Knowledge, Awareness and Self-Care Practices of Hypertension among Cardiac Hypertensive Patients
Open Access
- 1 June 2015
- journal article
- Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education in Global Journal of Health Science
- Vol. 8 (2), 9-19
- https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v8n2p9
Abstract
The most prevalent form of hypertension is systolic blood pressure (SBP) and it is considered to be predisposing risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The objective of the study was to assess self-care practices, knowledge and awareness of hypertension, especially related to SBP among cardiac hypertensive patients. A Cross sectional study was conducted on 664 cardiac hypertensive patients, which were selected by non-probability convenience sampling from cardiology outpatient department of three tertiary care hospitals. Face to face interviews were conducted using a pre designed questionnaire. Data was entered and analyzed by SPSS (V17). 81.8%, did not know that hypertension is defined as high blood pressure. 97.1% of the sample population did not know that top measurement of blood pressure was referred to as systolic and only 25.0% correctly recognized normal systolic blood pressure to be less than 140mmHg. 7.4% of the patients consulted their doctor for hypertension once or twice in a month. Risk factor for high blood pressure most commonly identified by the participants was too much salt intake The results state that there is an inadequate general knowledge of hypertension among cardiac patients and they do not recognise the significance of elevated SBP levels. There is a need to initiate programs that create community awareness regarding long term complications of uncontrolled hypertension, particularly elevated SBP levels so that there is an improvement in self-care practices of the cardiacpatients.Keywords
This publication has 22 references indexed in Scilit:
- Telmisartan for the reduction of cardiovascular morbidity and mortalityExpert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, 2011
- Awareness of the risk factors, presenting features and complications of hypertension amongst hypertensives and normotensives.2008
- Global burden of blood-pressure-related disease, 2001The Lancet, 2008
- Worldwide prevalence of hypertensionJournal of Hypertension, 2004
- Effect of amlodipine on systolic blood pressureClinical Therapeutics, 2003
- Cardiovascular protection and blood pressure reduction: a meta-analysisThe Lancet, 2001
- Evidence based management of hypertension: Cardiovascular risk factors and their effects on the decision to treat hypertension: evidence based reviewBMJ, 2001
- Importance of Systolic Blood Pressure in Older AmericansHypertension, 2000
- Association Between Blood Pressure and Dietary Factors in the Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British AdultsArchives of Internal Medicine, 1997
- Compliance with antihypertensive treatment in consultation rooms for hypertensive patients.1993