Hypertension Management
Cases of cardiovascular diseases have been on the rise throughout the world. This increase has been due to several risk factors, including hypertension. As a nurse, I have interacted with patients from different social and cultural backgrounds, and one thing that stands out is that cases of hypertension are on the rise, affecting people of all ages and gender. However, most incidences have been among people above the age of 40. This worrying trend is what has drawn my interest and attention to the understanding and management of hypertension.
Hypertension is the elevation of a person’s blood pressure due to factors such as thinning of the arteries causing the blood pressure to rise. Hypertension is a lifestyle disease that can be managed through medications and lifestyle changes. People suffering from high blood pressure are often advised to lose weight, reduce or quit smoking, exercise regularly, and avoid salty and fatty foods. Managing hypertension has been made easier by developing medical technology that can assist patients in monitoring their blood pressure at home and devices that can be used in corrective procedures. Such technology includes Medtronic’s Symplicity Renal Denervation System used in renal denervation (Reetu et al., 2018).
Step 1:
The topic of Interest: Diagnosis and Management of Resistant Hypertension (Wei et al. 2018)
Reference: Wei, F. F., Zhang, Z. Y., Huang, Q. F., & Staessen, J. A. (2018). Diagnosis and management of resistant hypertension: state of the art. Nature reviews. Nephrology, 14(7), 428–441. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41581-018-0006-6
Professional Practice Use of Theories/Concepts
One of the fundamental concepts emphasized in this article is the optimization of medical treatment to prevent the high risk of cardiovascular events. Optimization of therapy based on aldosterone antagonists is deemed to be more viable in managing hypertension. On the contrary, the article recommends the minimal use of device-based approaches due to the absence of enough clinical evidence to support such a practice. Devices should only be used as a last resort in cases where aldosterone antagonist therapies show no impact.
The Walden University library provided a range of databases that I used to fulfill this assignment. The researchers use both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect data and interpret their findings. The researchers also used evidence from and reference previous studies conducted on the subject to build on their findings and to compare their results.
Evidence-based research in nursing is essential since it gives nurses a better perspective on the health issue and utilizes the best evidence to find solutions to various health challenges. Problem-evidence-based research yields better results than researching to generate new knowledge (Chien & Li-Yin, 2019). Evidence-based research utilized by the researchers gives this article more credibility as a source of information that can be used in professional practice
Step 2
Summary of Analysis
Identifying and Analyzing Peer-reviewed Research
Peer-reviewed articles are scholarly sources written by experts within given fields and evaluated by competent experts within the same area. The peers review and provide remarks based on the appropriateness of the methodology, results, and findings. Peer reviews thus ensure the credibility of information before the article is published. To identify and analyze peer-reviewed articles, I use the Walden University Library homepage. The library provides databases that allow for a customized search. First, on the homepage of the Walden University Library, I click on the database marked CINAHL. The homepage of this database has a different search box. I check the peer-reviewed box and then type the keywords. The search yields several sources. Scrolling the drop-down menu enables me to identify the most relevant sources by author and year. I can also see the open access journals and those that require subscription and which the university has subscribed to. Also, to determine whether the article is peer-reviewed, I check the shaped-like icon on the left lower section of the article. The icon on peer-reviewed articles reads, ‘This Journal has been peer reviewed.’
Strategies for Finding Peer-reviewed Articles
Peer-reviewed journal articles are considered more credible sources of information in different fields. Finding peer-reviewed articles requires several approaches. According to this assignment, the two most relevant strategies for finding peer-reviewed articles are determining the database to use on the Walden University Library Homepage and verifying the journal-title using Ulrich’s periodicals directory. The Walden University Library has a series of databases with articles and journals arranged according to the subject areas. Checking the peer-reviewed box and scrolling down the drop-down menu enables me to access a range of journals. However, I am careful to choose the most recent publications as they contain the latest scientific research that resonates with the latest technologies and current health issues.
Other Sources for Peer-Reviewed Sources
Also, I intend to use other sources such as Medline and JSTOR, to find peer-reviewed articles. The Journal Storage, abbreviated as JSTOR, contains digitized academic journals, books, and other primary sources that are considered authentic in research. On the other hand, the Medline database contains academic medical journals in biomedicine and other life sciences. The Medline database is regarded as one of the most authoritative and reliable bibliographic databases In the United States. Complementing the Walden University Library database with Medline and JSTOR databases will enable me to access credible, peer-reviewed journals to facilitate my master’s academic scholarly research and knowledge. During my studies, I also plan to be specific in my research and finding of peer-reviewed articles. I will furthermore observe and use articles that demonstrate best practices in research through considering the methodologies, analysis, discussions, and credibility of referenced sources within those articles.
Conclusively, diagnosing, and managing hypertension can help curb the increasing cases of mortality due to cardiovascular disorders. Optimizing treatment for hypertension requires the use of aldosterone antagonists as well as cognitive-behavioral therapies. Using credible sources will enable me to identify the best evidence-based practices from authoritative sources in my field. The Walden University Library will be the first point of reference for peer-reviewed articles. Complementing the peer-reviewed articles from the Walden University Library with external sources from databases such as Medline and JSTOR will enable me to develop a sound, credible academic papers and enhance my nursing knowledge.
References
Chien, Li-Yin (August 2019). Evidence-Based Practice and Nursing Research, Journal of Nursing Research: – Volume 27 – Issue 4 – p e29 doi: 10.1097/jnr.0000000000000346
Reetu R. Singh and Kate M. Denton, Singh, R. R., Reetu R. Singh Correspondence to Reetu R. Singh, Denton, K. M., Kate M. Denton Correspondence to Reetu R. Singh, Singh, C. T., & Al., E. (2018, July 23). Renal Denervation. Retrieved August 10, 2020, from https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.10265
Wei, F. F., Zhang, Z. Y., Huang, Q. F., & Staessen, J. A. (2018). Diagnosis and management of resistant hypertension: state of the art. Nature reviews. Nephrology, 14(7), 428–441. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41581-018-0006-6