Abstract
Hypertension is globally considered to be one of the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) of lifestyle and is said to be the most important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular burden of diseases. In South Africa, hypertension remains to be responsible for more deaths than any other cardiovascular chronic condition, causing nearly 40% of adult deaths. Hypertension, being a chronic condition of lifestyle, makes the change of lifestyle habits to be one of the most important cost-effective ways to prevent, treat and control hypertension. For patients with hypertension to change to a health-promoting lifestyle is therefore an important treatment option in decreasing hypertension. A health-promoting lifestyle has proven to also enhance anti-hypertensive drug efficacy, decrease total cardiovascular risk and prevent complications for ambulant patients who attend primary health care (PHC) clinics in Soweto. In South Africa, primary care nurse (PCN) practitioners function as front-line service providers for monitoring and treating patients with NCDs like hypertension at PHC clinics. The PCN practitioners use the prescribed national PHC treatment guideline that outlines lifestyle modification measures, referred to in this study as health-promoting lifestyle change measure, as the first-line treatment for all stages of hypertension. The globally and nationally recognised and well-known health-promoting lifestyle change measures include the following: Lose weight if overweight or obese, regular physical exercise, stop smoking, moderate or no alcohol intake, restrict salt intake, restrict fat intake, and adequate dietary fibre intake: fruit, vegetables and unrefined carbohydrates. These have all been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension; there is also evidence of reduced cardio-vascular disease (CVD) mortality by 21%...
D.Cur.