High pressure

• Disease:hypertension
• What's surprising:cardiovascular system, target organs (brain, kidneys, other organs)
• Reasons:nervous overload, hormonal imbalance, vascular dystonia of various origins
• Symptoms:headache, dizziness, weakness, spots before the eyes
• Complications:cerebrovascular accidents, myocardial infarction, kidney disease
• Doctor:cardiologist
• Treatment:conservative, lifestyle modification
• Prevention:diet, early check-up

Hypertension - what kind of disease is it?

Blood pressure is one of the main indicators of the stability of the functioning of the cardiovascular system. It is measured in millimeters of mercury and at rest should not exceed 120/80.

To understand what hypertension is, you need to know what blood pressure is. At the moment of contraction of the heart, a certain volume of blood is pushed into the vessels - it depends on the force of contraction of the heart muscle. The blood is then distributed throughout the body through the vessels, supplying the cells with oxygen and nutrients.

The walls of healthy blood vessels are elastic. They stretch easily when large volumes of blood are released when the heart muscle contracts and contract quickly when the heart muscle relaxes.

Problems begin when the blood vessel walls lose their elasticity or if blood flow is obstructed due to changes in the blood vessel walls (atherosclerotic plaques, loss of elasticity). An increase in the internal pressure in the vascular walls is called hypertension.

Also, an increase in blood pressure is caused by too much blood being sent out by the heart and too thick blood, which has difficulty moving through the vessels. Not only atherosclerosis, but also spasms during stressful situations, smoking and some systemic diseases lead to vasoconstriction.

Hypertension (hypertension, essential hypertension) is considered a "disease of civilization" - it is one of the most common causes of death and disability worldwide.

The risk of persistent high blood pressure is associated with a high risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. In addition to the medical problem, the problem of hypertension also has a social dimension. Every year more and more young people under the age of 40 complain of high blood pressure. Although only a few decades ago, the age structure of patients was dominated by people over 60 years of age.

What blood pressure is considered high?

Blood pressure is a variable value. During times of increased physical activity, the heart works harder as the muscles require extra oxygen. And during sleep and rest, the amount of blood pumped by the heart decreases and the pressure decreases.

Normally, blood pressure should not exceed 120/80 mm. rt. Art. The first number is called the systolic pressure - this is the load on the walls of the blood vessels immediately after the opening of the heart valve. This moment can be felt by placing your hand on the left side of your chest or by feeling the pulse in your wrist. The maximum pressure in the blood vessels occurs immediately after the heartbeat, therefore it is also called cardiac or systolic.

The second number is the pressure in the interval between beats, i. e. during the resting period of the heart muscle, it is called diastolic.

If the tonometer, when regularly measuring the blood pressure, shows numbers above normal, then the cardiologist diagnoses "arterial hypertension" or "hypertension". In addition, even an increase in only one number indicates pathology.

Causes of high blood pressure

In the vast majority of observations, blood pressure rises steadily with hypertension. This form of hypertension is called primary. Primary hypertension develops gradually, most often problems with high blood pressure appear after 50 years.

There are many reasons for frequent increases in blood pressure. In modern science and medicine, new data about cardiovascular diseases appear regularly. However, the mechanism of development of hypertension has not yet been fully understood.

The main theory of hypertension is neurogenic. It was developed by domestic scientists and is still considered one of the most reliable. According to this, the impetus for the appearance and development of pathology is nervous overload that affects the brain structures that regulate pressure.

In addition, a persistent increase in blood pressure can lead to:

• Violation of vascular tone due to brain or spinal cord injuries. The cause of high blood pressure can also be osteochondrosis of the cervical spine - constant tension in the muscles of the back and neck causes spasm of blood vessels.
• Hormonal imbalance during pregnancy, menopause, menstruation or when taking oral contraceptives.

Symptoms

Hypertension is a dangerous disease that does not manifest itself immediately. Early warning signs are often ignored and unpleasant symptoms are attributed to overwork or a mild cold.

Symptoms of high blood pressure may appear periodically, but some occur regularly. It is necessary to pay attention to the signs of hypertension in the initial stage of the disease:

• headache in occipital and temporal parts.
• constant weakness, reduced performance, feeling tired even in the morning.
• dizziness accompanied by mild nausea.
• tinnitus, hearing problems;
• flickering of spots before the eyes, blurred vision.
• change in emotional state, development of anxiety, nervousness for the most trivial reasons.
• rapid pulse, intermittent chest pain.
• increased sweating, chills.
• feeling of lack of air, inability to breathe deeply.
• periodic nosebleeds.

The symptoms of high blood pressure can appear individually or in combination, but even one of the alarming signs of feeling unwell is reason enough to consult a doctor.

Great!Taking pain relievers for a typical high blood pressure headache can temporarily relieve the symptoms of high blood pressure, but pain relievers do not eliminate the root cause. Long-term attempts to relieve the condition with pills can worsen the course of the disease and complicate further treatment.

You should also pay attention to symptoms such as swelling of the hands and feet (especially in the morning), frequent redness and swelling of the face, and memory impairment.

Risk factors

Since the causes of hypertension have not yet been fully clarified, it is more correct to talk about predisposing conditions for a persistent increase in blood pressure. The main ones:

• Floor.In men, hypertension develops more often at the age of 40-50, they are more prone to this disease. In women, the first symptoms in most cases appear during menopause and are related to hormonal changes during this period.
• Living under constant stress:difficult work that requires constant concentration, family problems, difficulties in personal life, financial problems, etc.
• Genetic predisposition.If both parents or at least one of them have hypertension, the risk of developing the disease increases significantly.
• High levels of "bad" cholesterol in the blood.Atherosclerotic plaques in the walls of blood vessels are one of the main reasons for the gradual increase in blood pressure with age.
• Sedentary life, long hours of computer work without a break for walks in the fresh air.Physical inactivity prevents sufficient oxygen from entering the blood and slows blood circulation. Congestion negatively affects the tone of blood vessels, the walls of which gradually lose elasticity.
• Overweight and obesity.People with a high body mass index almost always have high blood pressure. This is due to the fact that heavy weight requires an increase in the amount of circulating blood, which significantly increases the load on the heart. In addition, excess weight is usually caused by poor nutrition, which contributes to the development of atherosclerosis and impairs blood flow.
• A diet with excess salty and fatty foods.Salt retains fluid in the body and causes swelling. Excessive salt consumption is associated with an accelerated pace of life, failure to maintain healthy eating habits and an unbalanced diet.
• Side effect after taking certain medicines.People prone to hypertension are not advised to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, certain cough and headache medications, especially those containing caffeine or codeine.
• Smoking.Nicotine and tar that enter the bloodstream with cigarette smoke cause vasospasm and increased blood pressure.
• Alcohol abuse.Almost all people who drink alcohol frequently are diagnosed with hypertension.

Secondary hypertension occurs in diseases of various organs and systems:

• kidney diseases(renal artery stenosis) lead to a deterioration of blood supply to the kidney and a compensatory "increase" in blood flow.
• endocrine system- blood pressure increases with tumors of the adrenal cortex, thyroid diseases and some other hormonal disorders.
• nervous system- encephalitis, brain tumors, etc.

The cause of the persistent increase in blood pressure is established after a thorough comprehensive examination. The correct identification of the causes of the disease determines the effectiveness and the nature of the subsequent treatment.

Great!Normalization of blood pressure in secondary hypertension depends on the treatment of the underlying disease. Taking drugs to lower blood pressure without a doctor's prescription will not give the desired effect.

What to do with high blood pressure

Considering the high prevalence of arterial hypertension and the large number of risk factors for the appearance and development of pathology, every person should have a device for measuring blood pressure. It is better to make it a habit to measure your blood pressure daily and do it twice a day - morning and evening.

If the readings of the tonometer consistently exceed the norm, then the visit to the doctor cannot be postponed.

You can lower your blood pressure and normalize your condition before visiting a specialist using several simple and accessible methods:

• Give a light massage to the head and neck area. Circular massage movements will increase blood flow and relieve vascular spasm.
• You can take a warm bath with a sea salt solution. The temperature of the water must be monitored very carefully; it must not be significantly higher than body temperature. A bath that is too hot can only make the condition worse.
• Mustard patches placed on the back of the neck or in the ankle area will help dilate the arteries and normalize blood flow.

If your blood pressure suddenly rises and you feel sick, you need to lie down quietly in a dark room, without being distracted by gadgets.

Great!When your blood pressure rises, it is not recommended to be glued to your smartphone or laptop, watch TV or read. Excessive eye strain will further increase blood pressure readings.

If the diagnosis of hypertension has already been established, it is necessary to take all the drugs prescribed by the doctor strictly according to the prescribed regimen. You should not stop taking your medication at the first sign of improvement.

What to do before the doctor comes

If a hypertensive crisis occurs, it is necessary to call an ambulance. There are several simple ways to normalize the situation that can be used before the doctor arrives. These recommendations are important for anyone with high blood pressure or living with people at increased risk. Here's what you can do:

• Place 1 tablet of vasodilator medication under the tongue until completely absorbed.
• Lie on your back with a high pillow under your head.
• open the window, unbutton the clothes, provide fresh air flow.
• take a warm foot bath for 10-15 minutes.
• drink an alcoholic solution of motherwort or valerian.

Great!Refusing treatment during a hypertensive crisis can lead to a stroke or heart attack.

Preventive measures

The fact that any disease is easier to prevent than to treat accurately describes hypertension. If there is at least one of the risk factors for the development of hypertension, it is necessary to start paying more attention to preventive measures as early as possible:

• keep a blood pressure diary, where you record the readings of the tonometer, including the pulse, twice a day.
• eat right, normalize weight and give up bad eating habits - overeating, eating excessively fatty foods, large amounts of sweet and salty foods.
• quit alcohol and smoking - alcoholic beverages, even in small doses, have an extremely negative effect on the condition of blood vessels.
• regularly devote time to physical activity and walks in the fresh air, and exercise in the gym is best done under the supervision of an experienced trainer.
• Avoid stress if possible - this will be helped by regular communication with friends and family, relaxing outside the home and normalizing relationships in the team and family.

A healthy lifestyle and careful attention to your health is the key to good health for many years.

Treatment of high blood pressure

Treatment of hypertension is carried out in outpatient clinics or in a hospital setting.

Compulsory hospitalization is required for a hypertensive crisis with a high risk of stroke. In this situation, the patient should be under constant medical supervision until the dangerous symptoms subside. In the future, the patient can switch to outpatient treatment, subject to strict adherence to medical recommendations.

The treatment regimen for hypertension and the composition of the complex treatment are determined by the attending physician based on the results of a comprehensive examination.

Pills and medicines

Modern pharmacology offers a wide variety of drugs for hypertension of various types. Most of them are sold in pharmacies without a prescription. Along with the positive sides of this approach, there are also negative features. Many people suffering from high blood pressure start taking drugs by accident or on the advice of friends and relatives, which leads to worsening of the condition.

Medicines for the treatment of hypertension are divided into several large groups:

• angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors)- medicines that suppress the production of certain hormones in the body that constrict blood vessels.
• sartans- blockers of receptors that perceive hormones that affect vascular tone.
• calcium antagonists- dilates the blood vessels and reduces the resistance of their walls.
• dihydropyridinesLong-acting and short-acting drugs selectively affect the state of blood vessels.

Among the drugs that lower blood pressure, diuretics, beta-blockers and a number of other groups of drugs should also be noted.

Medicines for the treatment of hypertension are selected strictly individually based on the results of the examination. They should be taken strictly according to the regimen prescribed by the attending physician.

Diet

A properly balanced diet is an important factor in the prevention and treatment of hypertension. A diet for high blood pressure should be balanced.

Alcohol should be completely excluded from the diet and consumption should be limited to:

• animal fats, palm oil, butter and coconut oil, margarine.
• sweet products, white bread, milk chocolate and other sweets.
• salt - no more than 5 g per day, taking into account its amount in finished products.

It is recommended to include in the diet as much as possible:

• marine fish, rich in healthy fatty amino acids.
• fresh seasonal fruits, vegetables (at least 5 a day), herbs.
• vegetable oils - olive, linseed, sunflower, corn, sesame.
• foods with a high fiber content (in addition to vegetables and fruits, includes brown rice, durum wheat pasta);
• whole grain porridge.

If you have high blood pressure, you should be careful when drinking coffee. A morning cup of freshly ground coffee will not hurt, but during the day it is better to drink plain water or green tea.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies are widely used to lower blood pressure and improve the general condition of the body, but they can be taken only after consulting a doctor. You need to understand that any traditional medicine can only be an addition to the main treatment and cannot replace it.

The following will help lower blood pressure:

• garlic tincture;
• a mixture of boiled beets with honey and lemon.
• Oatmeal decoction;
• viburnum infusion;
• clove decoction and some other remedies.

Ready-made antihypertensive herbal mixtures can be bought in a pharmacy - this is much safer than buying them in the market.

What not to do if you have high blood pressure

The strict prohibitions and restrictions concern mainly severe stages of hypertension. At the first symptoms of the disease, only alcohol and tobacco are completely prohibited.

The development of the disease can be stopped by correcting the lifestyle and diet - giving up bad habits, moderate physical activity, proper nutrition and avoiding stressful situations.

Complications

It must be understood that the health of the entire body depends on the state of the cardiovascular system. Vascular pathology in hypertension can lead to serious consequences, in particular cerebrovascular accident and myocardial infarction.

Other complications of high blood pressure include:

• atherosclerosis, heart failure, angina pectoris.
• vision problem;
• diabetes mellitus and other endocrine pathologies.
• brain hemorrhages, encephalopathies and others.

A timely visit to a doctor and careful adherence to all recommendations will help you avoid dangerous complications associated with high blood pressure.

conclusion

Persistent increase in blood pressure or hypertension is the most common pathology of the cardiovascular system in the world. Despite doubts about the causes of the disease, modern medicine has learned to fight it successfully. The key to success is contacting a specialist at the first symptoms, a healthy lifestyle and trusting your doctor.