LEGENDS:
Smoker
Heart Disease
Underlying Pathophysiology
The participant is a 20 year old Caucasian male. His family history shows that his maternal grandfather and father have been diagnosed with hypertension, while his paternal grandfather had died of a heart disease. Porth had indicated that the risk factors for hypertension include one's health condition, family history, and lifestyle. A family history that shows relatives with hypertension does not guarantee that one may acquire the disease. However, a family history riddles with hypertension makes one more at risk than other individuals. Increasing age, a part of an individual’s health condition, may also make one more at risk for hypertension. One may not control some of the risk factors such as the family history and age, but may lower the risk by a better lifestyle (2007). As for the participant, it may be seen that the family history shows direct relatives with hypertension. His smoking may likewise increase his risk.
Two types of hypertension exist: primary or essential hypertension, and secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension is the type of hypertension wherein the disease develops through time, spanning many years, from multiple factors such as age, lifestyle and genetic disposition. Secondary hypertension, on the other hand, is the type of hypertension that arise due to other conditions. Among the conditions that may give rise to hypertension include problems in the kidney, thyroid, adrenal glands, congenital defects in the vascular tissues or vessels, drugs, or alcoholism (Porth, 2015). The participant has no conditions that may give rise to hypertension, but he could develop essential hypertension.
Hypertension stems from multiple dependent causes, in essence multifactorial, and complex in nature. There are likewise many factors that may influence blood pressure and among them are neural stimulation, the viscosity of the blood, the volume of the blood circulating in the body, reactivity of vascular tissues, elasticity of the blood vessels, among others. Through time, essential hypertension may become an established hypertension where the damage to the blood vessels or vascular tissues (heart, arteries) and other organs (kidney, nervous system) becomes evident (Porth, 2015).
Commonly, individuals with hypertension or high blood pressure have no outward symptoms, that is, hypertension is asymptomatic. Symptoms only present themselves when the blood pressure reaches extreme levels which may include nosebleeds, headaches or difficulty in breathing. Symptoms may also appear when organ systems have become compromised such as the kidney or the eyes (Porth, 2015). The participant has not reported any symptoms relating to hypertension.
Diagnosis of the disease is hard since symptoms do not present themselves. However, blood pressure may be measured through the use of sphygmomanometer by a health care professional. An individual is already considered hypertensive when the systolic pressure or diastolic blood pressure reading in sphygmomanometer is beyond 140 mmHg and 90 mmHg respectively (Porth, 2015). It is likewise advisable that the participant should get checked since his family history is riddled with hypertension.
Co-morbid Conditions
Among the conditions that may worsen or contribute to the severity of hypertension include: atherosclerotic disorders such as heart failure, heart attack, constriction in the blood vessels and stroke; kidney diseases that may affect blood pressure; cognitive disorders such as dementia; and diabetes (Porth, 2015).
Morbidity and Mortality Considerations
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with hypertension continue to become consistent for at least a decade. From a data in 2007-2010, it had been discovered that there are differences in the prevalence of the disease in terms of one’s demographic characteristics. Furthermore, it had been noted that the cases of individuals with hypertension are highest at ages higher than 65 years old. Likewise, those with diabetes, obese individuals, and with disabilities are observed to become more afflicted with the disease (n.d.).
References
Porth, C. M. (2015). Essentials of pathophysiology: Concepts of altered health states. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). High Blood Pressure. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
