Running head: IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION

Improving Care for Patients with Hypertension

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 IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION 1

Hypertension (HT) plays a significant role in the burden of heart diseases, disability,

stroke, premature mortality, and kidney failure. Hypertension is a critically modifiable risk

factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and untimely death globally. Evidence-based

practices are systematically developed to assist practitioners and patients' decisions on

appropriate healthcare. The most preferred approach focuses on helping nurses working in

diverse practice settings on how to manage hypertension. Hypertension is among the leading

causes of high mortality rates in the United States, and it affects nearly one in every three

citizens. The disease is prevalent in adults and endemic in the old adults' population and has

been established as the primary contributor to disability and morbidity. Although

hypertension can be diagnosed cheaply through a simple test, the disease is, in most cases,

undiagnosed and uncontrolled. Herein we established evidence-based practice on

hypertension care within a hospital setting.

The pathophysiology of hypertension is multifaceted and adequate research is

required to understand the underlying causes of the condition. Fluck (2015) notes that

hypertension is attributable to secondary causes like adrenal and renal diseases. The majority

of people with hypertension, however, do not have a clear identification of its purpose,

making it be referred to as essential hypertension. Several interrelated factors contribute to

increased blood pressure like; increased salt intake, insulin resistance, obesity, sympathetic

nervous system, and renin-angiotensin (Iseki, 2015). Other factors that have been evaluated

include endothelial dysfunction, genetics, low birth weight, neurovascular abnormalities, and

intrauterine nutrition.

The leadership of People and Processes

To come up with a process that will accommodate all people in improving the health

of the patient, a carefully coordinated process that combines the effort of the nurse, the

patient and family members or guardian to the patient lays a foundation for a workable
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approach. The initial step to establishing a population-based policy and system change

approach to enhance prevention and control measures for high blood pressure can be set

using high-priority areas where the nurses can focus on their effort to improve on

hypertension reduction and control (Iseki, 2015). The approach which is based on controlling

hypertension on a societal level would be set on the principals of testing, accountability, and

overhaul of systems that have not been counterproductive (Pistja & Themeli, 2018). The

approach should focus on improving the quality of care administered to the people with

hypertension and strengthening leadership in the Centre of Disease Control to focus on the

reduction of sodium intake among the American citizens.

Patient-experience improvements

The processing of control and administration of treatment to people with

hypertension should be paralleled with the global cardiovascular risk management strategy.

Patient-experience improvement starts with the realization that the power of blood pleasure is

a critical component in the antiatherosclerotic strategy for hypertension cases (Pistja &

Themeli, 2018). Another aspect that must be considered when dealing with hypertension

includes; lifestyle modification, i.e. (a) practical strategies for reducing high blood pressure,

consideration of acetylsalicylic acids and statins and a corresponding measure for, (b)

cardiovascular protection of patients with hypertension,(c) angiotensin-converting enzyme

(ACE) inhibitors for patients who have the atherosclerotic disease, and (d) Angiotensin II

Receptor Blockers (ARB) or ACE inhibitors for diabetic patients of patients with kidney

disease (Pistja & Themeli, 2018). High blood pressure can be easily treated or easily

controlled through lifestyle modifications. The patients need to realize that lifestyle change is

both important to control of blood pressure and in the management of many atherosclerotic

risk factors.
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Process improvements in quality, safety, or cost

The involvement of community-based devices in many public locations like in the errands

stores and pharmacies can help the people in the community to keep track of their blood

pressure. Process improvements in the quality, safety, or cost can be enhanced by making

available the devices for self-measurement of blood pressure since there are no specified

protocols in minimum standards for community-based evaluations of the automated machines

designed to measure the levels of blood pressure for public use (Pistja & Themeli, 2018).

Availing community-based automated devices may help an individual in the society,

especially those with other ailments like diabetes and kidney diseases, to evaluate their health

and know when and how to consult their caregivers. The provision of such devices is

accompanied by patient education.

Developing a professional product

Evidence lifestyle modification lays a foundation for antiatherosclerotic and

antihypertensive therapy. It is a combination of lifestyle intervention measures required in the

regulation of blood pressure to achieve the optimal values to moderate the risk of getting a

stroke or heart attack. Evidence lifestyle modifications, when integrated with

pharmacological therapies, are useful in the management of hypertension (Kristofer, 2018).

Some important lifestyle factors to consider include, diet, alcohol consumption, smoking,

stress, and weight because they impact of cardiovascular health and blood pressure.

According to Islam (2017), assessment and modification of these risk factors play a

significant role in reducing hypertension, in some cases, when a suitable mechanism is

chosen and established the intervention lower the blood pressure to levels equivalent to a

single dose of antihypertensive drug. To implement workable evidence of lifestyle

modification, one needs a team-based approach is required to influence and reinforce the

objectives and ensure adherence. Arguably, the nurses have a unique opportunity to assist
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patients in examining lifestyle; recognize risks and potential areas for adjustment. Nurses also

devise a focused, individualized plan and facilitate regulation of blood pressure to desired

rates.
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References

Fluck, R. J. (2015). Acute kidney. Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension, 24(6),

511-516. doi:10.1097/mnh.0000000000000168

Iseki, K. (2015). Control of hypertension and survival in hemodialysis

patients. Nephrology, 20(2), 49-54. doi:10.1111/nep.12358

Islam, M. S. (2017). Hypertension: From basic research to clinical practice. Springer.

Kristofer, A. (2018). Laughter yoga for patients with hypertension, India. Open Access

Journal of Cardiology, 2(2). doi:10.23880/oajc-16000120

Pistja, E., & Themeli, A. (2018). A2187 effectiveness of the community pharmacists

interventions in improving blood pressure levels in patients with hypertension to

improve patient self- management. Journal of Hypertension, 36, e277.

doi:10.1097/01.hjh.0000549131.51323.7f