ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION

Course overview

THE CURRENT DEFINITION OF HYPERTENSION (HTN) IS SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (SBP) VALUES OF 130 MM HG OR MORE AND/OR DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (DBP) OF MORE THAN 80 MM HG. HYPERTENSION RANKS AMONG THE MOST COMMON CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITION CHARACTERIZED BY A PERSISTENT ELEVATION IN ARTERIAL PRESSURE. HYPERTENSION HAS BEEN AMONG THE MOST STUDIED TOPICS OF THE PREVIOUS CENTURY AND HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT COMORBIDITIES CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STROKE, MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION, HEART FAILURE, AND RENAL FAILURE. THE DEFINITION AND CATEGORIES OF HYPERTENSION HAVE BEEN EVOLVING OVER THE YEARS, BUT THERE IS A CONSENSUS THAT PERSISTENT BP READINGS OF 140/90 MM HG OR MORE SHOULD UNDERGO TREATMENT WITH THE USUAL THERAPEUTIC TARGET OF 130/80 MM HG OR LESS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.