Elevated Diastolic Blood Pressure Among Adults in Butajira, Research Paper Example

Hypertension has been documented as one of the most common diseases worldwide afflicting humans. The disease is also associated with significant importance due to the challenges it posses to public heath because of the associated morbidity and mortality. Additionally, the cost that is associated with the disease to the general society is also significant. Much awareness is therefore crucial in this field so as to create sufficient knowledge of managing the condition. Although researchers have expressed great interest in this subject, a knowledge gap still exists and thus much is needed in terms of research in this subject.

Over the past decades, there has been a decrease in mortality and morbidity rates from the multiple organ damage arising from years of untreated hypertension. As a result of the efforts that have been made in widespread research, extensive patient education, and a combined effort on the part of health care professionals, significant gains have been made. It is the most important modifiable risk factor for coronary diseases of the heart, stroke, the congestive breakdown of the heart, end-stage renal illnesses, as well as peripheral vascular illnesses.

Hypertension has also been documented as a one of the killer diseases especially in America that manifests as stroke. The chances of death attributed to hypertension are higher among the aged people as compared to the young. The age factor is therefore very crucial in determining the people with the highest risk factors of hypertension. The knowledge of issues related to hypertension and age factor is very important to the health professional in their efforts of promoting a healthy lifestyle as well as preventive strategies to lower the prevalence of hypertension in old people as well as the general population and identify and treat patients with hypertension.

Available statistics indicate that, chances of hypertension increase with the age of the patient. Approximately 65 % of older people in America, over 60 years of age, suffer from hypertension. In these cases, the most prevalent type of hypertension is the Isolated Systolic Hypertension, ISH (Getahun, Gedif, Tesfaye & Regular, 2010). Isolated Systolic Hypertension has been noted to rise in the situation that the top number raises. Approximately two thirds of older people above the age of 60 years suffer from Isolated Systolic Hypertension. However, hypertension is not necessarily a routine in the process of aging. It is however recommended that, individuals embrace constructive measures of maintaining blood pressure within the normal range.

Although hypertension is common among the older people, children and teens as well are suffering from the disease. This situation is attributed to high cases of obesity as well as overweight. The youth of Mexican American as well as African Americans are more vulnerable to hypertension as compared to the Caucasian youth. Additionally, boys are more predisposed to hypertension relative to girls. It is therefore prudent to consider accessional checks for hypertension for the obese and overweight children.

All the same, age is a critical factor that influences the onset of hypertension. With aging, the systolic pressure tends to rise while the diastolic tends to decline. In the aged the blood pressure tends to rise above the normal adult range. This is attributed to reduced arterial flexibility and variations in individual’s blood pressure due to physical exercise, emotional responses, sleep, metabolic rate, as well as time of day. Hypertension manifests as either essential or secondary. Essential hypertension can be detected in the absence of an identifiable secondary cause. Approximately 95% of American adults have essential type of hypertension and secondary hypertension has been identified to accounts for less than 5% of the cases (Getahun, Gedif, Tesfaye & Regular, 2010).
Reference

Getahun, W., Gedif, T., Tesfaye, F. & Regular Khat (2010). Chewing is associated with elevated diastolic blood pressure among adults in Butajira, Ethiopia: A comparative study. BMC Public Health 10: article 390.