Hypertension and Ethnicity: A Case Study

This paper analyzes a case study of a 59-year old African-American with hypertension, exploring the role of ethnicity, social determinants of health, and the significance of systolic pressure. It also discusses the type of heart failure and the mechanism of action of prescribed medications.

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Pathophysiology
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Introduction
Hypertension is also called high blood pressure (HBP) which is a medical illness
whereby blood pressure persists in the arteries in the long-term. Typically, hypertension does not
contribute to symptoms because it occurs due to underlying conditions like a kidney illness
(Cuffee et al., 2013). This condition needs to be contained to avoid other troubles such as stroke
or heart failure. Most precisely, lifestyle variables are the best methods to contain hypertension.
Therefore, this paper seeks to analyze a case about a 59-year old who suffers from hypertension.
His uppermost reading is 168/92 mm Hg which is higher than normal and it puts him at risk of
conditions such as stroke and heart attack.
Ethnicity as a Cause of Hypertension
Notably, his ethnicity as an African-American contributes to hypertension because they
are associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes and obesity. Additionally, they are sensitive
to salt and also, the eating habits play a significant role in raising his condition because he eats
nachos and hotdogs with the children which are an unhealthy diet.
Social Determinants of Health
Food is the main social determinant of wellbeing that adds to the incidence of
hypertension among African Americans as it is associated with high sodium intake (Nwabuo et
al., 2014). Moreover, most African-Americans are economically unstable thus they lack adequate
access to healthy foods hence they are highly vulnerable to hypertension.
Significance of an Elevated Systolic Pressure
Significance of eminent systolic pressure in absence of diastolic blood pressure,
pathophysiology causing high hypertension and also the ultimate occurrence of hypertension is a
significant issue of concern. This is because a normal reading of hypertension is 120/80 mm Hg.

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In case the systolic HBP exceeds 130 and the diastolic HBP is below 80 is therefore known as
isolated systolic hypertension. This kind of hypertension is usually common among elderly
persons above 65 years even though it can be detected among younger individuals. Additionally,
isolated systolic hypertension develops due to diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and artery stiffness.
Moreover, heart valve issues may contribute greatly to the prevalence of this condition (Liu,
Rodriguez & Wang, 2015).
Type of Heart Failure
In this case, the African-American is at risk of suffering from heart failure. Precisely, he
might develop an ischemic type of heart failure. Ischemic heart condition indicates that the heart
muscles lack adequate blood and in most cases, it develops due to atherosclerosis or coronary
artery condition that impedes the blood flow towards the heart (Kupper et al., 2013).
Mechanism of Action of Prescriptions
The healthcare giver recommended thiazide diuretic and also, an ACE inhibitor to the
management of HBP and they are associated with the various mechanism of action. For instance,
thiazide diuretic contains hypertension by hindering the reabsorption of sodium and chloride ions
in the kidney. On the other hand, ACE inhibitors lower hypertension by minimizing angiotensin.
It also gives the blood vessels an opportunity to widen and relax thus easier blood flow is
achieved.
Conclusion
To summarize, ethnicity plays a significant role in the prevalence of African-Americans
as mentioned in this paper. Moreover, isolated systolic hypertension puts an individual at risk of
developing Ischemic heart failure and it can be contained through thiazide diuretic and ACE
inhibitor medications.

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References
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Kupper, N., Pedersen, S. S., Höfer, S., Saner, H., Oldridge, N., & Denollet, J. (2013). Cross-
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disease: A study from the International HeartQoL Project. International journal of
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Liu, X., Rodriguez, C. J., & Wang, K. (2015). Prevalence and trends of isolated systolic
hypertension among untreated adults in the United States. Journal of the American
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Nwabuo, C. C., Dy, S. M., Weeks, K., & Young, J. H. (2014). Factors associated with
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