Overview
Hypertension is one of the known cardiovascular diseases that affect numerous individuals on a global basis. This medical issue occurs during an event wherein the level of a person’s blood pressure exceeds to the normal reading. Thus, having a high blood pressure is known for being the major determinant of different risks, to which hypertension is included. Although hypertension has been one of the longest known cardiovascular diseases that provides high mortality rate as well as the morbidity, it remains its dominance as one of the public health concerns (Obineche, 2003). Hypertension, is in fact, present in 2 out of 4 adults. This is just only within the United States, not to mention its severity in different parts of the world. Despite the condition’s threat to many people, especially in the United States where the hypertension cases is high, hypertension remains the most essential modifiable risk factor when I comes to CHD or Coronary Heart Disease (Obineche, 2003).
High blood pressure or hypertension is normally determined by measuring the amount of blood being pumped by the heart versus the amount of resistance of the blood flow within the narrow arteries (Chobanian et al., 2003). It normally develops over the period of time, but can be easily detected. Some of the symptoms include headaches, nosebleeds, difficulty in breathing, and even unusual heartbeat rate. However, not all of these symptoms persist until the level of pressure reaches or surpasses the normal pressure count. There are two types of hypertension. The first one is the primary or essential hypertension and the other is called secondary hypertension. In fact, there are people who experience hypertension due to various reasons, such as kidney problems, thyroid problems, and the use of illegal drugs. Moreover, excessive alcohol intake, and even certain medications can also lead to hypertension.
Impact to Patient’s Functional Abilities
Hypertension tends to limit the mobility of the patient. Since the person who suffers from hypertension may have difficulty in breathing, other activities may seem possible to achieve. The physical body of the hypertensive person tends to wear out easily compare to normal people. Additionally, it is also known that hypertension affects the sexual capability of a person (Ferrario & Levy, 2002). Thus, therapies that are applied to hypertension intervention may lead to deterioration when it comes to the quality of life of the patient. Moreover, hypertension also tends to limit the person’s ability to get into an extensive body workout, active physical lifestyle, and many others. However, Physical Therapy intervention when it comes to managing hypertension could help the patient in achieving a better health outcome as long as the proper methods are applied. The validity of this article focuses on both the sexual and physical minor disabilities of a patient with hypertension. One of the article’s strengths is the discussion of physical implications of hypertension against the patient.
Furthermore, Krastev et al., (2013) said that hypertension is manageable through application of physical methods. In addition to this, the hypertension diagnosis, especially for adult patients, must be accompanied by patient’s historical record through clinical studies in addition to the diastolic and systolic BP measurement.
Measuring the blood pressure is one of the primary steps in managing the hypertension case. However, the therapist must be able to employ the proper technique when it comes to measuring the current blood pressure of the patient before any physical therapy is applied. Frese, Fick, and Sadowsky (2011) said that the results of proper blood pressure measurement will provide the therapist with information about the patient’s cardiovascular status. The importance of this information is critical as it is being used for developing suitable clinical decisions when it comes to managing the patient’s high blood pressure. The authors clearly highlighted the essence physical therapists’ knowledge when it comes to measuring the blood pressure of the patients prior the application of physical therapy activity.
The Physical Therapy intervention in hypertension will reduce the cardiovascular risk as well as to prevent possible organ damage to the targeted parts of the body. Physical Therapist’s proper measurement of blood pressure is not just the only intervention that can help the patients in regaining a better quality life. The role of the Physical Therapist is not just limited to the therapy itself, but there are intervention approaches that can help in managing cases, such as hypertension. As part of the physical therapy modification in lifestyle, such as moderate exercise will benefit the patients with hypertension (Hillman & Kravitz, n.d.). Thus, the intervention of physical therapists when it comes to physical exercise activities must be engaged with knowledge about the possible implications (Rahman & Salek, 2009). Therefore, such implications must be monitored in relation to achieving a normalized BP of a person with hypertension.
Frese, Richter, and Burlis (2002) said that there is a need for physical therapists in terms of measuring the patient’s heart rate (RT) as well as the blood pressure (BP). That is because; there are lots of cases that patients are being endorsed to physical therapists without knowing that they are at risks to other diseases due to high BP. Therefore, it is essential that the intervention of physical therapists must start with the knowledge of measuring the accurate blood pressure and heart rate of their patients. Additionally, BP and HR measurement will provide the physical therapists with information about the physiological status of the patient and the possible response to activity involved.
Conclusion
Both physical therapists and physical therapy assistants must understand the importance of proper intervention when it comes to hypertension management. There are cases that patients who need physical therapy must undergo a proper measurement of their BP and HR. In that case, both the physical therapists and the physical therapy assistants will be able to obtain the patients’ cardiovascular status before applying the therapy needed to avoid possible damage of internal organs. It is recommended that physical therapy intervention must include the proper knowledge about cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension.
References
Chobanian, A. V., Bakris, G. L., Black, H. R., Cushman, W. C., Green, L. A., Izzo, J. L., Jones, D. W. (2003). The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure: the JNC 7 Report—Correction. Journal of American Medical Association, 290(2), 197.
Ferrario, C. M., & Levy, P. (2002). Sexual Dysfunction in Patients With Hypertension: Implications for Therapy. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 4(6), 424-432.
Frese, E. M., Fick, A., & Sadowsky, H. S. (2011). Blood Pressure Measurement Guidelines for Physical Therapists. Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal, 22(2), 5-12.
Frese, E. M., Richter, R. R., & Burlis, T. V. (2002). Self-Reported Measurement of Heart Rate and Blood Pressure in Patients by Physical Therapy Clinical Instructors. Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association, 82(12), 1192-1200.
Hillman, G. C., & Kravitz, L. (n.d.). Hypertension and Exercise. Retrieved from https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/hypertension.html
Krastev, D. S., Petcov, I., Krasyev, N., Kalniev, M., & Apostolov, A. (2013). Treatment of arterial hypertension by physical methods. Journal of IMAB19, 19(1), 402-404.
Obineche, E. N. (2003). Management of hypertension: update and review. Bulletin of the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization, 2, 73-82.
Rahman, S., & Salek, A. (2009). Role of exercise as a therapeutic intervention for hypertension. University of Heart Journal, 5(1), 36-39.
