Title: Activities of health workers in patients of hypertension in the geriatric population
Abstract: Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are the most common diseases in the elderly, and are also the most common cause of mortality in them. Some of the elderly had hypertension previously, which has progressed over time, so involutive changes occurred during the aging process are added to the usual risk factors. Objective of the work is to point out a number of different activities of health workers when it comes to elderly people who are suffering from hypertension. Method. The data and literature in the field of internal medicine, geriatrics, public health, quality of life, social medicine and health statistics, in part related to the health care of the elderly who are suffering from hypertension, were analyzed. Results and discussion. Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke, coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, chronic renal failure and sudden death. Hypertension is the most common risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Tests have shown that in patients over 65 years of age with hypertension, the incidence of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular stroke is doubled. In the therapeutic treatment of the elderly, leading role in the health team consisting of doctors and nurses is particularly important. Treatment of arterial hypertension of the elderly is based on non-pharmacological measures and hormonal treatment. The basic recommendation in the pharmacological treatment of the elderly is that it should be treated with low doses and gradually, with regular controls. Non-pharmacological measures are quitting smoking, losing weight, alcohol and sodium intake limitation, increased intake of potassium through food, avoiding stress and regular aerobic physical activity. Education of patients and the impact on lifestyle changes, given by doctors and nurses, begins from the moment of diagnosis and is actively implemented at all levels of health care: primary, secondary and tertiary. Conclusion. Individual approach is best for treatment of hypertension in the elderly. Appropriate drug therapy should be applied, with drug choice depending on overall health status of the patient, where appropriate nonpharmacological treatment and care are necessary. Mutual cooperation between health workers treating geriatric patient is particularly important due to the fact that they find it difficult to cope with the long disease, harmful habits, difficult treatment due to taking multiple medications at frequent cases of multimorbidity, memory-loss problems, etc, on their own.