High pressure

• Disease:hypertension
• What's amazing:cardiovascular system, target organs (brain, kidney, other organs)
• Cause:nervous overload, hormonal imbalance, vascular dystonia of various origins
• Symptoms:headache, dizziness, weakness, spots before the eyes
• Complications:cerebrovascular accidents, heart attack, kidney disease
• Doctor:cardiologist
• Treatment:conservative lifestyle modification
• Prevention:diet, timely examination

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 should not exceed 120/80 at rest.

To understand what high blood pressure is, you need to know what blood pressure is. At the moment of contraction of the heart, a certain amount 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 blood vessels, supplying the cells with oxygen and nutrients.

The walls of healthy blood vessels are flexible. They stretch easily when a large amount of blood is released when the heart muscle contracts and contract quickly when it relaxes.

The problems start when the vessel walls lose their elasticity or when blood flow is obstructed due to changes in the vessel wall (atherosclerosis plaques, loss of elasticity). An increase in the internal pressure on the vessel walls is called high blood pressure.

Also, high blood pressure is caused by too much blood being pumped out by the heart and too thick blood that has difficulty moving through the blood vessels. Not only arteriosclerosis, but also spasms occurring during stressful situations, smoking and some systemic diseases lead to vasoconstriction.

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

The danger of persistent high blood pressure is associated with a high risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. The problem of high blood pressure has a social aspect as well as a medical problem. Every year, more and more young people under the age of 40 complain of high blood pressure. Although a few decades ago, the age composition of patients was dominated by those over 60.

What blood pressure is considered high?

Blood pressure is a variable value. During periods of increased physical activity, the heart works harder because the muscles require additional oxygen. 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 systolic pressure - this is the load on the walls of the blood vessels immediately after the heart valve opens. You can feel this moment by placing your hand on the left side of your chest or by feeling your pulse on 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 collisions, ie. during the resting period of the heart muscle is called diastole.

If the tonometer shows higher than normal values during regular blood pressure measurements, the cardiologist diagnoses "arterial hypertension" or "hypertension". Moreover, even an increase in one number indicates pathology.

Causes of high blood pressure

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

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

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 stimulus for the formation and development of the pathology is nervous overload, which affects the brain structures that regulate pressure.

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

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

Symptoms

High blood pressure is a dangerous disease that does not appear immediately. The first warning signs are often ignored, and unpleasant symptoms are attributed to overwork or a slight cold.

Symptoms of high blood pressure may appear intermittently, but some of them appear regularly. In the early stages of the disease, you should pay attention to the signs of high blood pressure:

• headache in the occipital and temporal parts;
• constant weakness, reduced performance, feeling of fatigue even in the morning;
• dizziness with mild nausea;
• tinnitus, hearing problems;
• flashing of spots before the eyes, blurred vision;
• change in emotional state, the development of anxiety, nervousness due to the most insignificant reasons;
• rapid pulse, intermittent pain in the chest;
• 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 alarming sign of feeling unwell is reason enough to see a doctor.

Important!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 underlying cause. Long-term attempts to relieve the condition with pills can worsen the course of the disease and make further treatment more difficult.

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

Risk factors

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

• Floor.In men, high blood pressure most often develops at the age of 40-50, they are more prone to this disease. In women, the first symptoms appear in most cases during menopause and are associated with hormonal changes during this period.
• Living in constant stress:difficult work requiring constant concentration, family problems, personal life difficulties, financial problems, etc.
• Genetic predisposition.If both parents or at least one of them has high blood pressure, the risk of developing the disease increases significantly.
• The level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood is high. Atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of blood vessels are one of the main reasons for the gradual increase in blood pressure with age.
• Sedentary lifestyle, long work at the computer without a break for walks in the fresh air.Physical inactivity prevents enough oxygen from getting into the blood and slows blood circulation. Congestion negatively affects the tone of blood vessels, whose walls gradually lose their elasticity.
• Overweight and obesity.People with a high body mass index almost always have high blood pressure. This is due to the fact that high 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 improper nutrition, which contributes to the development of arteriosclerosis and impairs blood flow.
• Diet with too many 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.It is not recommended for people prone to high blood pressure to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, some anti-cough and headache drugs, especially those containing caffeine or codeine.
• Smoking.The nicotine and tar that enter the bloodstream with tobacco smoke cause vasospasm and an increase in blood pressure.
• Alcohol abuse.Almost all people who drink alcohol frequently are diagnosed with high blood pressure.

Secondary hypertension occurs in diseases of various organs and systems:

• kidney diseases(renal artery stenosis) leads to a deterioration of the 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 a 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 nature of subsequent therapy.

Important!The normalization of blood pressure in secondary hypertension depends on the treatment of the underlying disease. Taking antihypertensive drugs without a doctor's prescription will not have the desired effect.

What to do about high blood pressure

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

If the tonometer values are constantly above the norm, then the visit to the doctor cannot be postponed.

You can reduce your blood pressure and normalize your condition with several simple and accessible methods before consulting a specialist:

• Perform a light massage on the head and neck area. Circular massage movements increase blood flow and relieve vasospasm.
• You can take a warm bath with sea salt solution. The temperature of the water must be controlled very carefully, it should not be significantly higher than body temperature. A bath that is too hot can only worsen the condition.
• A mustard patch placed on the back of the neck or the ankle area helps expand the arteries and normalize blood flow.

If your blood pressure suddenly rises and you feel sick, you should lie down quietly in a darkened room without the distraction of the gadget.

Important!If your blood pressure rises, it is not recommended to stick to your smartphone or laptop, watch TV or read. Excessive eye strain leads to a further increase in blood pressure values.

If the diagnosis of high blood pressure has already been established, all medications prescribed by the doctor must be taken strictly according to the prescribed regimen. You should not stop taking the medicine at the first sign of improvement.

What to do before the doctor arrives

If a hypertensive crisis develops, an ambulance must be called. There are several simple methods to normalize the condition that can be used before the doctor arrives. These recommendations are important for anyone who has high blood pressure or lives with people who are at increased risk. You can do the following:

• place 1 tablet of vasodilator under the tongue until it is completely absorbed;
• lie on your back with a high pillow under your head;
• open the window, unbutton the clothes, ensure the flow of fresh air;
• take a hot foot bath for 10-15 minutes;
• drink an alcoholic solution of mother's milk or valerian.

Important!Refusal to treat during a hypertensive crisis can lead to stroke or heart attack.

Preventive measures

The fact that any disease is easier to prevent than to treat, most accurately describes high blood pressure. If at least one of the risk factors for the development of high blood pressure exists, increased attention should be paid to preventive measures as early as possible:

• keep a blood pressure diary, where you record the readings of the tonometer twice a day, including the heart rate;
• eat right, normalize weight and give up bad eating habits - overeating, eating excessively fatty foods, large amounts of sweet and salty food;
• stop drinking 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 exercises in the gym are best done under the supervision of an experienced trainer;
• Avoid stress as much as possible - this is helped by regular communication with friends and family, recreation outside the home, and the normalization of relationships in the team and family.

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

Treatment of high blood pressure

High blood pressure is treated on an outpatient basis or in a hospital setting.

In case of a hypertensive crisis with a high risk of stroke, mandatory hospitalization is required. In this condition, the patient must be under constant medical supervision until the dangerous symptoms disappear. In the future, the patient may switch to outpatient treatment, subject to strict adherence to medical recommendations.

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

Pills and medicines

Modern pharmacology offers a wide range of treatments for various types of hypertension. Most of them are sold without a prescription in pharmacies. In addition to the positive aspects of this approach, there are also negative characteristics. Many people with high blood pressure start taking medicines randomly or on the advice of friends and relatives, which leads to aggravation of the condition.

Medicines for the treatment of high blood pressure 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- receptors that detect hormones affecting the tone of the vascular system are blockers;
• calcium antagonists- expand the blood vessels and reduce the resistance of their walls;
• dihydropyridineslong-acting and short-acting drugs selectively affect the condition of blood vessels.

Diuretics, beta-blockers and several other groups of drugs should be noted among antihypertensive drugs.

Medicines for the treatment of high blood pressure are selected strictly individually based on the results of the examination. These must be taken strictly according to the dosage regimen prescribed by the treating physician.

Diet

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

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

• animal fats, palm, butter and coconut oil, margarine;
• sweet products, white bread, milk chocolate and other sweets;
• salt - up to 5 g per day, taking into account its amount in finished products.

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

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

If you have high blood pressure, be careful when drinking coffee. A cup of freshly ground coffee in the morning is fine, 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 only be used after consulting a doctor. You should understand that any traditional medicine can only supplement the main treatment and not replace it.

The following can help lower blood pressure:

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

Ready-made herbal mixtures for lowering blood pressure can be bought in a pharmacy - it is much safer than buying from the market.

What not to do if you have high blood pressure

Strict prohibitions and restrictions apply mainly to severe stages of hypertension. At the first symptoms of the disease, only alcohol and smoking are completely prohibited.

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

Complications

It should be understood that the health of the whole body depends on the state of the cardiovascular system. The vascular pathology of high blood pressure can have serious consequences, especially cerebrovascular accident and heart attack.

Other complications of high blood pressure include:

• arteriosclerosis, heart failure, angina pectoris;
• vision impairment;
• diabetes mellitus and other endocrine pathologies;
• brain hemorrhages, encephalopathy and others.

Timely visits to the doctor and careful adherence to all recommendations will help to avoid dangerous complications associated with high blood pressure.

Conclusion

Persistent elevation of 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 successfully combat it. The key to success is contacting a specialist at the first symptoms, a healthy lifestyle and trust in the doctor.