index of 29kg/m2. Every day after work, the referred patient drinks about two dry martinis as a form of relaxation. Judging from the lifestyle of the patient, he significantly exposes himself to hypertension risk factors, an element that has contributed to his current situation.

Developing a Realistic Plan

Hypertension can lead to the emergence of other secondary health problems such as the damage of essential body organs. Some of the most affected parts of the body as a result of high blood pressure are the kidney, arteries, papilledema, heart and the left ventricle hypertrophy. Heart failure and stroke are the most associated secondary health problems with high blood pressure and can result in death when not timely tackled with well skilled and experienced healthcare practitioners (Brozovich et al., 2016). A realistic, patient-centered plan is necessary to reduce and minimize cases of high blood pressure and limit other related complications.

The plan should be developed in the presence of the patient to make sure he fully understands and is willing to cooperate with all the requirements of the plan. The focus of the plan should be on seeking and abiding by the mediation. It should also identify the risk factors associated with the disease, such as diet, lifestyle, stress handling techniques, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Ones the possible disease-causing factors are identified, a discussion of the possible interventions can be implemented to devise means, which can be applied as solutions to stage 1 hypertension.

Risk Factors and Possible Interventions An unhealthy diet high in sodium, which involves saturated fats and sedentary lifestyle, characterized by excessive smoking, drinking and obesity are the top two risk factors for the patient. The first step towards solving any problem is always identification of the cause. Therefore, possible interventions that can be applied are changes in….