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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing |
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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing |
Francis Rooker, BA, College of Health and Social Services, Dept Health Science, New Mexico State University, PO Box 30001, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001, 505-546-5694, frooker@nmsu.edu
Background: Hypertension is a major risk factor for chronic adult disabilities. Approximately one-third of the adult U.S. population has hypertension. Risks of Mortality and morbidity risks from chronic dysfunctions increase consistently with increases in the prevalence of hypertension. Although more than 100 safe and effective antihypertensive drugs have been approved over the last 50 years research reveals that about 70 percent of people who needed treatment were not receiving it and, of those people being treated almost 70 percent did not have their blood pressure under control. Plainly, many people do not know they need to control blood pressure.
Methods: The English-language literature about hypertension published since 1995 contained in the PubMed/Medline database was reviewed to identify evidence related to lifestyle interventions and non-pharmacological treatments for hypertension. Other relevant evidence was acquired from the reference lists of the articles identified. A total of 34 studies were reviewed.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to quantify the extent to which selected lifestyle adjustments influenced blood pressure.
Results: Hypertension is uniquely amenable to control with non-pharmacological approaches. There are at least 8 non-pharmacological approaches that are demonstrated effective in the literature.
Conclusion: Renewed Public Health emphasis and education is urgently needed to improve the health status of those who have restricted access to health care due to poverty and/or lack of insurance or those who are non-compliant with prescribed medications.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Hypertension, Alternative Medicine/Therapies
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Not Answered
The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA