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Suggest Treatment For Nasal Bleeding While Having Hypertension
Question: My 79 year old sister's blood pressure was 240/90 and she has had 3 incidences of severe nose bleeds in 3 days. After emergency room trips each day/nose-bleed, and some changes to her medication by the ER doctors (which she cannot describe to me by phone), her BP is down to 190/80. History: her mother had hypertension requiring multiple meds to control and died of Congestive heart failure at 74 in 1989. Her father died of heart attack and significant arteriosclerosis at 57 in 1970.
Her 86 year old husband is calling a cardiologist office to make and appointment and watching her condition as closely as he can according to the ER guidance.
Is there any particular indications, other than the obvious high BP condition, that this presentation may represent?
Her 86 year old husband is calling a cardiologist office to make and appointment and watching her condition as closely as he can according to the ER guidance.
Is there any particular indications, other than the obvious high BP condition, that this presentation may represent?
Brief Answer:
arteriosclerosis is the most common cause in older persons
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
Nose bleeds are also known as epitaxis.
There are different possible causes but in older persons the most common cause is arteriosclerosis changes in the blood vessels in the nose. Arteriosclerosis refers to thickening and hardening of blood vessels.
Though this can occur with old age, high blood pressure can quicken or worsen the process.
The other causes of nose bleeds are: (1) blood dyscrasia- abnormality with clotting of blood but this would have shown up before with other cuts/lesions
(2)trauma to the nose
(3)inflammation- from allergies, viral or bacterial infection of the nasal passage
(4)dry weather
(5)side effect of medications such as nasal sprays, antihistamines
(6)septal abnormality- abnormal shape or shift of the nasal septum
(7)rarely benign or malignant tumors
At her age, arteriosclerosis is the most likely cause but if it continues, she should be reviewed by her ENT doctor.
With regard to her blood pressure, there are blood pressure medications that combine 2 or 3 medications.
This means that she would be taking 2 or 3 meds but combined in one tablet.
She may still need two combination tablets to get the 4 medication she may need for control of her blood pressure, but she may be able to get this in the form of 2 combination tablets which she may consider taking.
With a family history of high blood pressure , it would be best for her to try to control her blood pressure.
It is the most common reason for heart failure which you mentioned occurred with her mother.
I hope this helps , feel free to ask any other questions
arteriosclerosis is the most common cause in older persons
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
Nose bleeds are also known as epitaxis.
There are different possible causes but in older persons the most common cause is arteriosclerosis changes in the blood vessels in the nose. Arteriosclerosis refers to thickening and hardening of blood vessels.
Though this can occur with old age, high blood pressure can quicken or worsen the process.
The other causes of nose bleeds are: (1) blood dyscrasia- abnormality with clotting of blood but this would have shown up before with other cuts/lesions
(2)trauma to the nose
(3)inflammation- from allergies, viral or bacterial infection of the nasal passage
(4)dry weather
(5)side effect of medications such as nasal sprays, antihistamines
(6)septal abnormality- abnormal shape or shift of the nasal septum
(7)rarely benign or malignant tumors
At her age, arteriosclerosis is the most likely cause but if it continues, she should be reviewed by her ENT doctor.
With regard to her blood pressure, there are blood pressure medications that combine 2 or 3 medications.
This means that she would be taking 2 or 3 meds but combined in one tablet.
She may still need two combination tablets to get the 4 medication she may need for control of her blood pressure, but she may be able to get this in the form of 2 combination tablets which she may consider taking.
With a family history of high blood pressure , it would be best for her to try to control her blood pressure.
It is the most common reason for heart failure which you mentioned occurred with her mother.
I hope this helps , feel free to ask any other questions
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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