What is high blood pressure: basic concepts and why it is dangerous

Hypertension (hypertension) is the most common disease of the cardiovascular system.

Hypertension is rapidly "rejuvenating", today it is a disease not only of the elderly, but often occurs in pregnant women, and is becoming more common in adolescents.

What is high blood pressure? The answer to this question can be found in the definition of the state of this disease.

It is characterized by chronically elevated blood pressure, when the highest value (systolic pressure) exceeds 140 mm Hg and the lowest (diastolic pressure) is above 90 mm Hg. subject to at least three measurements made at different times in a person who is in a calm state.

The optimal blood pressure indicators are 120-130 for 80-89 mm Hg, if they are higher, it is necessary to start actively treating hypertension. However, few diagnose this disease at an early stage: about 35% of men and 55% of women are aware of their high blood pressure, only half of them are involved in the treatment of high blood pressure and only 6% of the male population and 20% of the female population control their pressure.

The sooner high blood pressure is identified and controlled, the lower the risk of developing complications of hypertension (ischemic disease, atherosclerosis, kidney disease, low blood testosterone, erectile dysfunction) in the future.

Hypertension can be one of the causes of impotence in men.

It is useful to note

The main task of the treatment of hypertension is the constant control of blood pressure in order to avoid even more serious health problems, as this disease cannot be completely cured.

What is dangerous hypertension

With prolonged hypertension, the walls of blood vessels thicken and lose their ability to relax, impeding the normal supply of blood and, consequently, the saturation of tissues and organs with oxygen and other nutrients and a decrease in their functional activity . Let's consider in more detail what dangerous hypertension is:

• Hypertensive crisis- the most common exacerbation of arterial hypertension, can occur both in relatively satisfactory conditions of the patient, and be caused by the patient's psychophysical stress. Developing at high speed, a hypertensive crisis dramatically increases blood pressure, causes severe headache, dizziness, rapid heartbeat or arrhythmia, nausea and vomiting. At risk are those who suffer from dependence on atmospheric agents, they are in the pre-climatic period.
• heart attack- complicated by hypertension can occur within minutes and lead to death. The main symptom is a prolonged pain attack.
• Hit- circulatory disorders in the cerebral vessels, cerebral hemorrhage, characterized by a sudden severe headache, to which other symptoms of the brain are quickly added: impaired speech, twisted mouth, paralysis of a part of the body. If urgent measures are taken and capillary bloodletting is performed in case of hypertension, this process can be reversible.
• angina pectoris- the disease is less transient. Violation of the heart causes severe emotional overload, overwork. Accompanied by severe dull pain in the chest, feeling bad, can cause frequent vomiting.
• Heart failure- a chronic condition of the heart muscle, in which it is unable to supply oxygen to the organs and tissues of the body. It is characterized by the patient's total weakness, in which he is unable to withstand elementary physical activity: self-lifting, walking, etc.
• Coronary artery disease- insufficient blood supply to the coronary arteries, resulting in insufficient nutrition of the heart. With careful adherence to the prescribed treatment of hypertension, it is not difficult to avoid the development of coronary heart disease.
• kidney failure- impaired kidney function, destruction of neurons, partial inability to remove toxins from the body. High blood pressure is the second leading cause of acute or chronic renal failure after diabetes mellitus.
• distortion of vision- occurs due to a reduced blood supply to the retina and optic nerve. A sharp increase in blood pressure can cause spasms of the artery that supplies the optic nerve, damage the integrity of the retinal vessels. Hypertension is dangerous with pathologies such as retinal or vitreous hemorrhage: the first leads to the formation of a black spot in the visual field, the second leads to loss of vision in the affected eye.

To avoid complications so dangerous for hypertension, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner and conduct an examination, which will help determine the stage of development of the disease and prescribe the required treatment.

Degrees of hypertension: classification, forms

Due to the nature of the evaluation of one or more criteria, a number of classifications of hypertension are used.

It assigns such stages of development as the origin, the form of loss, the level of blood pressure, the degree of damage to the target organs.

The main task in making a diagnosis of arterial hypertension is to differentiate the nature of the disease. There are two large groups here:

• primary or essential hypertension - increased blood pressure is the main cause;
• secondary or symptomatic arterial hypertension - hypertension is caused by diseases of other organs or systems: kidneys, heart, endocrine glands, lungs, thyroid.

According to the experts

Treatment of symptomatic hypertension cannot occur without treatment of the disease that caused it and begins with it. In some cases, along with the elimination of the underlying disease, hypertension also disappears.

In addition, blood pressure, up to a hypertensive crisis, can increase due to the improper intake of some drugs, with neurosis, excessive use of caffeine and other stimulants.

When diagnosing essential hypertension, doctors usually classify the disease based on blood pressure level in order to choose the right tactics for treating essential hypertension. In international practice, there are three degrees of hypertension:

• Hypertension 1 degree- systolic blood pressure 140-159 mm Hg, diastolic pressure 90-99 mm Hg. A mild form of the disease, in which a sharp change in blood pressure is characteristic, can both return to normal on its own and rise again.
• Hypertension 2 degrees- systolic 160-179 mm Hg, diastolic 100-109 mm Hg. Moderate form, the increase in pressure is more prolonged, rarely drops to normal values.
• Hypertension 3 degrees- systolic greater than 180 mm Hg, diastolic greater than 110 mm Hg. Severe form, the pressure is stable at the level of pathological indicators, proceeds with serious complications and is difficult to correct with drugs.

Separately, isolated systolic hypertension is isolated, it occurs in about one third of the elderly with arterial hypertension. This form is due to age-related loss of great vessel elasticity, often accompanied by myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and left ventricular hypertrophy. Blood pressure indicators: systolic up to 160 mm Hg. and above, diastolic - below 90 mm Hg.

Useful information

It is worth noting another minor group - the so-called "white coat hypertension", when, under the influence of psycho-emotional factors, a person's blood pressure rises only at the time of its measurement by a healthcare professional. In these cases, the diagnosis is clarified by repeated blood pressure measurement in a calm home environment.

In addition to the degree of hypertension, when making a diagnosis, risk factors that can lead to complications of the cardiovascular system and the stage of the clinical course of the disease are also evaluated:

• Transistor hypertension (early stage).. The increase in pressure is periodic, returning to normal values; no drugs that reduce blood pressure are used.
• labile hypertension. An increase in blood pressure is directly related to a provoking factor: stress, severe psychological or physical stress. To stabilize the pressure, drugs are needed.
• Stable arterial hypertension. Persistent increase in pressure, in which serious supportive therapy is used.
• Malignant form. By increasing the pressure to very high levels, the disease progresses rapidly and leads to the development of serious complications.
• Form of crisis. Periodic hypertensive crises are characteristic against the background of normal or slightly elevated pressure.

An assessment of the severity of hypertension and the risk of possible complications is possible only on the basis of a thorough examination: general and biochemical tests, ultrasound of the heart and other organs, ECG, fundus examination. A comprehensive examination of a patient with arterial hypertension is usually done during inpatient treatment.

High blood pressure is the main warning symptom of hypertension in both men and women.

Symptoms of hypertension can be absent for a long time, and if a person does not constantly use a tonometer, he can discover his disease, having already begun to treat its complications.

Often hypertension has no manifestations, except for its main symptom - persistent high blood pressure.

Also, the concept of "persistent" or "chronic" is key here, because in a number of situations (stress, fear, or anger), the pressure can build up and then return to normal on its own.

However, few control the level of their pressure, so you should pay attention to the following symptoms, which indicate the development of arterial hypertension:

• Headache. Most often it occurs in the occipital, parietal region or temples. It can occur both at night and soon after waking up. As a rule, it increases with mental or physical effort. Sometimes accompanied by swelling of the eyelids and face.
• Dizziness. Sometimes even with little physical exertion: coughing, turning or tilting the head, a sharp rise.
• Pain in the region of the heart. They occur not only with emotional stress, but also at rest. Both long-lasting stabbing and stabbing pains and short-term stabbing pains are possible. They do not go away after taking nitroglycerin.
• Strong heartbeat.
• Noise in the ears.
• Visual impairment: veil, fog, "flies" in front of the eyes.
• Arterial disease: cold extremities, intermittent claudication.
• Swelling of the legs. Indicate a violation of the excretory function of the kidneys or heart failure.
• Dyspnea. It occurs both during physical exertion and at rest.

It is important to know

Hypertensive crisis - an emergency caused by excessively high blood pressure levels, can also be classified as 2 and 3 degree hypertension symptoms. At the same time, patients with 1st degree arterial hypertension, strictly following the recommendations of the doctor and following a diet for hypertensive patients, can achieve complete disappearance of the unpleasant symptoms of the disease.

It cannot be said that the symptoms of hypertension in men and women are significantly different, but in fact, men are actually more susceptible to this disease, especially in the 40 to 55 age group. This is partly due to the difference in the physiological structure: men, unlike women, have a greater body weight, respectively, and the volume of blood circulating in their vessels is significantly higher, which creates favorable conditions for hypertension.

On the other hand, women are more responsible for their health, for the correct lifestyle. The number of stressful situations at work, consumed alcohol and cigarettes smoked is greater in men, but this no longer refers to the symptoms of hypertension, but to the causes of its development.

Treatment of hypertension with drugs and folk remedies

Treatment of hypertension, as well as other diseases that are difficult to diagnose and require constant therapy (diabetes mellitus, allergies, prostatitis and impotence), should be completed and prescribed only by a specialist. If restrictions on food, salt intake, avoidance of alcohol and smoking, avoidance of stress and other correctable causes of hypertension do not help normalize blood pressure levels, high blood pressure pills will be prescribed. .

When treating hypertension with folk remedies, side effects are usually absent. You don't have to run to the pharmacy for expensive drugs and queue for the doctor to write down another prescription. All you have to do is take some time for yourself, change your diet, and learn how to manage stress.

Causes of hypertension and development of hypertension

The causes of arterial hypertension are still not fully understood, both the internal systems of the body and external factors play an important role in the development of the disease.

The main causes of hypertension are impaired blood circulation through the vessels, limited flow in the left ventricle of the heart. In modern medicine, there is a completely logical explanation for this: structural changes in blood vessels with age, the formation of blood clots and atherosclerotic plaques in their cavities.

If in symptomatic hypertension the causes of hypertension are caused by other diseases, in essential hypertension, i. e. this form is registered in 85% of cases, the exact causes of high blood pressure cannot be established, it occurs independently .

There are many risk factors that contribute to a persistent rise in blood pressure, they are usually considered to be the causes of hypertension. These include:

• Age, for men over 55, for women over 65. With age, the walls of blood vessels lose their elasticity, which increases their resistance to blood flow, as a result, the pressure increases.
• hereditary predisposition.
• Flooring. As already mentioned, men are more likely to suffer from hypertension.
• Violation of fat metabolism, obesity (men with a waist circumference of more than 102 cm, women - more than 88 cm).
• Diabetes.
• To smoke. It causes an immediate increase in blood pressure, and smokers with many years of experience are prone to vascular diseases.
• Alcohol abuse. The blood pressure of a person who has stopped drinking is reduced by at least fifteen points.
• Excessive salt intake. Excessive intake of sodium, the main component of table salt, is one of the most significant causes of hypertension in hypertensive patients: sodium chloride prevents the removal of liquids from the body, increasing the patient's already elevated vascular tone. Remember, the average person consumes three times the amount of salt they need, learn not to add salt to food.
• Lack of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle.
• Stress exposure.
• Disruption of cholesterol metabolism.
• Insufficient dietary intake of potassium.
• Increase in the level of adrenaline in the blood.
• Congenital heart defects.

Various kidney diseases, late toxicosis of pregnant women, regular intake of certain drugs, in some cases this also applies to oral contraceptives, should be attributed to the causes of secondary hypertension.

The above risk factors can be divided into two large groups:

• Which can be eliminated by themselves or with the help of doctors: treating obesity, reducing blood cholesterol levels, the number of cigarettes smoked, consuming alcohol or salt, losing weight and so on.
• Avoid what there is no possibility: age and hereditary predisposition.

Therefore, those who are in the so-called second risk group must carefully monitor their health, control and prevent hypertension. And for everyone who has at least one of the above factors, constantly monitor the level of blood pressure and, of course, lead a normal and active lifestyle.