Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

Which of the following conditions is primarily managed with lifestyle changes and antihypertensives?

1. Myocardial infarction

2. Chronic hypertension

3. Heart failure

4. Atrial fibrillation

The correct answer is: Chronic hypertension

Chronic hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is primarily managed through lifestyle changes and the use of antihypertensive medications. Lifestyle modifications are crucial as they can significantly lower blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health. These changes may include maintaining a healthy diet, such as the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, regular physical activity, reducing alcohol intake, managing stress, and avoiding tobacco use. Antihypertensive medications may be prescribed to help regulate blood pressure, particularly when lifestyle changes alone do not achieve optimal control. These medications can include diuretics, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and others that target various pathways involved in blood pressure regulation. In contrast, conditions like myocardial infarction, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation often require more immediate interventions and comprehensive management plans beyond lifestyle changes and, although they may also involve some degree of lifestyle modification, they are typically treated with a combination of medications and other therapeutic strategies tailored to the specific condition and its complications.