Hypertension and cardiovascular disease | T&F

Stage 1 hypertension is defined as having blood pressure above 140/90mmHg (according to 2018 European Society of Hypertension – European Society of Cardiology classification of BP).

QRISK3 is a well-established online calculator, created by doctors to calculate a person’s percentage 10-year risk of hypertension.

In most cases of hypertension, it can be cured by medication and lifestyle changes?

In relation to treatment, a combination of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and an angiotensin 11 receptor blocker (ARB) are frequently used together as a treatment for hypertension.

Beta-blockers are no longer a first-line recommended treatment for hypertension, as they carry a high risk of provoking type two diabetes.

In relation to diagnosing hypertension, home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) is the preferred method over ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM).

According to NICE 2019, evidence suggests that people with diabetes should have a blood pressure of less than 130/80mmHg, which is a lower target than people who do not have diabetes.

When choosing an antihypertensive medication for black African or African- Caribbean adults, consider an angiotensin-11 receptor antagonists (ARB), in preference to an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor (Ref: MHRA drug safety)

Antacids like Gaviscon can cause fluid retention and can reduce the effects of medication. A suitable recommendation for a person with hypertension would be Maalox as opposed to Gaviscon.

90-to-95 per cent of the causes of hypertension are unknown (ie, primary hypertension). Secondary hypertension is counted as the 5-to-10 per cent that is known, ie, kidney disease.