Each year, more than 35,000 Americans die as a direct result of hypertension. And thousands more die as a result of chronic complications that affect the coronary arteries, aorta, heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.
When atherosclerotic plaques form in the aorta and in the large and mediumsized arteries, the resulting hypertension can cause coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral vascular disease. When atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries causes hypertension, cerebral ischemia can result. And if hypertension causes the rupture of an aneurysm in a tiny cerebral artery, it can result in cerebral hemorrhage.
When hypertension affects the vessels of the eyes and kidneys, retinopathy and renal insufficiency may develop. When hypertension results in damage to the aorta’s intimal lining, it can cause an aortic dissection.
If your patient has been diagnosed with hypertension, you’ll need to teach him that he’s at risk for developing these chronic complications. You’ll also need to teach him how to prevent them and how to slow their progress.