High blood pressure is a common condition. It happens when the force the blood places on the walls of arteries is high enough to potentially cause health problems like heart disease. As a family caregiver for an older adult, you may feel like you’re pretty familiar with hypertension and how it could affect the senior’s health. However, you may not know that there is more than one kind of hypertension, which is important information since it can affect how the condition is treated. Below are 4 kinds of hypertension that may affect senior citizens.
#1: Essential Hypertension
About 90 percent of high blood pressure cases are classified as essential hypertension. With this kind, doctors are unable to identify a cause for the problem. Instead, it probably happens because of a combination of things, such as getting older, obesity, and a diet high in sodium. Doctors diagnose this kind of high blood pressure when the patient has high readings on three or more visits and there is no underlying cause.
#2: Secondary Hypertension
Secondary hypertension is caused by another medical condition. It usually comes on more quickly and results in higher blood pressure than essential hypertension does. Some things that can lead to secondary hypertension include:
People with “white coat” hypertension have higher readings only when they are in a medical setting. It’s brought on by a feeling of anxiousness. Sometimes blood pressure goes down after the person has been in the office for a while and gotten more relaxed. Or, they may have lower readings when they check at home.
#4: Resistant Hypertension
Resistant hypertension is hypertension that remains high even when the older adult is being treated with three or more kinds of blood pressure medicine. It happens in between 20 and 30 percent of high blood pressure cases. Experts believe there may be a genetic component to such cases. It is more common in people who are obese, female, older, or African American. It also happens more often in people who have another condition, such as diabetes or kidney disease.
If your aging relative has high blood pressure, elderly care can help them to manage the condition. Elderly care providers can remind seniors to take blood pressure medications. An elderly care provider can also cook heart healthy meals that are low in sodium for the older adult. And, an elderly care provider can assist them to check their blood pressure at home.
Sources
https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/heart-health/the-multiple-forms-of-hypertension/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/hypertension/understanding/types-of-hypertension.aspx
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING HIRING ELDERLY CARE IN HYDE PARK, IL, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT BRIGHTSTAR CARE CHICAGO. CALL TODAY: 312.382.8888.
#1: Essential Hypertension
About 90 percent of high blood pressure cases are classified as essential hypertension. With this kind, doctors are unable to identify a cause for the problem. Instead, it probably happens because of a combination of things, such as getting older, obesity, and a diet high in sodium. Doctors diagnose this kind of high blood pressure when the patient has high readings on three or more visits and there is no underlying cause.
#2: Secondary Hypertension
Secondary hypertension is caused by another medical condition. It usually comes on more quickly and results in higher blood pressure than essential hypertension does. Some things that can lead to secondary hypertension include:
- Kidney problems.
- Tumors on the adrenal glands.
- Sleep apnea.
- Thyroid conditions.
- Congenital defects in blood vessels.
- Certain medications.
People with “white coat” hypertension have higher readings only when they are in a medical setting. It’s brought on by a feeling of anxiousness. Sometimes blood pressure goes down after the person has been in the office for a while and gotten more relaxed. Or, they may have lower readings when they check at home.
#4: Resistant Hypertension
Resistant hypertension is hypertension that remains high even when the older adult is being treated with three or more kinds of blood pressure medicine. It happens in between 20 and 30 percent of high blood pressure cases. Experts believe there may be a genetic component to such cases. It is more common in people who are obese, female, older, or African American. It also happens more often in people who have another condition, such as diabetes or kidney disease.
If your aging relative has high blood pressure, elderly care can help them to manage the condition. Elderly care providers can remind seniors to take blood pressure medications. An elderly care provider can also cook heart healthy meals that are low in sodium for the older adult. And, an elderly care provider can assist them to check their blood pressure at home.
Sources
https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/heart-health/the-multiple-forms-of-hypertension/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/hypertension/understanding/types-of-hypertension.aspx
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING HIRING ELDERLY CARE IN HYDE PARK, IL, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT BRIGHTSTAR CARE CHICAGO. CALL TODAY: 312.382.8888.