Diagnosis and management
of Hypertension
Hypertension is defined as persistent
elevation of the blood pressure in the
systemic arterial circulation
Types of hypertension
• Essential hypertension
– 95%
– No underlying cause
• Secondary hypertension
– Underlying cause
Causes of
Secondary Hypertension
• Common
– Renal parenchymal Diseases
– Renovascular Hypertension
– Mineralocorticoid excess/hyper
Aldosteronism
– Obstructive sleep apnea
• Uncommon
– Pheochromocytoma
– Glucocorticoid excess/ Cushing’s
disease
– Coarctation of Aorta
– Hyper/hypothyroidism
Blood Pressure
Classification
BP SBP DBP
Classification mmHg mmHg
Normal <130 and <80
Prehypertension 130–139 or 80–89
Stage 1 140–159 or 90–99
Hypertension
Stage 2 >160 or >100
Hypertension
Hypertension:
Predisposing factors
• Advancing Age
• Sex (men and postmenopausal women)
• Family history of cardiovascular disease
• Sedentary life style & psycho-social stress
• Smoking ,High cholesterol diet, Low fruit
consumption
• Obesity & wt. gain
• Co-existing disorders such as diabetes, and
hyperlipidemia
• High intake of alcohol
Diseases Attributable to
Hypertension
Heart Left Ventricular
Gangrene of the
Failure Hypertrophy Myocardial
Lower Extremities
Infarction
Aortic Coronary Heart
Aneurym Disease
HYPERTENSION
Hypertensive
Blindness encephalopathy
Chronic Cerebral
Stroke Preeclampsia/ Hemorrhage
Kidney
Eclampsia
Failure
Adapted from Dustan HP et al. Arch Intern Med. 1996; 156: 1926-1935
Target Organ Damage
Heart
• Left ventricular hypertrophy
• Angina or myocardial infarction
• Heart failure
Brain
• Stroke or transient ischemic attack
Chronic kidney disease
Peripheral arterial disease
Retinopathy
Clinical manifestations
• No specific complains or manifestations other than
elevated systolic and/or diastolic BP (Silent
Killer )
• Morning occipital headache
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• In severe hypertension, epistaxis or blurred vision
Self-Measurement of BP
Provides information on:
1. Response to antihypertensive therapy
2. Improving adherence with therapy
3. Evaluating white-coat HTN
Home measurement of >135/85 mmHg is generally
considered to be hypertensive.
Home measurement devices should be checked regularly.
Measuring
Blood Pressure
• Patient seated quietly for at least
5minutes in a chair, with feet on the
floor and arm supported at heart
level
•An appropriate-sized cuff (cuff bladder encircling at least
80% of the arm)
•At least 2 measurements
•Ambulatory BP Monitoring - information about BP during daily
activities and sleep.
Treatment Overview
Goals of therapy
Lifestyle modification
Pharmacologic treatment
Algorithm for treatment of hypertension
Follow up and monitoring
Goals of Therapy
Reduce Cardiac and renal morbidity and mortality.
Treat to BP <140/90 mmHg or BP <130/80 mmHg in
patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
Non pharmacological
Treatment of hypertension
DASH
diet
Regular exercise
Loose weight , if obese
Reduce salt and high fat diets
Avoid harmful habits ,smoking ,alcohal
Life style modifications
• Lose weight, if overweight
• Increase physical activity
• Reduce salt intake
• Stop smoking
• Limit intake of foods rich in fats and
cholesterol
• increase consumption of fruits and
vegetables
• Limit alcohol intake
Antihypertensive Drugs
AT1 receptor
ARB Continue….
Drug therapy for hypertension
Class of drug Example Initiating dose Usual maintenance
dose
Diuretics Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg o.d. 12.5-25 mg o.d.
-blockers Atenolol 25-50 mg o.d. 50-100 mg o.d.
Calcium Amlodipine 2.5-5 mg o.d. 5-10 mg o.d.
channel
blockers
-blockers prazosin 2.5 mg o.d 2.5-10mg o.d.
ACE- inhibitors ramipril 1.25-5 mg o.d. 5-20 mg o.d.
Angiotensin-II Losartan 25-50 mg o.d. 50-100 mg o.d.
receptor blockers
Diuretics
Example: Hydrochlorothiazide
• Act by decreasing blood volume and cardiac output
• Decrease peripheral resistance during chronic therapy
• Drugs of choice in elderly hypertensives
Side effects-
• Hypokalaemia
• Hyponatraemia
• Hyperlipidaemia
• Hyperuricaemia (hence contraindicated in gout)
• Hyperglycaemia (hence not safe in diabetes)
• Not safe in renal and hepatic insufficiency
Beta blockers
Example: Atenolol, Metoprolol, nebivolol,
• Block 1 receptors on the heart
• Block 2 receptors on kidney and inhibit release of renin
• Decrease rate and force of contraction and thus reduce
cardiac output
• Drugs of choice in patients with co-existent coronary
heart disease
Side effects-
• lethargy, impotency, bradycardia
• Not safe in patients with co-existing asthma and
diabetes
• Have an adverse effect on the lipid profile
Calcium channel blockers
Example: Amlodipine
• Block entry of calcium through calcium channels
• Cause vasodilation and reduce peripheral
resistance
• Drugs of choice in elderly hypertensives and
those with co-existing asthma
• Neutral effect on glucose and lipid levels
Side effects
Flushing, headache, Pedal edema
ACE inhibitors
Example: Ramipril, Lisinopril, Enalapril
• Inhibit ACE and formation of angiotensin II
and block its effects
• Drugs of choice in co-existent diabetes
mellitus, Heart failure
Side effects-
dry cough, hypotension, angioedema
Angiotensin II receptor
blockers
Example: Losartan
• Block the angiotensin II receptor and
inhibit effects of angiotensin II
• Drugs of choice in patients with co-
existing diabetes mellitus
Side effects-
safer than ACEI, hypotension,
Alpha blockers
Example: prazosin
• Block -1 receptors and cause vasodilation
• Reduce peripheral resistance and venous
return
• Exert beneficial effects on lipids and insulin
sensitivity
• Drugs of choice in patients with co-existing
BPH
Side effects-
Postural hypotension,
Condition Preferred Drugs
• Pregnancy • Nifedipine, labetalol,
hydralazine, beta-blockers,
methyldopa, prazosin
• Coronary heart disease • Beta-blockers, ACE
inhibitors, Calcium channel
blockers
• ACE inhibitors,
• Congestive heart failure
beta-blockers
1999 WHO-ISH guidelines
Causes of
Resistant Hypertension
Improper BP measurement
Excess sodium intake
Inadequate diuretic therapy
Medication
• Inadequate doses
• Drug actions and interactions (e.g., (NSAIDs), illicit drugs,
sympathomimetics, OCP)
• Over-the-counter drugs and some herbal supplements
Excess alcohol intake
Identifiable causes of HTN
Summary
• Hypertension is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and
needs to be treated
• It is an extremely common condition; however it is still under-
diagnosed and undertreated
• Hypertension is easy to diagnose and easy to treat
• Aim of the management is to save the target organ from the
deleterious effect
• Besides pharmacology we have other choices and one has to be
acquainted with that choice
• Life style modification should always be encouraged in all
Hypertensive patients
Thank you
