Материал: Глебова Е.И. - Английский язык для медицинских специалистов, 2012

hypertension indicates that the high blood pressure is the result of another condition, such as kidney disease or certain tumors.

High blood pressure is the major risk factor for coronary, cerebral, renal, and peripheral vascular disease. The disease is initially asymptomatic. But later the patient may complain of headache, visual disturbances, dizziness, chest pain, tinnitus, etc.

One of the serious complications of hypertension is hypertensive crisis. It refers to any clinical condition requiring immediate reduction in blood pressure. It is acute and life-threatening. The accelerated hypertension requires emergency treatment, since target organ damage (brain, heart, kidneys, retina of the eye) can occur quickly. Death can be caused by stroke, renal failure, or cardiac disease.

Diagnosis of hypertension is generally made on the basis of a persistent high blood pressure. It usually requires three separate measurements at least one week apart. If an elevation is extreme, or endorgan damage is present, the diagnosis may be applied immediately.

The treatment includes reduction of blood pressure and prevention or lessening of the extent of organ damage. Nonpharmacological methods, such as lifestyle changes, may be initially prescribed. The patient may require pharmacological treatment: such medications as beta-blockers, ACE-inhibitors, diuretics and others.

It is evident that our health mostly depends on us. If you want to be healthy, people should keep to a diet, be active, even-tempered, and never smoke or use any substances, such as drugs or alcohol.

1.What is the systolic blood pressures in hypertension?

2.What is the diastolic blood pressure in hypertension?

3.List the risk factors for this disease.

4.What does the patient with hypertension complain of?

5.How can we make a diagnosis of hypertension?

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6.What are the ways of treatment of hypertension?

7.What does nonpharmacological method of treatment include?

8.What organs can be damaged in hypertensive crisis?

Task 4. Are these statements true (T) or false (F)? If the statement is false, correct the statement.

1.Hypertension is a reduction of blood pressure.

2.Primary hypertension is caused by kidney disease.

3.Hypertensive crisis is a life-threatening condition.

4.The treatment of hypertension can be nonpharmacological.

5.To make a diagnosis of hypertension BP measurement is not necessary.

GRAMMAR

Task 5. Find verb patterns underlined in the text and complete the table.

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3. Angina pectoris

 VOCABULARY and PRONUNCIATION

 READING and SPEAKING

Task 2. Warm-up discussion.

What is angina pertoris? What have you heard about this disease? Do you know anyone suffering from this disease?

Task 3. Read the text and answer the questions.

“Angina” is the term used to describe discomfort in the chest due to myocardial ischemia. It may occur when there is an imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand.

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The main causes of angina include obstruction of coronary blood flow because of atherosclerosis, coronary artery spasm, and conditions increasing myocardial oxygen consumption. Angina occurs most often between ages 30 and 50, men are affected more often than women. Risk factors include family history of angina, elevated serum lipoproteins, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, sedentary, stressful or competitive lifestyle.

The most important symptom of angina is chest pain. Stable angina is characterized by left-sided or central chest pain. Pain is precipitated on exertion and relieved at rest or sublingual nitrate.

Most patients describe a sense of apprehension or tightness in the chest but the pain may be denied at all. The pain may radiate to the neck or jaw. It is often accompanied by discomfort in the arms, particularly left, the wrists, and sometimes the hands. The patient may also describe a feeling of heaviness or uselessness in the arms. The pain occasionally is epigastric or interscapular.

Besides, the patient will experience dyspnea, sweating, palpitations, tachycardia, dizziness, and faintness. Symptoms tend to be worse after meal, in the cold, and when walking.

The history is the most important factor in making a diagnosis. Electrocardiogram can also be useful if taken in the period of acute attack.

The goal of treatment is to provide relief of an acute attack, and prevent progression of the disease and further attacks to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction. The patient should be given a tablet of nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin produces vasodilation of coronary arteries. It should be placed under the tongue until fully dissolved, not swallowed. Instruct the patient to take one tablet for pain, and repeat every five minutes for a total of three doses. The patient should seek medical help immediately if the pain is not relieved in 15 minutes following the three doses.

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