Management Of Hypertension Research Articles

Nurse-led digital health program for home blood pressure monitoring in stroke patients: protocol for a pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials

BackgroundHypertension is a major risk factor for stroke recurrence in stroke patients. Home blood pressure monitoring, facilitated by digital health technologies and led by nurses, may improve blood pressure control in this high-risk population. However, the evidence is not yet conclusive. This study protocol outlines a pooled analysis of the current literatures to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-led digital health programs for home blood pressure monitoring in stroke patients.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a comprehensive search of some major electronic databases (e.g., PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL) and trial registries for randomized controlled trials evaluating nurse-led digital health programs for home blood pressure monitoring in stroke patients. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts, review full-text articles, extract data, and assess risk of bias using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2.0). The primary outcome measures will be changes in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure from baseline to the end of the intervention period. Secondary outcomes include adherence to the program, patient satisfaction, and stroke recurrence. Data will be pooled and analyzed using meta-analysis techniques, if appropriate.DiscussionThis study will provide comprehensive evidence on the effectiveness of nurse-led digital health programs for home blood pressure monitoring in stroke patients. The findings could have substantial implications for clinical practice and health policy, potentially informing the development of guidelines and policies related to hypertension management and stroke prevention.ConclusionBy pooling the results of randomized controlled trials, this study will offer a robust evidence base to inform clinical practice and health policy in the context of stroke patients. Despite potential limitations such as heterogeneity among studies and risk of publication bias, the rigorous methodology and comprehensive approach to data synthesis will ensure the reliability and validity of the findings. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and potentially at relevant conferences.Registration DOIhttps://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/59XQA.

The role of community health workers in the management of hypertension in Nigeria

BackgroundHypertension is the number one risk factor for cardiovascular death worldwide and its prevalence has been on the increase in LMICs including Nigeria. There is an increasing awareness and recognition of the contributions of the community health workers (CHWs) in the healthcare system. This study assessed their current role in the management of hypertension and patient satisfaction with the care received.MethodsA mixed method study (cross-sectional study of 381 CHWs and key informant interview of 14 patients with hypertension selected using multi-stage and purposive sampling respectively) was conducted across five states in different geopolitical zones of Nigeria to assess the role of CHWs in hypertension management and the patients’ level of satisfaction with services of CHWs. Chi-square test was used to assess relationship between categorical variables. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Thematic analysis of the text data from the KII was done using Nvivo® version 12 pro.ResultsA total of 381 CHWs completed the study. They were predominantly males (63%) with mean age of 40.96 ± 12.51 years. Only about one-third of the CHWs (31%) could correctly diagnose hypertension while only 15% knew the base-line investigations to be requested. Being female (FE = 9.205, p = 0.008) and resident in northwest geopolitical region (χ2 = 20.920, p < 0.001) had statistically significant associations with appropriate diagnostic skills for hypertension. Being supervised by doctors was associated with appropriate knowledge of baseline investigations for hypertension (χ2 = 5.534, p = 0.019). Mostly, hypertensive patients reported positive experiences and satisfaction with the services provided by the CHWs.ConclusionsCommunity health workers currently have critical contributions in the management of hypertension in Nigeria. Hypertensive patients generally reported satisfactory experience with CHWs managing them. The services rendered by CHWs can be improved upon by adequate supervision and training.

Early Experience with Surgical Management of Non-Cirrhotic Portal Hypertension in Nigeria: Report from a Single Centre

Early Experience with Surgical Management of Non-Cirrhotic Portal Hypertension in Nigeria: Report from a Single Centre

Hypertension management and outcomes during the covid-19 pandemic: diagnosis, blood pressure telemonitoring use and mortality

Abstract Introduction The effects of COVID-19 on people with hypertension are poorly understood, but potentially severe both due to increased risk of cardiovascular events post covid (1) and by altering the way people accessed healthcare (2). This study aimed to explore the immediate impact of COVID-19 on the hypertensive population in Scotland. Methods The study used linked routine clinical data. Hypertensive patients from five NHS Scotland Health Boards were identified through the Prescribing Information System (PIS) between March 2019 and February 2021. Linked data included Blood Pressure (BP) telemonitoring data from the Connect Me BP service, outcome data (cardiovascular events and mortality) from Scottish Morbidity Records, and National Records of Scotland COVID-19 testing and vaccination records from Public Health Scotland (PHS). Follow up was until February 2022. EDRIS, the research arm of PHS, linked and pseudonymised the data and transferred it to the secure national safe haven analysis platform for access by the research team. The study was approved by the Public Benefit and Privacy Panel for Health and Social Care. Results Almost 450,000 people with hypertension were identified across the whole adult age range, 52% male. Of those, 89% had been diagnosed prior to the study. New diagnoses dropped by over 50% during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of long term BP telemonitoring increased rapidly during the pandemic from 5000 to over 10,000. Overall mortality was over 8%. Mortality rates showed a similar pattern to the general population during the pandemic and remained above pre-pandemic levels until the end of the follow up period in February 2022. Discussion BP telemonitoring supported healthcare delivery at a time when normal services were severely disrupted due to COVID-19. However the data suggests that there may be an increase in the number of people with undiagnosed hypertension with associated raised cardiovascular risk. Mortality in this population was increased by the COVID-19 pandemic and remained above pre-pandemic levels.

Transforming Hypertension Diagnosis and Management in The Era of Artificial Intelligence: A 2023 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Workshop Report.

Hypertension is among the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. The artificial intelligence (AI) field is advancing quickly, and there has been little discussion on how AI could be leveraged for improving the diagnosis and management of hypertension. AI technologies, including machine learning tools, could alter the way we diagnose and manage hypertension, with potential impacts for improving individual and population health. The development of successful AI tools in public health and health care systems requires diverse types of expertise with collaborative relationships between clinicians, engineers, and data scientists. Unbiased data sources, management, and analyses remain a foundational challenge. From a diagnostic standpoint, machine learning tools may improve the measurement of blood pressure and be useful in the prediction of incident hypertension. To advance the management of hypertension, machine learning tools may be useful to find personalized treatments for patients using analytics to predict response to antihypertension medications and the risk for hypertension-related complications. However, there are real-world implementation challenges to using AI tools in hypertension. Herein, we summarize key findings from a diverse group of stakeholders who participated in a workshop held by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in March 2023. Workshop participants presented information on communication gaps between clinical medicine, data science, and engineering in health care; novel approaches to estimating BP, hypertension risk, and BP control; and real-world implementation challenges and issues.

Implementation of an interprofessional model for the management of postpartum hypertension.

In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Postpartum hypertension (PPHTN) poses increased risks, including of stroke. Timely assessment and management by clinicians is imperative but challenging. Team-based care involving pharmacists has shown promise in improving blood pressure control, yet its application in PPHTN management remains unexplored. The objective of this study was to determine the impact and feasibility of an interprofessional model for PPHTN management. This initiative implemented a novel interprofessional model at a safety-net hospital to address previous workflow limitations. Ambulatory care pharmacists collaborated with an obstetric nurse (OBRN) and a maternal fetal medicine specialist to manage high-risk patients with PPHTN utilizing electronic consults (e-consults). Data collection and symptom assessment were completed by an OBRN via telemedicine appointments. Pharmacists employed a collaborative practice agreement based on a preestablished algorithm to initiate medications. Data on patient demographics, consult volume, prescriptions, and pharmacist comfort were collected during the first quarter of full integration. Pharmacists completed 55 e-consults and generated 54 prescriptions. The average time spent per chart review was 12.5 minutes, and the average time to completion of e-consults was 54 minutes. Forty-five unique patients received care, who were primarily non-English-speaking and non-Hispanic Black patients. Pharmacists reported moderate to high comfort levels in managing PPHTN based on the algorithm and provided feedback leading to workflow adjustments. Integration of pharmacists into PPHTN care enables prompt medication initiation and titration. This innovative model, involving remote blood pressure monitoring, telemedicine visits with an OBRN, and e-consults completed by pharmacists, ensures delivery of timely and equitable care and improved access across a diverse population.

SLCO1B1 and ABCG2 genotype-informed phenotypes are related to variation in ramipril exposure.

Ramipril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor used for hypertension and heart failure management. To date, scarce literature is available on pharmacogenetic associations affecting ramipril. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of 120 genetic variants in 34 pharmacogenes (i.e., genes encoding for enzymes like CYPs or UGTs and transporters like ABC or SLC) on ramipril pharmacokinetic variability and adverse drug reaction (ADR) incidence. Twenty-nine healthy volunteers who had participated in a single-dose bioequivalence clinical trial of two formulations of ramipril were recruited. A univariate and multivariate analysis searching for associations between genetic variants and ramipril pharmacokinetics was performed. SLCO1B1 and ABCG2 genotype-informed phenotypes strongly predicted ramipril exposure. Volunteers with the SLCO1B1 decreased function (DF) phenotype presented around 1.7-fold higher dose/weight-corrected area under the curve (AUC/DW) than volunteers with the normal function (NF) phenotype (univariate p-value [puv] <0.001, multivariate p-value [pmv] <0.001, β =0.533, R2=0.648). Similarly, volunteers with ABCG2 DF + poor function (PF) phenotypes presented around 1.6-fold higher AUC/DW than those with the NF phenotype (puv=0.011, pmv<0.001, β =0.259, R2=0.648). Our results suggest that SLCO1B1 and ABCG2 are important transporters to ramipril pharmacokinetics, and their genetic variation strongly alters its pharmacokinetics. Further studies are required to confirm these associations and their clinical relevance.

Brief Review and Primer of Key Terminology for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Hypertension.

Recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) have caught the attention of many fields, including health care. The vision for AI is that a computer model can process information and provide output that is indistinguishable from that of a human and, in specific repetitive tasks, outperform a human's capability. The 2 critical underlying technologies in AI are used for supervised and unsupervised machine learning. Machine learning uses neural networks and deep learning modeled after the human brain from structured or unstructured data sets to learn, make decisions, and continuously improve the model. Natural language processing, used for supervised learning, is understanding, interpreting, and generating information using human language in chatbots and generative and conversational AI. These breakthroughs result from increased computing power and access to large data sets, setting the stage for releasing large language models, such as ChatGPT and others, and new imaging models using computer vision. Hypertension management involves using blood pressure and other biometric data from connected devices and generative AI to communicate with patients and health care professionals. AI can potentially improve hypertension diagnosis and treatment through remote patient monitoring and digital therapeutics.

Blood pressure time at target and its prognostic value for cardiovascular outcomes: a scoping review.

The proportion of time that blood pressure (BP) readings are at treatment target levels, commonly referred to as time at target or time in therapeutic range (BP-TTR), is emerging as a useful measure for evaluating hypertension management effectiveness and assessing longitudinal BP control. However, method of determination for BP-TTR differs across studies. This review identifies variations in BP-TTR determination methodologies and its potential prognostic value for cardiovascular outcomes. Following PRISMA extension for scoping reviews guidelines, literature was systematically searched in Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL. Relevant clinical trials, observational studies, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, and systematic reviews published in English were screened. Of 369 articles identified, 17 articles were included. Studies differed in the BP targets used (e.g., BP < 140/90 mmHg or 130/80 mmHg; systolic BP within 110-130 mmHg or 120-140 mmHg), BP-TTR measurement duration (range 24 h to 15 years), and calculation method (linear interpolation method, n = 12 [71%]; proportion of BP readings at target, n = 5 [29%]). Regardless of method, studies consistently demonstrated that higher BP-TTR was associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular outcomes. Six of eight studies found the association was independent of mean achieved BP or last measured BP. Despite variation in methods of BP-TTR determination, these studies demonstrated the potential prognostic value of BP-TTR for cardiovascular outcomes beyond current BP control measures. We recommend standardization of BP-TTR methodology, with preference for linear interpolation method when BP measurements are few or less frequent, and proportion of BP readings method when large number of BP readings are available.

The Role of Oxidative Stress in Hypertension: The Insight into Antihypertensive Properties of Vitamins A, C and E

Hypertension stands as a pervasive global health challenge, contributing significantly to mortality rates worldwide. Various factors, including lifestyle choices and dietary habits, contribute to the development of hypertension. In recent years, oxidative stress has garnered significant attention as a factor influencing hypertension risk, prompting a shift in research focus towards exploring it as a potential target for prevention and treatment. Antioxidants found in our diet, such as vitamins C, E and carotenoids exhibit the ability to neutralize reactive oxygen species, thereby mitigating oxidative stress. In addition, Vitamin A has an antioxidant effect despite not being an antioxidant itself. Consequently, supplementation or increased intake of these antioxidants has been hypothesized to potentially lower blood pressure levels and aid in the management of hypertension, thereby potentially prolonging life expectancy. Research findings regarding this effect have been diverse. This paper examines the existing literature demonstrating favorable outcomes associated with antioxidant supplementation.

Analytical quality by design approach to develop an eco-friendly RP-HPLC method for estimation of irbesartan in chitosan polymeric nanoparticles: forced degradation studies and assessment of in vitro release mathematical modelling.

Irbesartan is an angiotensin converting enzyme blocker, primarily utilized for the management of hypertension and the mitigation of diabetic nephropathy progression. The present study introduces rapid, robust and environmentally sustainable reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) validated under the analytical quality by design (AQbD) framework according to ICH guidelines. Utilizing a central composite design, the method's systemic optimization was achieved, ensuring reproducibility and accuracy. Chromatographic separation was accomplished utilizing an ethanol and sodium acetate buffer (60 : 40 v/v) isocratic mobile phase system on a zorbax sb C18 column, with a flow rate of at 0.6 mL min-1. Studies on forced degradation outlined stability of irbesartan and its degradation processes, enhancing our understanding of its chemical robustness under varied conditions. Complementing the green chemistry paradigm, the method's environmental impact was critically assessed, affirming its alignment with sustainability objectives. The validated method proved pivotal in determining the percent entrapment and loading efficiency of the formulated nanoparticles and holds potential for application in biological matrices. Furthermore, the encapsulation of IRB within chitosan nanoparticles was explored to assess release kinetics and enhance bioavailability. This study not only advances the analytical sciences by merging eco-friendly practices with method development but also broadens the applicative landscape of HPLC methodologies in drug delivery research.

Multiethnic Perspectives of Shared Decision-Making in Hypertension: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Shared decision-making (SDM) has the potential to improve hypertension care quality and equity. However, research lacks diverse representation and evidence about how race and ethnicity affect SDM. Therefore, this study aims to explore SDM in the context of hypertension management. Explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. Quantitative data were sourced at baseline and 12-month follow up from RICH LIFE (Reducing Inequities in Care of Hypertension: Lifestyle Improvement for Everyone) participants (n=1212) with hypertension. Qualitative data were collected from semistructured individual interviews, at 12-month follow-up, with participants (n=36) selected based on their SDM scores and blood pressure outcome. Patients were cross- categorized based on high or low SDM scores and systolic blood pressure reduction of ≥10 or <10 mm Hg. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that predictors of SDM scores and blood pressure outcome were race and ethnicity (relative risk ratio [RRR], 1.64; P=0.029), age (RRR, 1.03; P=0.002), educational level (RRR, 1.87; P=0.016), patient activation (RRR, 0.98; P<0.001; RRR, 0.99; P=0.039), and hypertension knowledge (RRR, 2.2; P<0.001; and RRR, 1.57; P=0.045). Qualitative and mixed-methods findings highlight that provider-patient communication and relationship influenced SDM, being emphasized both as facilitators and barriers. Other facilitators were patients' understanding of hypertension; clinicians' interest in the patient, and clinicians' personality and attitudes; and barriers included perceived lack of compassion, relationship hierarchy, and time constraints. Participants with different SDM scores and blood pressure outcomes varied in determinants of decision and descriptions of contextual factors influencing SDM. Results provide actionable information, are novel, and expand our understanding of factors influencing SDM in hypertension.

A novel cuffless blood pressure monitoring device in hypertension care

Background: Hypertension management is challenged by the dynamic nature of blood pressure (BP) fluctuations. These fluctuations are influenced by factors such as physical activity, emotional changes, and sleep patterns. Traditional guidelines focus on static measurements taken in clinical settings. However, these readings may not accurately represent an individual’s typical BP levels. This approach can lead to misdiagnoses, such as white coat or masked hypertension, resulting in either unnecessary treatment or missed diagnoses.Current Concepts: Recent global hypertension guidelines emphasize the importance of home BP monitoring and 24-hour ambulatory BP measurements for more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans. However, several barriers exist, such as the high cost of ambulatory BP devices and practical challenges associated with home BP monitoring, which limit their widespread utilization. Despite these challenges, integrating BP measurements into mobile devices offers a promising approach to monitoring BP outside the clinical setting. Various innovative approaches have been developed, including smartwatches utilizing photoplethysmography sensors and machine learning algorithms. However, their accuracy and the need for periodic calibration are areas of concern.Discussion and Conclusion: Mobile device BP monitoring represents a significant advancement in hypertension management, offering the potential for continuous, convenient, and less intrusive monitoring. Despite these potential benefits, challenges such as device accuracy verification, large-scale data interpretation, and calibration must be addressed. The future of hypertension management will likely rely on these technologies, along with traditional methods, to provide better insight into individual BP profiles. This integration promises to improve hypertension diagnosis, management, and ultimately patient outcomes, although further research and development are necessary to overcome the current limitations.

Transforming Healthcare: The AI Revolution in the Comprehensive Care of Hypertension

This review explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in hypertension care, summarizing and analyzing published works from the last three years in this field. Hypertension contributes to a significant healthcare burden both at an individual and global level. We focus on five key areas: risk prediction, diagnosis, education, monitoring, and management of hypertension, supplemented with a brief look into the works on hypertensive disease of pregnancy. For each area, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of integrating AI. While AI, in its current rudimentary form, cannot replace sound clinical judgment, it can still enhance faster diagnosis, education, prevention, and management. The integration of AI in healthcare is poised to revolutionize hypertension care, although careful implementation and ongoing research are essential to mitigate risks.

Adherence to guideline-recommended care of late-onset hypertension in females versus males: A population-based cohort study.

Sex-based disparities in cardiovascular outcomes may be improved with appropriate hypertension management. To compare the evidence-based evaluation and management of females with late-onset hypertension compared to males in the contemporary era. Design: Retrospective population-based cohort study. Ontario, Canada. Residents aged ≥66 years with newly diagnosed hypertension between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2017. Sex (female vs. male). We used Poisson and logistic regression to estimate adjusted sex-attributable differences in the performance of guideline-recommended lab investigations. We estimated adjusted differences in time to the prescription of, and type of, first antihypertensive medication prescribed between females and males, using Cox regression. Among 111,410 adults (mean age 73 years, 53% female, median follow-up 6.8 years), females underwent a similar number of guideline-recommended investigations (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 0.997 [95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99-1.002]) compared to males. Females were also as likely to complete all investigations (0.70% females, 0.77% males; adjusted odds ratio, 0.96 [95% CI 0.83-1.11]). Females were slightly less likely to be prescribed medication (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.98 [95% CI 0.96-0.99]) or, among those prescribed, less likely to be prescribed first-line medication (aHR, 0.995 [95% CI 0.994-0.997]). Compared to males, females with late-onset hypertension were equally likely to complete initial investigations with comparable prescription rates. These findings suggest that there may be no clinically meaningful sex-based differences in the initial management of late-onset hypertension to explain sex-based disparities in cardiovascular outcomes.

Social support and physical literacy in young and middle-aged patients with hypertension: the mediating effects of sense of coherence and self-efficacy

BackgroundDespite the growing recognition of the importance of social support and physical literacy in managing hypertension among young and middle-aged patients, there is a lack of research exploring the mediating effects of sense of coherence and self-efficacy in this relationship. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the interplay between social support, physical literacy, sense of coherence, and self-efficacy, thus contributing to a deeper understanding of effective interventions for hypertension management.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling to survey 280 young and middle-aged patients diagnosed with hypertension from five community settings in Zhejiang and Anhui provinces between January and February 2024. Measurement instruments included the General Information Questionnaire, Physical Literacy Scale for Young and Middle-aged Patients with Hypertension, Sense of Coherence Scale 13, General self-efficacy Scale, and Perception Social Support Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 28.0, with reporting following the STROBE checklist.ResultsA total of 270 valid questionnaires were collected. The total score of physical literacy for young and middle-aged patients with hypertension ranged from 18 to 90, with a mean score of 62.30 ± 13.92, indicating a moderate level. There was a positive correlation between the physical literacy score and the scores of social support (r = 0.557, P<0.01), sense of coherence (r = 0.392, P<0.01), and self-efficacy (r = 0.466, P<0.01) among young and middle-aged patients with hypertension. Furthermore, social support was found to have multiple mediating effects through sense of coherence and self-efficacy on physical literacy.ConclusionThis study sheds light on the interconnectedness of social support, physical literacy, sense of coherence, and self-efficacy among young and middle-aged patients with hypertension. The findings underscore the importance of considering these factors holistically in hypertension management strategies.

Herbal and Dietary supplements for Hypertension Management.

Abstract: Herbal and dietary supplements are products that add more nutritional value to the diet. The use of these products has increased worldwide and has become widespread. Recently, the food products market has witnessed significant advancements in improving the health and well-being of individuals with increased nutritional requirements or in preventing related diseases and issues. Overall, dietary supplements possess pharmacological properties that are not crucial for disease control, such as high blood pressure but are essential for various physiological processes. To report the recent pre-clinically and clinically proven benefits of different hypertension treatments, an extensive literature search was conducted using widely available scientific databases of oral supplements. This review aims to raise awareness about commonly used dietary and herbal products, particularly among individuals with high blood pressure. Additionally, this paper highlights several nutritional supplements that hold promise for future research.

Social support and physical literacy in young and middle-aged patients with hypertension: the mediating effects of sense of coherence and self-efficacy

BackgroundDespite the growing recognition of the importance of social support and physical literacy in managing hypertension among young and middle-aged patients, there is a lack of research exploring the mediating effects of sense of coherence and self-efficacy in this relationship. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the interplay between social support, physical literacy, sense of coherence, and self-efficacy, thus contributing to a deeper understanding of effective interventions for hypertension management.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling to survey 280 young and middle-aged patients diagnosed with hypertension from five community settings in Zhejiang and Anhui provinces between January and February 2024. Measurement instruments included the General Information Questionnaire, Physical Literacy Scale for Young and Middle-aged Patients with Hypertension, Sense of Coherence Scale 13, General self-efficacy Scale, and Perception Social Support Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 28.0, with reporting following the STROBE checklist.ResultsA total of 270 valid questionnaires were collected. The total score of physical literacy for young and middle-aged patients with hypertension ranged from 18 to 90, with a mean score of 62.30 ± 13.92, indicating a moderate level. There was a positive correlation between the physical literacy score and the scores of social support (r = 0.557, P<0.01), sense of coherence (r = 0.392, P<0.01), and self-efficacy (r = 0.466, P<0.01) among young and middle-aged patients with hypertension. Furthermore, social support was found to have multiple mediating effects through sense of coherence and self-efficacy on physical literacy.ConclusionThis study sheds light on the interconnectedness of social support, physical literacy, sense of coherence, and self-efficacy among young and middle-aged patients with hypertension. The findings underscore the importance of considering these factors holistically in hypertension management strategies.

The Role of Health Behaviors in the Prevention and Management of Hypertension in Pregnancy: Current Guidelines and Perspectives

Introduction and purpose Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are related to a greater risk of both maternal, and fetal as well as neonatal morbidity and mortality. This literature review aims to synthesize the health-promoting behaviors in daily life like diet, body mass, exercises in the prevention and management of hypertension and possible complications. Gestational hypertension occurs after 20 weeks' pregnancy and usually resolves after 6 weeks' postpartum. Diagnosis of gestational hypertension appears at values &gt;140/90 mmHg in pregnant women. It has to be confirmed in out-of-office BP measurements, and if it's not possible by two separate medical appointments. According to current European guidelines, pharmacological therapy should be introduced in pregnant women with sustained elevated blood pressure ≥ 150/95 mmHg and at values &gt;140/90 mmHg in pregnant women with gestational hypertension. Summarizing the current understanding of risk factors in hypertensive disorders during pregnancy seeks to enhance implementing positive health behaviors in prevention. Materials and methods The following review of studies was based on articles obtained from the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Key search terms included gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, diet, physical activity, pharmacological treatment, obesity, prevention. Conclusion The literature review highlights the importance of BP measurements, diet restrictions, exercises of a low to moderate-intensity, pharmacological treatment during pregnancy as key factors in prevention of gestational hypertension. Greater awareness of hypertension in pregnancy encourages optimism for comprehensive research in the future.

The Role of Health Behaviors in the Prevention and Management of Hypertension in Pregnancy: Current Guidelines and Perspectives

Introduction and purpose Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are related to a greater risk of both maternal, and fetal as well as neonatal morbidity and mortality. This literature review aims to synthesize the health-promoting behaviors in daily life like diet, body mass, exercises in the prevention and management of hypertension and possible complications. Gestational hypertension occurs after 20 weeks' pregnancy and usually resolves after 6 weeks' postpartum. Diagnosis of gestational hypertension appears at values &gt;140/90 mmHg in pregnant women. It has to be confirmed in out-of-office BP measurements, and if it's not possible by two separate medical appointments. According to current European guidelines, pharmacological therapy should be introduced in pregnant women with sustained elevated blood pressure ≥ 150/95 mmHg and at values &gt;140/90 mmHg in pregnant women with gestational hypertension. Summarizing the current understanding of risk factors in hypertensive disorders during pregnancy seeks to enhance implementing positive health behaviors in prevention. Materials and methods The following review of studies was based on articles obtained from the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Key search terms included gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, diet, physical activity, pharmacological treatment, obesity, prevention. Conclusion The literature review highlights the importance of BP measurements, diet restrictions, exercises of a low to moderate-intensity, pharmacological treatment during pregnancy as key factors in prevention of gestational hypertension. Greater awareness of hypertension in pregnancy encourages optimism for comprehensive research in the future.