Hypertension is a disease that affects one-third of all Americans (American Heart Association [AHA], 2013, p. 1). The American Heart Association predicts that the number of patients with hypertension will continue to increase (AHA, 2013). Reversing this trend will be vital to the health of our population. Several factors influence hypertension, including access to primary preventative care, availability of medications, diet and exercise control, and dietary modifications and self-care needed to mitigate the effects of hypertension persistent on the body. People at risk of developing hypertension are overwhelmingly African Americans. Nearly 50% of African Americans will be diagnosed with hypertension. The American Heart Association reports that in 2009, 18.5 people out of 100,000 died from hypertension. Of these deaths, the majority were African Americans (AHA, 2013, p. 2). These statistics make treating hypertension a priority for this population. When treating the client presenting to the APN with a diagnosis of hypertension, initial efforts should be focused on education. The patient should be informed of what the current JNC 8 guidelines are for the diagnosis of hypertension. This will help the patient identify that he actually has a problem and that his blood pressure is abnormal. Further education should also include anticipated disease progression and complications resulting from prolonged hypertension to help the patient understand the effects hypertension has on the body and the risk of developing end-organ damage. Since hypertension is a silent disease, often without symptoms, the patient must fully understand the implications of the disease and the need to control blood pressure. The next step for t...... half of the article...... Nursing. (2007). Study to delineate the role of professional nurses and clinical nurse specialists. Retrieved from https://www.ncsbn.org/06_LPN_RoleDelStudy_NCLEX_30_Web.pdfO'Brien, J. M. (2003). How nurses achieved provider status: Lessons for pharmacists. Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/464663Pender, N., Murdaugh, C., & Parsons, M. A. (2011). Health promotion in nursing practice (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.Skillman, S., Kaplan, L., Fordyce, M., McMenamin, P., & Doescher, M. (2012). Understanding the distribution of advanced practice registered nurses in urban and rural areas of the United States using national provider identification data. Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/aprndistributionreportSullivan, N. (2013). A brief history of obstetrics. Retrieved from http://midwifeinsight.com/articles/a-short-history-of-midwifery/