An increase in pressure above the age norm is correctly called arterial hypertension.
If the pressure rises frequently or for a long time, and during the examination it is not possible to identify the reasons, a diagnosis of hypertension is made. If a person has a disease that has caused an increase in blood pressure (for example, a traumatic brain injury in the past, kidney disease, etc. ), then he is talking about secondary arterial hypertension. However, colloquially, all cases of hypertension are often referred to as hypertension.
Hypertension is known as the "silent killer" because it doesn't always have obvious symptoms, especially in the early stages. It has been established that 20-30% of the adult population has high blood pressure, although many have not known about their disease for a long time. If hypertension is left untreated, the risk of heart attack or stroke increases. The only way to find out if there is a problem is
measure your blood pressure regularly.
Blood pressure is the force with which blood presses against the walls of blood vessels and the heart. With hypertension, the blood pressure in the arteries and heart becomes excessively high, which leads to premature wear of these organs and increases the risk of other diseases, such as kidney or brain damage.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded in two dimensions:
- systolic pressure - blood pressure when the heart contracts and pushes blood into the arteries;
- diastolic pressure is the blood pressure when the heart muscle relaxes between two contractions.
For example, if your doctor says your blood pressure is "140 out of 90", your systolic pressure is 140mmHg. Art. And diastolic pressure - 90 mm Hg. Art.
Optimal blood pressure in an adult is considered to be below 120/80 mm Hg. Art. However, figures up to and including 139/89 are within the normal range. If, based on the results of several measurements, your blood pressure exceeds 140/90 inclusive, you have high blood pressure, further examination and possibly treatment is required.
Symptoms of high blood pressure (hypertension)
An increase in blood pressure is not always accompanied by a change in well-being. The only way to know for sure if you have hypertension is to measure your blood pressure. Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least once every five years.
If you are pregnant, it is important to check your blood pressure regularly, even if it is not high. Blood pressure monitoring during pregnancy reduces the risk of complications. Hypertension in a pregnant woman can lead to preeclampsia. This is a dangerous condition in which there is a problem with the placenta (the organ that provides blood circulation to the unborn baby).
Sometimes the symptoms of high blood pressure are:
- headache;
- darkening or double vision;
- epistaxis;
- dyspnea.
Such signs appear in people with very high blood pressure. If you experience any of these symptoms, see your doctor. Left untreated, hypertension can lead to serious illness, including stroke and heart attack. Make an appointment with your doctor right away if you experience any of these symptoms or have high blood pressure. If symptoms are severe, call an ambulance.
Causes of hypertension (high blood pressure)
In over 90% of cases, the cause of hypertension cannot be determined. Hence hypertension is called essential or primary. Factors that can increase the risk of developing primary hypertension include:
- age - the risk of developing hypertension increases with age;
- cases of hypertension have occurred in his family (the disease can be hereditary);
- excess salt in your diet;
- lack of exercise;
- completeness;
- to smoke;
- alcohol abuse;
- fatigue.
Known causes of hypertension
About 10% of high blood pressure cases are the result of a specific disease or cause. These cases are referred to as secondary hypertension. The typical reasons for the increase in pressure in this case are:
- kidney disease;
- diabetes;
- narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the kidneys;
- hormonal disorders such as Cushing's syndrome (a condition in which the body produces too many steroid hormones);
- diseases that affect the connective tissues of the body, such as systemic lupus erythematosus;
- birth control pills (oral contraceptives);
- pain relievers known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
- club drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines and crystal methamphetamines;
- some herbal remedies, herbal supplements.
Hypertension Diagnosis
To diagnose arterial hypertension and identify its possible causes, first of all they resort to systematic measurement of blood pressure. This can be done by a healthcare provider or by yourself using a home pressure monitor.
Healthy people over the age of 40 should have their blood pressure measured at least every five years. If you are at increased risk for hypertension, you should check your blood pressure more frequently, ideally once a year.
Blood pressure checks are generally easy to do in most clinics and hospitals. Blood pressure is usually measured with a sphygmomanometer (pressure gauge), a device consisting of a stethoscope, a cuff, a measuring device, an aerator, and a valve.
The cuff is wrapped around the upper arm and inflated to restrict blood flow in the artery. The cuff is then slowly deflated while listening to the pulse with a stethoscope. Listening to the heart rate below the deflated cuff provides a reliable blood pressure reading. In addition, automatic (digital) blood pressure monitors are now common, which measure blood pressure and pulse using electrical sensors.
Before you start measuring your blood pressure, you should rest for at least five minutes and empty your bladder. To get an accurate blood pressure reading, you need to sit down and not talk during the procedure.
If one of the measurements showed high blood pressure, it doesn't necessarily mean you have hypertension. During the day, blood pressure levels can fluctuate. The pressure can increase during your visit to the doctor due to anxiety and stress. In these cases, it is recommended that you measure your blood pressure yourself during the day, using a home tonometer. By eliminating the "fear of the white coat", you can achieve more objective indicators.
You may also have blood and urine tests to check for diseases that increase the risk of high blood pressure, such as kidney disease.
Deciphering the tonometer readings
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded in two intervals:
- systolic pressure - blood pressure when the heart contracts and pushes blood into the arteries;
- diastolic pressure is the blood pressure when the heart muscle relaxes between two contractions.
For example, if your systolic blood pressure is 140 mm Hg. Art. , And the diastolic pressure is 90 mm Hg. Art. , Then they say your blood pressure is 140 out of 90.
Ideally, your blood pressure should be below 120/80. However, readings below 140/90 are generally considered normal. If you have kidney disease, diabetes, or heart or circulatory disease, your target blood pressure should be below 130/80 mmHg. Art.
If your blood pressure readings are above 140/90 for several days, you have high blood pressure and need further examination.
High blood pressure treatment
Effective actions to lower blood pressure levels include lifestyle changes and medications. The choice of treatment regimen will depend on blood pressure levels and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
If your blood pressure is slightly above 130/80 mm Hg. Art. , And at the same time your risk of developing cardiovascular disease is low, then you should be able to lower your blood pressure just by making some changes to your lifestyle.
If your blood pressure is moderately high (140/90 mmHg or higher) and you are at risk of developing heart disease within the next 10 years, treatment will include medications and lifestyle changes.
If your blood pressure is very high (180/110 mmHg or higher), you will need treatment soon, possibly with further testing, depending on your health condition.
Lifestyle in hypertension
Below are some of the changes you could make to your lifestyle to lower your blood pressure. Some of them will lead to rapid improvement within a few weeks, others will take effect over a longer period of time.
- Reduce your salt intake to less than 6 grams per day.
- Eat healthy, low-fat, and balanced foods, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Stay Active: Staying physically active is one of the key things you should do to prevent or control hypertension.
- Cut down on alcohol consumption.
- Stop smoking. Smoking greatly increases the chances of developing lung and heart disease.
- Lose weight.
- Drink less coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverages like cola. Drinking more than four cups of coffee a day can raise blood pressure.
- Try relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and stress management (autogenic training).
The more healthy habits you adopt, the greater the positive effect it will have. In practice, some people find that by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, they do not need to take medications at all.
Pharmacological treatment of hypertension
A wide variety of blood pressure medications are available. You may need to take more than one type of drug because a combination of drugs is sometimes needed to treat hypertension.
In some cases, you will need to take blood pressure medications for the rest of your life. However, if your blood pressure stays under control for several years, you may be able to stop the drug treatment. Most high blood pressure medications can cause side effects, but this problem can be solved by changing the medications you take.
Tell your doctor if you experience any of the following common drug side effects:
- feeling sleepy;
- pain in the kidney area (in the lumbar region);
- dry cough;
- dizziness, fatigue, or lethargy;
- rash on the skin.
Below are the most commonly used medications for high blood pressure.
Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.lower blood pressure by relaxing the walls of blood vessels. The most common side effect is a persistent dry cough. If side effects start to bother you, you may be advised to take medications such as angiotensin-2 receptor antagonists, which work in a similar way to ACE inhibitors.
ACE inhibitors can cause unexpected side effects when taken with other medications, including over-the-counter medications. Before starting any additional medications, consult your doctor to see if the combination causes any negative side effects.
Calcium channel blockers(calcium channel blockers) prevent calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels. This causes the arteries (large blood vessels) to dilate and lower blood pressure.
Drinking grapefruit juice while taking certain types of calcium channel blockers can increase the risk of side effects. For more information, you can discuss this issue with your doctor.
Diuretics(diuretics) work by removing excess fluid and salt from the body in the urine.
Beta blockers (beta blockers)act by reducing the frequency and strength of heart contractions, thus lowering blood pressure. Beta blockers were once a popular drug for high blood pressure, but nowadays they are usually only used when other drugs are not working. This is because beta blockers are considered less effective than other types of high blood pressure medications.
Also, beta blockers can interfere with other drugs, causing side effects. Consult your doctor before taking any other medicines in combination with beta-blockers.
Do not stop taking beta-blockers suddenly without talking to your doctor. This can lead to serious side effects such as high blood pressure or angina.
Alpha blockers (alpha blockers)they are generally not recommended as a first choice for hypertension unless other medications are working. Alpha blockers work by relaxing blood vessels, greatly facilitating blood flow within them.
Common side effects of alpha blockers include:
- fainting at the first dose of the drug ("first dose effect");
- dizziness;
- headache;
- swelling of the ankles;
- fatigue.
Complications of hypertension
High blood pressure puts stress on the heart and blood vessels. Left untreated, hypertension increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease over time.
Cardiovascular disease in hypertension
Hypertension can cause many different diseases of the heart and blood vessels and vessels of the heart (cardiovascular disease), including:
- hit;
- heart attack;
- embolism - occurs when a blood clot or air bubble blocks the flow of blood in a vessel;
- aneurysm: develops when a blood vessel wall stretches and can rupture at any time, causing internal bleeding.
Kidney disease and hypertension
High blood pressure can also damage the small blood vessels in the kidneys and impair their function. This complication can cause symptoms such as:
- fatigue;
- swelling of the ankles, feet or hands (due to water retention in the body);
- dyspnea;
- the presence of blood in the urine;
- frequent urination, especially at night;
- itchy skin.
Kidney disease is treated with medications and dietary supplements. More severe cases require dialysis (a medical procedure in which the blood is artificially cleared of toxic metabolic products in the body) or a kidney transplant.
High blood pressure prevention
Hypertension can be prevented by following a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake, and not smoking.
Smoking itself does not cause high blood pressure, but it greatly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Smoking, like hypertension, causes the arteries to narrow. If you smoke when you have high blood pressure, your arteries will narrow much faster and your risk of developing heart and lung disease in the future will significantly increase.
High pressure feed
Reduce the amount of salt in your diet, eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Salt raises blood pressure. The more salt you consume, the higher your blood pressure. Aim to eat less than 6 grams of salt per day, which is roughly the same as a teaspoon.
Eating low-fat, high-fiber foods (such as brown rice, bread and pasta) and lots of fruits and vegetables have been shown to help lower blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber that keep your body healthy. Aim to eat five 80g servings of fruit and vegetables each day.
Drinking more than the legal limit on a regular basis will cause your blood pressure to rise over time. Men are advised not to regularly consume more than 2-4 servings of alcohol per day and women more than 2-3. Regular use means every day or most days of the week. 1 serving of alcohol is roughly equivalent to a glass of vodka, half a glass of wine or half a beer.
Also, since alcohol is high in calories, regular alcohol consumption leads to weight gain and, consequently, to an increase in blood pressure.
Drinking more than four cups of coffee a day can cause high blood pressure. If you're a big fan of coffee, tea, or other caffeinated drinks (like Coke and some energy drinks), consider cutting back. It is very good when you drink tea and coffee as part of a balanced diet, but it is important that these drinks are not your only source of liquids.
Weight and exercise for hypertension
Being overweight forces the heart to work harder to pump blood around the body, which usually results in an increase in blood pressure. If you really need to lose weight, it's important to remember that losing even two to three kilograms of weight will significantly change your blood pressure readings and improve your overall health.
An active lifestyle and regular exercise lead to lower blood pressure by keeping the heart and blood vessels in good condition. Regular exercise also helps you lose weight, which also helps you lower your blood pressure.
An adult should spend at least 150 minutes (2. 5 hours) each week doing moderate-intensity outdoor exercises, such as cycling or brisk walking. When doing exercises, you should be guided by the fact that you should feel warm and slightly out of breath. For a full person, walking a little up the hill may be enough to achieve this state. Physical activity can include a wide variety of exercises, from sports to walking and gardening.
Relaxation exercises can lower blood pressure. They include:
- Stress management (autogenic training), meditation or yoga.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on how your thoughts and beliefs can affect your well-being and your ability to cope with problems. You can discuss with your doctor the possibility of undergoing such psychotherapy.
- Biofeedback (a self-regulating method used to help you consciously control your blood pressure): A small monitor shows you your heart rate or blood pressure in real time. A referral for biofeedback can be done by the doctor.
Which doctor should I contact for hypertension?
If you have high blood pressure, find a good therapist who can understand the causes of the disease and prescribe treatment. If you have heart disease or chronic cardiovascular disease, choose a cardiologist.