20Sep 2024 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
How to Choose a Validated Blood Pressure Monitor and Monitor Your Blood Pressure Effectively

How to Choose a Validated Blood Pressure Monitor and Monitor Your Blood Pressure Effectively

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High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Monitoring your blood pressure at home can help you keep it under control and provide valuable information for your healthcare provider. However, the first step is choosing a reliable, validated blood pressure monitor. In this blog, we'll walk you through how to pick the right monitor and provide tips on monitoring your blood pressure accurately to take charge of your health. Why Home Blood Pressure Monitoring is Important If you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension or prehypertension, your healthcare provider may recommend that you monitor your blood pressure at home. Regular monitoring allows you to: Track your progress: You can see if lifestyle changes or medications are effectively lowering your blood pressure. Detect changes…
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29Jul 2024 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
How to Titrate Antihypertensive Medications Based on AHA Guidelines

How to Titrate Antihypertensive Medications Based on AHA Guidelines

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How to Titrate Antihypertensive Medications Based On AHA Guidelines Managing hypertension is critical for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease. Nurse practitioners (NPs) play a key role by prescribing and adjusting antihypertensive medications to ensure optimal blood pressure control with minimal side effects. This guide outlines how to effectively titrate antihypertensive medications, guided by evidence-based practices and the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines. Understanding Hypertension and Treatment Goals Hypertension is defined as a consistent blood pressure reading of 130/80 mmHg or higher. The primary goal of hypertension treatment is to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality by achieving and maintaining target blood pressure levels. According to AHA guidelines, the target for most adults is under 130/80 mmHg【1】. Initial Treatment Strategies Lifestyle Modifications Before starting…
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17Jun 2024 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
The Silent Impact: How Uncontrolled Hypertension Threatens Your Brain Health

The Silent Impact: How Uncontrolled Hypertension Threatens Your Brain Health

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Welcome to our latest blog post on a topic that’s both crucial and often overlooked: uncontrolled hypertension and its profound impact on brain health. Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, affects millions worldwide. But did you know that it’s not just a heart issue? It’s a brain issue, too, with serious implications for cognitive health. Today, we will discuss how uncontrolled hypertension can lead to cognitive decline and what you can do to protect your brain. Understanding Uncontrolled Hypertension Hypertension is often dubbed the "silent killer" for a reason. It can stealthily wreak havoc on your body without any obvious symptoms, sometimes for years. When blood pressure remains consistently high, despite treatment and lifestyle changes, it’s considered uncontrolled. This condition is alarmingly common. The World Health Organization estimates that…
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30Apr 2024 by Tonya Breaux-Shropshire
Empowering Hypertension Management: A Guide for Nurse Practitioners

Empowering Hypertension Management: A Guide for Nurse Practitioners

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By Tonya Breaux-Shropshire, PhD, DNP, MPH, FNP- As healthcare providers, nurse practitioners (NPs) hold a crucial role in supporting patients with hypertension, a condition that affects millions worldwide. In this episode, we'll explore the multifaceted approach NPs can take to empower patients in managing hypertension effectively, integrating key concepts such as the stages of change model, medication adherence, and self-blood pressure monitoring. Assessment and Education One of the foundational steps in hypertension management is thorough assessment and patient education. NPs should utilize tools like the stages of change model to gauge patients' readiness for behavior change. By understanding where patients are in their journey, NPs can tailor education and support to meet individual needs, fostering engagement and empowerment. Stages of Change Model The stages of change model, also known as…
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