According to the World Health Organization, hypertension is one of the most common diseases. Hypertension occurs in every third person and is characterized by high death rates in severe stages. Only complex treatment that combines medication and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be successful.
what is hypertension
What is hypertension is a chronic disease, a pathology of the cardiovascular system. It develops as a result of an interruption in the work of the higher centers responsible for the functionality of blood vessels. Dangerous complications of hypertension and accompanied by internal diseases.
One of the main manifestations of the disease is high blood pressure (blood pressure), which decreases only after taking special, strong medications.
Hypertension refers to a pressure of 140/90 mm Hg. and higher if confirmed during two medical examinations.
Hypertension is divided into several types:
- essential arterial hypertension,
- symptomatic high blood pressure,
- chronic hypertension,
- Vascular hypertension.
Symptomatic or secondary hypertension accounts for only 10% of all reported cases of the disease. Hypertensive syndrome - the second name of the disease - usually accompanies systemic lupus erythematosus, urolithiasis, renal anomaly and tumors, ischemia, toxicosis in late pregnancy, renal tuberculosis. Although hypertension does not have its own signs and characteristics, it seriously worsens the underlying disease.
Essential hypertension is an independent form of the disease.
Chronic hypertension is usually caused by excess calcium in the blood, infectious diseases (turned into chronic), diabetes mellitus, and heredity. It manifests in the form of nervousness, distraction, fatigue and weakness, frequent numbness in the arms and legs, speech impairment, left ventricular hypertrophy and frequent pain in the heart region.
How does hypertension develop?
The mechanism of the development of hypertension is as follows: in response to a stressor, a violation of the regulation of tone occurs in the peripheral vessels. The result is a spasm of the arterioles and the formation of a discirculatory and dyskinetic syndrome. The secretion of neurohormones in the aldosterone system is significantly increased. This causes a delay in the vascular bed of sodium and water, which increases the volume of blood circulation and increases pressure. During the disease, the viscosity of the blood also increases, which leads to a decrease in the rate of the metabolic process in the tissues. The walls of the vessels increase in size, the space between them narrows, which affects blood flow. A high level of resistance in the periphery makes the disease irreversible. As a result of increased permeability and impregnation of blood vessel walls with blood plasma, arteriosclerosis and elastofibrosis develop, and this leads to serious changes in the tissues of some organs.
Spontaneously, hypertension cannot occur in humans. Hypertension is usually preceded by vegetative-vascular (VD) dystonia, a frequent companion of which are varicose veins.
Varicose veins and hypertension are related: the increase in vessel wall activity in the SVD leads to a decrease in their diameter. The resistance of the vessel wall to blood flow increases, which increases blood pressure. Varicose veins are characterized by the thickening of the vessel wall, the formation of pockets and constrictions inside, which interfere with the normal flow of blood. Diseased veins can no longer handle blood flow, which leads to tissue edema and chronic stagnation in the veins. This can lead to the development of gangrene, sepsis and even death.
Disease classification
Hypertensive disease differs in the causes of increased pressure, organ damage, level and course of blood pressure. The disease can be benign, or slowly progressive, or rapidly progressive - malignant. More important is the classification according to pressure level and stability. Distinguish:
- Normal GB (up to 129/85 mm Hg),
- edge (up to 140/90 mm Hg),
- 1st degree hypertension (up to 160/100 mm Hg),
- 2 degrees (up to 180/110 mm Hg),
- 3 degrees (above 180/110 mm Hg).
Benign hypertension has three stages. The first or mild is characterized by increases in pressure up to 180 to 104 mm Hg, but after a short rest it returns to normal. Some people complain of headaches, sleep problems, fatigue, and reduced performance. However, in most cases, the mild stage proceeds without pronounced individual symptoms.
The second or intermediate stage is characterized by pressure up to 200 to 115 mm Hg. in rest. It is accompanied by strong and throbbing pains in the head, dizziness, pain in the region of the heart. During the examination, damage to the heart is detected. Subendocardial ischemia is sometimes detected. Cerebral strokes, transient ischemia of the brain are possible.
The third or severe stage is accompanied by steady and strong increases in pressure. At the beginning of the stage, the increase in pressure is intermittent and usually manifests itself after physical exertion, as well as changes in atmospheric pressure, emotional upsets. Normalization is possible after myocardial infarction or stroke. After a heart attack, headless hypertension often occurs. That is, a state in which only the systolic or pulse pressure decreases.
Reasons for the development of the disease
The causes of hypertension lie in the violation of the regulatory activity of the main parts of the central nervous system, which control the work of all internal organs. Frequent overexertion and overwork, both physical and mental, constant and strong agitation in the long term, stress can lead to development.
Working at night, often being in a noisy environment can also trigger the disease.
The risk group includes lovers of salty foods. Salt causes spasms in the arteries and prevents the removal of fluid. An important role is played by heredity. The probability of disease occurrence increases if hypertension is present in two or more relatives.
Some diseases also cause the development of hypertension. These include:
- Diseases of the adrenal glands and kidneys,
- thyroid disease,
- Obesity,
- diabetes diabetes,
- tonsillitis,
- atherosclerosis.
Among women in the highest risk group, those who are menopausal. This is due to hormonal changes in the body, emotional exacerbations, nervous reactions. It is during menopause that about 60% of all illnesses in women occur.
In men, age and sex determine the increased risk. Hypertension in their 20s and 30s develops in about 9% of men. At age 40, the percentage increases to 35, and after 65 - already 50%. Hypertension is more common in men under age 40 than in women. In the older age group, the proportion changes - this is explained by a large percentage of male mortality from complications.
The causes of hypertension lie in hypodynamia and bad habits. The components of tobacco smoke cause blood vessels to spasm and damage the thin walls of arteries. Physical inactivity is accompanied by a slow metabolism, and in the event of an increase in load, an untrained heart tires many times faster.
Symptoms
The clinic of hypertension in the early stages can be mild. A person for a long time may not even be aware of the increase in pressure and the processes that develop in the vessels. The first and first signs of hypertension are irritability for no apparent reason and increased fatigue.
Symptoms of hypertension in the early stages: neurotic disorders, weakness, sleep disturbances, noise and ringing in the ears and dizziness, heart palpitations.
People notice a decrease in efficiency, a loss of concentration. There is a shortness of breath. Headache with hypertension appears most often in the morning in the temporal and occipital region. At the end of the day and in the supine position it can increase. They are associated with a violation of the tone of venules and arterioles. Symptoms of hypertension include pain in the heart area. This is due to the increased work of the heart muscle to overcome the increasing resistance. As a result, a dissociation between the needs and capacities of the myocardium occurs, which leads to angina pectoris.
Signs of hypertension at a later date are the veiling and flickering of "flies" before the eyes, as well as other photopsies. They are explained by spasms of retinal arterioles. Malignant hypertension can be accompanied by retinal hemorrhages, which lead to blindness. In rare cases, symptoms of hypertension are manifested by vomiting, swelling of the hands and numbness of the fingers, morning chills - heaviness in the eyelids and swelling of the face, excessive sweating.
Complications during hypertension
Complications of hypertension:
- hypertension crisis,
- Visual impairment,
- Circulatory disorders in the brain
- nephrosclerosis,
- subarachnoid hemorrhage,
- dissecting aortic aneurysm,
- bradycardia,
- Target organ damage (kidneys, heart, brain, veins and arteries, fundus vessels),
- Hypertensive cardiomyopathy (HLH, left ventricular hypertension)
- Angiodystonia of the hypertonic type.
Hypertension crisis
First you need to understand what a hypertensive crisis is. This term refers to an acute and significant increase in blood pressure, which is accompanied by characteristic symptoms of the disease. In addition to hypertension, it can be caused by:
- chronic and acute glomerulonephritis,
- Toxicosis in late pregnancy,
- renovascular hypertension,
- benign brain tumors,
- heavy metal poisoning,
- Renal insufficiency.
Crises can be caused by hormonal imbalance and sudden changes in the weather. One of the most common causes is trauma of a psycho-emotional nature. Symptoms: Severe and intense headache, nausea with an urge to vomit, dizziness, fainting, short-term blindness and other visual disturbances, weakness, mood swings, crying. Brain symptoms:
- vasospasm,
- Violation of the permeability of the vascular walls,
- Entry of blood plasma into the marrow, which leads to edema.
In the early stages of the disease, attacks are mild and short-lived.
The danger of a possible development crisis:
- retinal detachment,
- leakage,
- acute pulmonary edema
- cardiac asthma,
- myocardial infarction,
- Angina.
Complications of hypertension pose a serious threat to human life and require regular medical follow-up.
bradycardia
A frequent and dangerous complication of hypertension. It manifests depending on the form. The light shape can go unnoticed. Severe, frequent and prolonged dizziness with hypertension may indicate a pronounced form of the disease. In addition, symptoms include - semi-fainting state and frequent fainting, sudden changes in pressure. The severe form is accompanied by fainting and short-term cardiac arrest. The treatment of bradycardia with hypertension can occur with homeopathic and medicinal remedies. Usually prescribed diuretics, alpha-blockers, nifedicipine. From homeopathy, calendula, St. John's wort, strawberries, shakers are prescribed.
Complications include the following syndromes in hypertension:
- myocardial injury,
- kidney damage,
- vascular encephalopathy,
- High blood pressure syndrome.
Associated clinical conditions: ischemic stroke, CHF, coronary revascularization, renal failure, arterial disease, papilledema.
target organ injury
A heart
Most often, left ventricular hypertrophy develops. This happens because the heart muscle has to push blood into the deformed vessels with great effort. This work leads to thickening of the muscle wall and lack of blood circulation. This is dangerous with muscle tension and heart fatigue. Another pathology is a violation of the diastolic function of the lzh. The increasing fatigue of the heart muscle leads to a time when it cannot assume a relaxed position. The thickened wall cannot relax during the diastolic phase, when oxygen saturation normally occurs. All this leads to the third pathology - chronic insufficiency. It develops as a result of a constant lack of oxygen. It is very difficult to treat the disease and, in combination with other pathologies, it leads to death.
vessels
Arterial vessels in hypertension are in a constant state of narrowing due to contraction of the muscular layer. This leads to the fact that the vessels stop relaxing and muscle tissue is replaced by connective tissue. This is called vascular remodeling. Vision loss, peripheral atherosclerosis of the extremities and other diseases are associated with this complex and irreversible consequence.
Brain
Hemorrhage causes nearly 25% of all strokes. And hypertension is the main cause of hemorrhage, which has a high percentage of deaths. Insufficient blood supply to the brain leads to ischemic stroke. This complication accounts for more than 70% of cases. It is caused by narrowing of the cerebral arteries or blockage of the channel by a thrombus. Another pathology is hypertensive encephalopathy. This is an emergency condition, accompanied by severe headache, high blood pressure, neurological symptoms. If you have hypertension, there is a chance of developing cognitive impairment and dementia. These are changes in subcortical substance and brain atrophy, which are responsible for violations of thought processes.
kidneys
One of the most common complications is microalbuminuria. The first sign of kidney damage is the development of kidney failure. Chronic kidney failure is characterized by a loss of the kidneys' ability to remove metabolic products from the blood.
Disease diagnosis
Effective treatment of hypertension is only possible with early diagnosis and compliance with all rules and recommendations. High blood pressure is not always an indicator of hypertension, it can be situational. And with repeated visits to the doctor it is not detected. A single pressure measurement may not reveal the disease: with recurrent symptoms, it is necessary to measure blood pressure in dynamics. After making a diagnosis, doctors perform a differential diagnosis to determine the symptomatic form of the disease.
pressure measurement
To determine the degree and presence of the disease, dynamic pressure measurement is used. It is carried out as follows: the environment must be comfortable and calm. Measurements do not begin until ten minutes after the start of patient admission. One hour before the visit, smoking, ingesting any food and strong drink (tea, coffee, alcohol), any physical activity, the use of eye drops or nasal drops are excluded. During the first treatment, blood pressure readings are taken from both the patient's hands, with a second measurement after 2 minutes.
With a difference in readings of more than 5 mm Hg. continue measurements on the high pressure arm.
treatment of hypertension
How to treat hypertension depends on the stage of the disease, complications, age and many other parameters. Medical treatment options are selected by the treating physician. The desire to fight the illness on your own can turn into disastrous consequences. Modern hypertension treatment starts with non-drug methods that increase the effectiveness of drugs several times over. You need to start by establishing a daily routine, eliminating any stress, do not forget about exercise and long walks. An important point in dealing with hypertension is diet. The patient should refuse or significantly reduce salt intake, drink less, completely eliminate alcoholic beverages and coffee. If you follow all the recommendations, you can avoid drug treatment of the disease.
In treatment, it is important not only how to deal with hypertension, but also how to eliminate the causes of high blood pressure.
Typically, drugs are used to treat:
- diuretic,
- inhibitors
- Type 2 receptor antagonists
- Calcium channel blockers.
Blood pressure medications - prescription only
homeopathic treatment
Considering the question of how to get rid of hypertension, it is worth paying attention to homeopathic remedies. They are usually recommended when target organs are already affected. Homeopathy for hypertension has an important advantage: a mild effect. The drugs have no contraindications or side effects. The downside is that treatment with homeopathic remedies is quite slow. When choosing this method, consider:
- Homeopathic medicines are prescribed simultaneously with medicines,
- Combining medication and a healthy lifestyle
- With a medium degree of risk, this type is often the only one possible.
Hospital treatment of hypertension
Hospital treatment is usually admitted with a complicated hypertensive crisis:
- acute hypertensive encephalopathy,
- cardiac asthma,
- pulmonary edema,
- Acute coronary syndrome (unstable angina and myocardial infarction),
- aortic aneurysm,
- severe arterial bleeding
- Eclampsia.
Upon admission, clinicians begin to carry out the main diagnostic actions:
- Every 15 minutes of measurement of blood pressure dynamics,
- electrocardiography,
- General analysis of blood and urine,
- echocardiography,
- Biochemical analysis for detection of potassium, sodium, urea, calcium, creatinine, fibrinogen, coagulogram,
- Ophthalmoscopy.
In addition, the patient should receive a consultation with a neurologist, Reberg test and rheoencephalography, in addition to determining the type of cerebral hemodynamics. While in the hospital, hospital treatment depends on the presence of complications, the severity of the attack, and other ailments. First aid aims to reduce the activity of the left ventricle of the heart and eliminate symptoms such as:
- peripheral vasoconstriction,
- cerebral ischemia,
- Cardiac insufficiency.
Of great importance in the treatment of a complicated crisis is the introduction of antihypertensive drugs, ICU admission and regular blood pressure checks.
Non-drug treatment of a hypertensive state includes immunity boosting, body cleansing, massage, gymnastics and diet. It is important to follow the doctors' instructions and not violate the established regimen.
How to live with hypertension
How long people live with hypertension is an important question for those who have been diagnosed. The consequences of the disease depend on the stage and nature of its course. The severe form, vascular damage, the third stage of the disease and end-organ rupture worsen the prognosis. Premature death occurs from heart attacks and strokes, acute heart failure. Unfavorable prognosis for those who became ill at an early age.
The life expectancy of hypertensive patients depends not only on the correctness of taking medications and regular visits to the doctor, but also on personal attitude and compliance with basic rules. These include:
- psychological climate,
- Diet,
- Physical exercise,
- No bad habits.
Another important condition is to understand what kind of disease it is, how it develops and what the consequences are for the whole body. To understand the features of the course of the disease, it is not necessary to have a medical education. There are many good books and manuals written for everyday people. One of them is "Propaedeutics of Internal Diseases" by A. Yakovlev, which briefly and clearly describes the main provisions on hypertension, as well as the most popular treatment regimens for hypertension.
psychological climate
Having figured out how to treat hypertension and choosing a treatment method, you need to move on to an equally important issue - a healthy lifestyle. It is impossible to work the night shift, frequent quarrels, constant and long-distance business travel, strong emotional stress, negative emotions, fears, anger. All these conditions are accompanied by the production of adrenaline in large amounts, which leads to the disruption of the circulatory and nervous systems. It's important to control your emotions, think more positively, and exclude any sources of stress from your environment. Herbal teas, meditations, hiking, doing what you love will help with this.
By creating the most comfortable conditions around him, a person increases the chances of his recovery.
Diet
Overweight and hypertension are incompatible. Even if there are no extra pounds, treatment begins with nutritional correction. In the early stages, this is enough to control the pressure and prevent it from building up. There are several ways to lose weight with hypertension. The main one is calorie restriction. This can be achieved by eliminating or reducing the daily diet of sweet and fatty foods, flour products. A weight loss diet should not be confused with fasting: it is prohibited for hypertensive patients. To lose weight and normalize blood pressure, you should also monitor the amount of animal fats in food. It is necessary to exclude foods high in cholesterol as much as possible, as well as switch to low-fat varieties of fish, fruits and vegetables and natural vegetable oils. It is worth completely abandoning sausages, lard, fried meatballs and fatty meats, butter, fatty cheeses.
Contraindications for hypertension - any drinks and foods that excite the nervous system. These include not only tea, coffee and alcohol, but also carbonated drinks, hot spices, fragrant spices.
It is important to include foods rich in potassium and magnesium in your diet. These elements have a good effect on the heart muscle, strengthen the walls of blood vessels and the nervous system. Much potassium is found in:
- plums,
- apricots,
- cabbage,
- pumpkin,
- bananas.
Rich in Magnesium:
- Buckwheat, oat and millet semolina,
- Carrot,
- Beet,
- black currant,
- Parsley and lettuce leaves
- Nuts.
An important rule: these products should not be combined with milk. Calcium negatively affects the digestibility of the elements.
Physical exercise
The complications of arterial hypertension and the disease itself do not mean that the patient should give up any activity. Gymnastics, simple exercises, yoga or long walks, swimming are indicated for hypertensive patients. The movement not only carries a load of positive emotions, but also helps to fight excess weight.
You should start with the simplest workouts, gradually increasing the time and complexity of the exercises. This also applies to swimming and walking.
Rehabilitation of third-stage hypertension, as well as complications such as hypertensive stroke, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, should only take place under the supervision of physicians. Typically, for rehabilitation, patients are referred to special resorts for treatment in a sanatorium. That includes a full range of measures: proper nutrition, physical activity, medication.