A Clinical Practice Guideline for Prehypertension in Army Soldiers

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to present a proposal for implementing and evaluating a new prehypertension clinical practice guideline (CPG) at the U.S. Army Sergeant Major Academy, Ft. Bliss, Texas. Prehypertension has been identified as being a precursor to hypertension, and is a fairly new concept. Individuals identified as having prehypertension have an extremely increased risk for developing hypertension. One population at great risk is the military, in particular the U.S. Army. Army soldiers are at great risk due to the nature of their occupation, as well as deployments to the Middle East to fight in the war on terror. One particular group within the U.S. Army is the Sergeant Major Academy, which represents the senior ranking, most elite of the enlisted Army. Sergeants Majors are at great risk for developing hypertension due to the presence of risk factors such as: prehypertension, smoking, hyperlipidemia, and stress. By implementing and evaluating a new prehypertension CPG, Sergeant Majors are less likely to develop hypertension and require intensive medical intervention. Pilot testing the CPG at the Sergeant Majors Academy can determine whether permanent implementation is appropriate. The ultimate goal is to prevent progression to hypertension through education, management, and follow-up.