General Description Of Hypertensive Heart Disease

General Description Hypertensive heart disease is a term applied to heart conditions caused by high blood pressure. Some of these conditions include coronary artery disease, hypertrophy (or thickening of the heart muscle), and heart failure. (U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d.) High blood pressure indicates that the pressure exerted on the inside of blood vessels by blood flow is excessive. This can lead to thickening of blood vessel walls, and when combined with cholesterol deposits, can lead to a myocardial infarction (heart attack), or stroke. When pressure in the arteries is too high, the heart must work harder to overcome the pressure. Thickening of the heart muscle can result if the heart is exposed to high blood pressure over†¦show more content†¦(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.) The following evaluation was performed on a patient displaying the classic signs and symptoms of an individual with complications from hypertension. Patient X Patient X (a 45 year old male) came into my office today experiencing reoccurring chest and neck pain, accompanied with fatigue, loss of appetite, and the general feeling of malaise. These symptoms are possible signs of a heart issue, but a deeper look into the patient’s medical history and further testing will be needed to develop an accurate diagnosis. Etiology The patient’s medical history indicates factors that could predispose him to developing a heart condition. These factors include a family history of heart disease, being moderately overweight, and maintaining a sedentary lifestyle. Furthermore, the patient admits to a high cholesterol and high sodium diet with little to no fruit or vegetable consumption. A routine physical examination approximately 3 years prior to the patient’s current visit indicated elevated blood pressure levels. Patient X was prescribed Lisinopril (an angiotensin-converting enzyme [ace] inhibitor that widens the blood vessels to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, and decrease the heart’s workload) (Mayo Clinic, 2015), and advised to modify his diet and begin a regular exercise program. In addition to not changing his diet or attempted any form of exercise, Patient X also routinely forgets to