AHA High Blood Pressure Toolkit-Pharmacists

3 THE PROBLEM Coronary heart disease Higher BP has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the rate of myocardial infarction increases as BP increases. Stroke Hypertension is the leading modifiable risk factor for stroke because it’s the leading cause of stroke. Heart failure High BP is associated with increased risk of heart failure in both men and women, and hypertension is present in 75% of patients with chronic heart failure. Kidney disease/failure Hypertension is the second leading cause of kidney failure, and nearly half of patients with chronic kidney disease do not have adequately controlled hypertension. Vision loss Long-term hypertension can harm vision in many ways, including retinopathy, choroidopathy (fluid buildup under the retina) and optic neuropathy. High blood pressure is often the first in a series of health-related events. It can lead to devastating consequences such as: Hypertension, the “silent killer,” is associated with a variety of life-threatening diseases or conditions. . HEART ATTACK VISION LOSS KIDNEY FAILURE HEART FAILURE STROKE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION Dispensing Advice Educate clients about the importance of taking medicines as prescribed and overall medicine management as a way to prevent these consequences.