Hypertension Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hypertension - Research Paper Example Should the blood pressure hit 140/90 and above, one is considered to have hypertension. The two major classifications of hypertension are secondary and essential hypertension. Whereas essential hypertension refers to a high blood pressure case whose cause is unknown, secondary hypertension refers to high blood pressure caused by tumors, kidney disease, and birth control pills (Falvo, 2009). The essential type of hypertension has been identified to cause about 95% of all hypertension cases. That is, among the about 73 million adults in the United States suffering from hypertension, 69.35% have the essential hypertension (Falvo, 2009). Although the exact causes of hypertension are generally unknown, several risk factors have been associated with hypertension. These factors include diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, and lack of physical activity, smoking, vitamin D deficiency, stress, aging, excessive alcohol consumption, genetics, and medications such as birth control pills, obesity, and e xcessive consumption of salt. Others are chronic kidney disease and insufficient consumption of minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The symptoms of the condition are rather hard to identify and quite a big percentage of hypertension victims do not know that they have the condition. Because this ignorance about one’s hypertension status could last years and endanger lives, it is recommended that people continually go for screenings. Included in these symptoms are problems with vision, breathing problems severe headaches, fatigue or confusion, nausea, blood in the urine, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, and chest pains (Falvo, 2009). This paper explores the subject of hypertension with regards to its statistics, prevalence, psycho-social challenges, lifestyles, treatment, researches, and community programs. Statistics on Hypertension That hypertension is a major health concern in the United States is evidenced by the statistics made available by federal, state, a nd local government agents as well as private citizens, community-based groups, and non-governmental organizations. For instance, that as many as one in three American adults are at risk of contracting chronic kidney disease, stroke, and heart attack/heart failure makes them highly likely to develop hypertension as well. Evidently, hypertension prevalence is rather alarming. It has also been noted that more than half of hypertension patients have not managed to put it under control, resulting in severe health and psycho-social problems, reduced control rates, and high prevalence across the population. According to the American Society of Hypertension (ASH), more should be done regarding the establishment of educational, prevention, treatment, management and research programs to address hypertension, which has been a national health concern for quite some tine. These programs should specifically target hypertension prevention, treatment, awareness, and the reduction of hypertensionâ €™s consequences. To meet these objectives, these programs will have to initiate