LIVING WITH HIGH BLOOD-PRESSURE

This study was undertaken to explore the experience of people taking l ong-term antihypertensive medication. The study contributes to the und erstanding health professionals have of people with high blood pressur e and the antihypertensive treatments they receive, Consideration was given to the full life context of people taking long-term antihyperten sive medication and the health/medical culture in which people find th emselves. A qualitative method of inquiry generated the descriptive da ta. Nineteen participants (four men and 15 women) were interviewed onc e, of which 16 were interviewed a second time. Data analysis involved extraction of concepts which in turn were clustered into themes. An or ganizing framework was constructed to integrate the six themes and 18 sub-themes. The framework represents the individual's experience as a sequence, starting broadly in the social context of her/his life, and narrowing down to the particulars of personal routine and patterns ref erring to living with hypertension and it's medication regimens. The f inal theme refers to the broader context of the health culture. A vast range of experiences were described by participants taking long-term antihypertensive medication. This accentuates the necessity for health professionals to address the uniqueness of the individual; and consid er the context of a person's life when prescribing and monitoring medi cations for people with high blood pressure.