Heart disease and stroke are proven to be the first and fifth leading causes of death in America. At the same time, older people with hypertension have a high risk for both.
Despite advanced therapies and improved methods for controlling blood pressure inside, the statistics say otherwise.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three older Americans has high blood pressure. More than 29% of the adult population, namely 77 million people, suffer from hypertension. Even optimistic forecasts indicate that the number of developing hypertension cases in the adult population will continue to grow from year to year.
Tips How to Care for A Patient with High Blood Pressure
Hypertension very often can be asymptomatic and remain unrecognized. Some people find out about high blood pressure problems only when they get a yearly checkup.
High blood pressure can also be a consequence of diabetes. Therefore, if your patient suffers from high sugar levels, then this may also cause further hypertension.
Here are some of the main factors that can also cause high blood pressure:
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Low potassium and high sodium diet
- High-stress levels
Old age is also often a contributing factor to the onset of high blood pressure. Therefore, if you are caring for a patient with hypertension, use the following tips in your daily care:
- Check the patient’s blood pressure systematically, especially after taking medication
- Read medication prescriptions carefully and avoid drugs that can cause high blood pressure
- If high blood pressure persists for a long time, then be sure to consult a doctor for advice
- Ensure that a patient’s daily diet does not contain foods that could cause high blood pressure (meats, sausage, bacon, and ham).
Encourage Your Patient to Make Key Lifestyle Changes
Try to emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle and change it for the better. This is one of the most effective ways to help patients with hypertension. A properly selected diet and a healthy lifestyle can significantly increase the effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs.
Here are some fundamental changes you can advise your patient:
- Encourage the older person to eat a heart-healthy diet
- Take care to reduce the salt in the patient’s diet
- Advice to increase physical activity
- Advise the patient to stop smoking and drinking alcohol
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