Disorders of the cardiovascular system are one of the most common health problems in humanity. Studies have been conducted that have proven that they are much more common among urban residents than among those who spend most of their time in rural areas. In addition, diseases in this category "get younger", developing in people under the age of 40. One of the most common pathologies of this type is hypertension. It is a regular increase in blood pressure above average.
Hypertension symptoms (signs)
The manifestations of the disease depend on what stage of development it is in. Normally, blood pressure is between 110-130 per 70-90 mmHg. Depending on the severity of the disease, it can rise in critical cases to levels of 260 to 110. This condition threatens human health and life. At the same time, in the initial stages, hypertension can only be expressed by mild malaise, increased fatigue, and headache. As the pathology develops, its course also becomes more complicated. The most dangerous condition is a hypertensive crisis - a sharp jump in blood pressure. The general symptoms of the disease are:
- headache, feeling of tightness, especially in the back of the head and temples;
- noise and ringing in the ears;
- "spots", spots, a veil before the eyes;
- decreased visual acuity;
- deterioration in spatial coordination and fine motor skills;
- tremor, numbness in the arms and legs;
- nausea and vomiting.
Signs of hypertension appear to varying degrees depending on the stage of the disease. The deterioration of the condition occurs gradually, often throughout life. There are three stages of disease development:
- I - with blood pressure readings of 140-160 per 90-100 mmHg;
- II - at a pressure of 160-180 per 100-110 mmHg;
- III - when the upper limits of the second stage are exceeded.
A constant increase in pressure leads to malfunctions of the heart - the most common consequence of this is the development of coronary artery disease. There is also a risk of developing a heart attack or stroke.
Causes of hypertension
The nature of diseases of the cardiovascular system has not been fully studied by specialists. A particular difficulty lies in the fact that such disorders often form during the period of intrauterine development and appear much later. At the same time, it is not always possible to notice and study the onset of the disease. Most often, hypertension occurs in combination with the following disorders:
- kidney diseases;
- vascular pathologies;
- renal artery obstruction;
- pathologies of the thyroid gland;
- disruptions in the functioning of the adrenal glands;
- smoking and drinking alcohol;
- insufficient or excessive physical activity.
Such causes cause a secondary form of the disease - that is, one that develops under the influence of provoking factors. Signs of hypertension usually appear after the age of 35-40 years. The primary subtype of the disease is caused directly by congenital pathologies of the blood vessels or heart. The following factors additionally increase the risk of developing hypertension:
- age over 55 years;
- obesity;
- elevated cholesterol levels;
- genetic predisposition;
- diabetes mellitus;
- hormonal disorders;
- frequent stress and depression.
Blood pressure levels are directly affected by diet. Some foods - dark chocolate, coffee, alcohol - can cause an increase in blood pressure. Saturated fats, spices and sugar affect the condition of blood vessels and the chemical composition of the blood, which also indirectly affects the increase in blood pressure. It has been proven that smoking often leads to the disease.
Which doctor should I contact?
The manifestation of symptoms of hypertension requires mandatory medical intervention at the earliest stages. Delay can provoke the development of complications and in the future lead to such serious conditions as stroke and heart attack. Timely diagnosis will significantly reduce the risk. The doctor will help you solve the problem:
One of the most important points in identifying a disease is determining its root causes, especially if hypertension is secondary. In this case, the effectiveness of treatment will not be high without eliminating the preconditions for the pathology. To cope with it, the doctor will need to specify the clinical picture as much as possible. To do this, he will ask the following questions:
- What symptoms are you worried about?
- How long ago did they begin to appear?
- How often do hypertensive attacks occur?
- Are they related to any external factors?
- Does the patient have heart, kidney, or endocrine disease?
- What kind of life does he lead?
- What symptomatic treatment does he use for attacks?
After this, an external examination will be carried out with listening to the heart and measuring blood pressure. Additionally, laboratory tests of urine and blood, hardware tests are prescribed, and differential diagnostic tools are used.
Methods of treating the disease
The scheme for influencing pathology is based on the causes of hypertension in each individual case. It is also important to consider whether it is primary or secondary in nature, since the main purpose of the impact depends on this. The totality of this information allows the specialist to build an optimal individual treatment plan. Most often it includes the following steps:
- body weight control through diet;
- performing physical exercises of varying intensity;
- taking diuretic drugs;
- use of anti-tachycardia drugs;
- taking adrenergic blockers;
- use of antispasmodics and painkillers;
- use of drugs containing potassium.
The therapeutic regimen is strongly influenced by the stage of the disease. At the first stage, it is sometimes possible to do without even medications, while the second and third stages require fairly large dosages or strong medications. To treat high blood pressure, only conservative therapy is used.
Diagnosis of hypertension
Detection of pathology requires observations over a period of time with constant monitoring of the results. This makes it possible to determine whether it is of a primary nature and whether there are associated disorders. In this case, the method of differential diagnosis is used. It consists of the following stages:
- Repeated blood pressure measurements. It is performed on both arms, in a sitting or standing position, depending on age. The accuracy is about 85%.
- Daily pressure monitoring is a procedure that allows continuous monitoring over a specified period of time using portable equipment. The cost depends on the required duration of monitoring. Accuracy exceeds 95%.
- Laboratory tests of urine and blood. Determine the quantitative and qualitative composition of liquids and the rate of chemical reactions in the body. Accuracy is about 75%.
- Chest X-ray. Allows you to visually assess the condition of the heart. Accuracy - less than 70%.
For possible heart pathologies, an electrocardiogram is prescribed. Additionally, an ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity can be performed to determine the condition of the kidneys and fundus diagnostics if vision deteriorates.
Possible complications
Symptoms of hypertension affect a significant part of organs and systems that are not directly related to blood circulation. However, the overall state of health depends on the quantity and quality of nutrients and oxygen carried by the fluid current. Severe attacks of hypertension can provoke the following problems:
- vascular deformations;
- coronary heart disease;
- kidney pathologies;
- threat of stroke and heart attack;
- blurred vision due to damage to the ocular vessels;
- development of "pulmonary heart";
- exercise intolerance.
The possibility of complications of varying severity depends on the stage of the disease. At the initial and middle stages, attacks can be supplemented by nosebleeds, attacks of vomiting and tachycardia. If the situation worsens significantly, loss of consciousness, heart failure, and damage to the integrity of blood vessels are possible. The most severe conditions are crisis, heart attack and stroke.
At-risk groups
Many people ask questions about what kind of disease hypertension is, since the prevalence of this problem is very wide. At the same time, the pathology tends to affect people of working age - from 20 to 45 years, although a few decades ago the threshold was much higher. Not everyone is equally likely to develop this disorder. The following groups are particularly at risk:
- people with increased body weight and obesity;
- those whose activities are associated with heavy physical activity or, conversely, with a lack of it;
- people with a genetic predisposition to high blood pressure;
- living in environmentally polluted areas;
- smokers and alcohol abusers;
- people who do not monitor the content of fats and carbohydrates in their food;
- those who have been diagnosed with severe heart, liver or kidney disease.
Pathology does not make preferences between men and women - the statistics for both sexes are approximately the same. However, due to more frequent alcohol consumption and harsh working conditions, the risk for the stronger sex is slightly higher. In women, the disease usually develops at 55-60 years, and in men - at 65-70 years.
Prevention of hypertension
Protecting yourself from cardiovascular diseases is not always easy, since many of them are caused by congenital characteristics of the body or age. However, preventive measures will still have a positive effect on the situation and on health in general. Hypertension can develop due to poor lifestyle choices, so correcting some aspects of it will be beneficial. The recommendations are:
- promptly treat all diseases that provoke hypertension - heart, blood vessels, blood, kidneys;
- stick to a daily routine;
- avoid lack of sleep and overwork;
- maintain a healthy diet - avoid foods high in fat and cholesterol, alcoholic beverages, strong tea and coffee;
- perform moderate physical activity and avoid a sedentary lifestyle;
- undergo regular preventive examinations;
- take vitamin and mineral complexes recommended by your doctor to maintain health.
Hypertension can only be prevented by maintaining the overall well-being of the body. Several systems influence the formation of this disease, so prevention only with pills or exercise will not be effective. An important stage in its implementation is the timely diagnosis of accompanying and provoking factors.