Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is blood pressure?
What is blood pressure?
The pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels.
What are the causes of hypertension?
What are the causes of hypertension?
Loss of elasticity due to hardening and narrowing of the arterial lumen, genetic factors, obesity, high salt intake, and stress among others.
What other conditions can hypertension lead to?
What other conditions can hypertension lead to?
Heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and eye damage.
Which of the following symptoms are associated with severe high blood pressure? (Select all that apply)
Which of the following symptoms are associated with severe high blood pressure? (Select all that apply)
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What is the threshold for diagnosing hypertension in terms of blood pressure? (Choose one)
What is the threshold for diagnosing hypertension in terms of blood pressure? (Choose one)
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What is the difference between essential and secondary hypertension?
What is the difference between essential and secondary hypertension?
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What drugs may be prescribed for hypertension management? (Select all that apply)
What drugs may be prescribed for hypertension management? (Select all that apply)
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What risk is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy due to hypertension?
What risk is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy due to hypertension?
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What can hypertension lead to concerning kidney function? (Select all that apply)
What can hypertension lead to concerning kidney function? (Select all that apply)
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Study Notes
Hypertension
- 1 in 4 adults in the UK suffer from hypertension.
- Hypertension is a sustained Systolic BP (top figure) of 140mmHg or more, or Diastolic BP (bottom figure) of 90mmHg or more
- Often caused by loss of elasticity due to hardening and narrowing of the arterial lumen (walls) due to ATHEROSCLEROSIS
- Patients may be prescribed ACE inhibitors, Beta Blockers, Calcium Channel Blockers, Diuretics
- It is a MECC opportunity for prehospital care.
Types of Hypertension
- Essential hypertension: unknown cause, develops over years, potentially genetic
- Secondary hypertension: results from disease or conditions affecting the body's balance. Examples include pregnancy, kidney disease, illicit drug use
- Malignant hypertension: Extremely high and dangerous BP (180/120 +) causing organ damage (visual disturbance, headache, confusion, kidney dysfunction)
Pathophysiology
- Sympathetic neurons act on arterioles releasing a chemical that binds to a receptor, causing smooth muscle cells to contract
- This results in vasoconstriction.
- The juxtaglomerular cells in the kidneys are also affected by the sympathetic nervous system and associate chemicals
- Renin is increased and converted to angiotensin 2 by the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), ultimately causing vasoconstriction.
Consequences of Hypertension
- Red Flag Symptoms: severe headaches, nosebleed, fatigue or confusion, vision problems, chest pain, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, blood in the urine
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Dangers of Hypertension:
- Renal disease
- Heart disease
- Vascular disease
- Cerebrovascular disease - Stroke/TIA
- Retinopathy
How Hypertension is Harmful
- Damage to blood vessel walls leading to atherosclerosis or dissection
- Aneurysms can develop and rupture under pressure causing catastrophic haemorrhages
- Nephropathy (damage to nephrons in the kidney) and reduced kidney function
- Heart valve damage
- Left ventricular Hypertrophy: thickening of the left ventricle due to extra workload, increasing the risk of heart failure
- Enlarged and overstretched cardiac muscle fibers (myocytes)
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Description
This quiz provides a comprehensive overview of hypertension, including its causes, types, and pathophysiology. Explore the distinctions between essential, secondary, and malignant hypertension, as well as the medical treatments available. Test your knowledge on key concepts related to this common health condition.
