What is arterial hypertension? This is a condition characterized by blood pressure readings above 140 mmHg. Art. In this case, patients experience headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Elimination of all symptoms that have arisen can only be done with specially selected therapy.
Arterial hypertension can be an independent disease or it can accompany various pathologies and become their symptoms. High blood pressure is one of the causes of coronary heart disease and severe kidney damage.
In hypertensive patients, it is often necessary to take special drugs before the indicators return to normal, and pressure fluctuations can be observed regularly for no apparent reason. It is completely impossible to cure the disease, but preventing serious consequences and learning to manage your stress is a feasible task.
Do not self-medicate. At the first sign of disease, consult a doctor.
reason
To this day, the exact cause of primary arterial hypertension is unknown. There are the following risk factors:
- hereditary;
- malnutrition;
- bad habits;
- Violation of fat metabolism;
- kidney disease;
- diabetes;
- pressure;
- inactive lifestyle.
Disease classification
During diagnostic workup, it can be difficult to pinpoint where the pathological factors leading to increased stress are concentrated. The pathogenesis also differs depending on the type of disease. Arterial hypertension is classified as follows:
- Pulmonary Essential Arterial Hypertension - Considered a type of arterial hypertension, it is rare but poses a great threat to human life. The disease is difficult to recognize by symptoms and even more difficult to treat. Pulmonary hypertension develops due to increased pulmonary vascular resistance, resulting in insufficient blood flow.
- vicious. A symptom of this arterial hypertension is an increase in blood pressure to 220/130. Fundamental changes occur in the fundus, and the optic disc becomes swollen. This type of arterial hypertension can be cured if diagnosed in time.
- Renovascular hypertension. This disease is caused by the presence of conditions such as vasculitis, vascular atherosclerosis and renal malignancy. The pathogenesis of the disease is reduced to the development of characteristic stress, which can manifest as normal systolic blood pressure and elevated diastolic blood pressure.
- Unstable arterial hypertension. Cyclical normalization of stress is characteristic for this type of disease. Patients with this form of arterial hypertension are not called patients because the condition is not pathological. In some cases, blood pressure returns to normal after a period of time.
Symptomatic arterial hypertension and its types
Secondary arterial hypertension is a pathological process associated with diseases of organs involved in normalization of blood pressure. It has the following categories:
- Hemodynamics - related to violations of hemodynamic conditions due to organic lesions of the large vessels. This symptomatic arterial hypertension occurs due to hardening of the aortic lumen wall, coarctation of the aorta, and aortic insufficiency.
- neurogenic. This type of symptomatic arterial hypertension occurs due to peripheral nervous system disease, brain damage, and atherosclerosis.
- endocrine diseases. This form of symptomatic arterial hypertension is observed in hormonally active tumors of the adrenal, pituitary, diffuse toxic goiter.
- Nephrogenic arterial hypertension. The causes of this symptomatic arterial hypertension are as follows: kidney inflammation, compression, kidney stones. Nephrogenic arterial hypertension is accompanied by a sudden, rapid, and often malignant course. Nephrogenic arterial hypertension is divided into two types: renovascular and parenchymal.
- medicinal. This form of symptomatic arterial hypertension is associated with the use of drugs that increase blood pressure.
symptom
It is performed in the absence of certain manifestations before complications of arterial hypertension develop. The only symptom of this disease is high blood pressure. The pathogenesis of hypertension boils down to abnormal back and forehead headaches, dizziness, and tinnitus.
target organ damage
Symptoms of this arterial hypertension appear first due to the increased sensitivity of these organs to increased pressure. The first stage of circulatory disorders is characterized by the formation of headaches and dizziness. Subsequently, the patient developed weakness, black dots flickering in front of his eyes, and difficulty speaking. Such symptoms can disturb people who are at an advanced stage of the disease. In addition, complications such as cerebral infarction and hemorrhage may occur.
heart failure
In this case, the pathogenesis of the disease is reduced to an increase in the left ventricle due to a compensatory response aimed at normalizing wall tension. As a result, afterload increases, heart failure. When the heart is damaged, there is no most favorable prediction, as this change in its work is responsible for the development of heart failure, sudden death and ventricular rhythm disturbances. Characteristic symptoms are:
- Pulmonary Edema;
- Difficulty breathing during exercise;
- Cardiac asthma.
In some cases, arterial hypertension in children and adults can cause pain in the area of the heart of some nature. They can interview people who are at rest or emotionally overstressed without physical activity. The main manifestation of the presented chest pains is the impossibility of eliminating them with the help of nitroglycerin.
In some patients, the pathogenesis of this pathological process is reduced to the development of shortness of breath in the early stages of the disease following the implementation of light loads or rest. All of these indicate characteristic changes in the myocardium and the development of heart failure. With this condition, people experience swelling in the lower extremities due to the retention of sodium and water ions in the body.
If the lesion involves the kidneys, a protein in it is found on a urine test, and traces of hematuria and cylindrical urine are also observed. Rarely, the pathogenesis of the disease involves the development of renal failure.
eye damage
This type of arterial hypertension is uncommon in children and adults, and it affects vision, leading to reduced light sensitivity and blindness. If there is visual impairment in the context of high blood pressure, the patient will have dark spots, fog or veils in front of the eyes. The reason for this change is a violation of the blood circulation of the retina. Complications can manifest as diplopia, visual disturbances, or complete loss of vision.
Headache
This symptom is considered to be the most common symptom of arterial hypertension. She worries about the patient at any time of the day or night. It can erupt naturally and focus on the back of the head, then spread to the entire head area. Arterial hypertension headaches increase when coughing and tilting the head. This may be accompanied by swelling of the eyelids and face. When massaged in this condition, in patients with arterial hypertension, there is an improvement in blood outflow from the veins, which leads to a reduction in pain until it disappears completely.
In some cases, headaches in the context of disease are the result of soft muscles in the head itself or in the tendons. The formation of this pain syndrome occurs after psychological, emotional or physical overstretching. Often, this pain is squeezing or tightening in nature. Patients with arterial hypertension experience nausea and dizziness. In the case of chronic pain, persistent pain is characteristic, patients develop irritability, increased sensitivity to high-pitched sounds, and they become short-tempered.
stage of disease
In order to correctly set the stage of this pathological process, it is necessary to use classification. It depends on the damage to the target organ. The disease is divided into three stages.
simple
This phase is characterized by a slight increase in blood pressure of 180/100 mm Hg. Art. Stress levels are unstable. In patients with arterial hypertension, blood pressure indicators return to normal during rest periods. As the disease is fixed, stress inevitably rises. Many times, people do not complain about the formation of any disease related to their health. But for a simple stage, its own symptoms are characteristic:
- Headache;
- noise in the ear;
- did not sleep well;
- mental decline;
- Dizziness;
- nosebleed.
In principle, there was no left ventricular hypertrophy, no abnormal electrocardiogram, no pathological changes in renal function, and no changes in the fundus.
Moderate
This phase is characterized by the presence of higher and more stable blood pressure levels. It can reach 180–105 mmHg. Art. Patients often experience headache, dizziness, and pain in the heart area, which is known as angina.
This stage is characterized by a typical hypertensive crisis. The pathogenesis of the disease involves the following signs of target organ damage:
- left side hypertrophy;
- Decreased apical I sound;
- Stress II sound on the aorta;
- ECG symptoms of subendocardial ischemia in some patients.
Regarding the central nervous system, there are various manifestations such as vascular insufficiency, stroke, and transient cerebral ischemia. For the fundus, in addition to the reduction of arterioles, there is also compression of veins, their increase, bleeding, exudates occur. Renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate decrease during this phase. But these manifestations cannot be detected in urinalysis.
Heavy
This stage of the disease is characterized by frequent vascular accidents. Their appearance is due to a marked and steady increase in blood pressure, and the progression of arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis of the great vessels. During this phase, blood pressure reaches 230-120 mmHg. Art. Blood pressure did not normalize spontaneously. In severe stages, the disease affects the following organs:
- Heart - angina pectoris, circulatory failure, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia formation;
- Brain - formation of ischemic and hemorrhagic infarcts, encephalopathy;
- fundus;
- Kidneys - low blood flow and glomerular filtration.
risk factor
Currently, the severity of the disease is directly dependent on the risk facts. The risk is the development of cardiovascular complications in the context of hypertension. The prognosis of the consequences of arterial hypertension is diagnosed, taking into account the complications that arise. The following risk factors can worsen the course of the disease and its prognosis:
- Age - men after 50, women after 60;
- smokes;
- high cholesterol;
- genetic factors;
- obesity;
- Lack of motivation;
- diabetes.
Risk factors presented can be eliminated (correctable) and may not be corrected. The first group of risk factors is characterized by the presence of diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, and physical inactivity. Unadjusted risk factors included race, family history, and age.
Considering the extent of arterial hypertension and contributing factors to the disease, complications such as heart attack or stroke are expected to occur in the next 10 years.
Due to mild arterial hypertension and the absence of risk factors, the development of cardiovascular complications was minimized over the next 10 years. With a year of non-pharmacological treatment and lifestyle changes, it is possible to eliminate this degree of pathological processes. If the pressure reading is greater than 140/90 mm Hg. Art, then medication.
The average degree of risk associated with the development of complications in the context of arterial hypertension persisted for 10 years and was 20%. Grade 2 arterial hypertension is treated the same as for grade 1, but dynamic control is also adjusted here for 6 months. Medications are administered if blood pressure results are poor and stable.
High risk factors are associated with less than 30% of complications. In this case, a comprehensive diagnosis of patients with arterial hypertension is combined with nonpharmacological treatment.
At very high risk, patients are prescribed an urgent differential diagnosis of arterial hypertension and take medication.
diagnosis method
Only after thorough research can you prescribe an effective treatment and eliminate all manifestations of this disease. The diagnosis of arterial hypertension is based on the following types of tests:
- ECG, blood glucose analysis and complete blood count;
- kidney ultrasound examination, determination of urea levels, creatinine in the blood, general urinalysis - to rule out the nature of the formation of kidney disease;
- If pheochromocytoma is suspected, adrenal ultrasonography is recommended;
- Hormone analysis, thyroid ultrasound;
- MRI of the brain;
- Consult a neurologist and an ophthalmologist.
effective treatment
Treatment of arterial hypertension should be carried out under the continuous supervision of a doctor. He is obliged to make an accurate diagnosis, to carry out additional diagnoses, including examinations for:
- fundus;
- kidney function;
- heart work.
After that, specialists can prescribe antihypertensive therapy, identify various complications. Typically, patients with arterial hypertension syndrome first detected are hospitalized for all necessary research and treatment options.
non-drug treatment
This treatment is recommended for all patients regardless of the degree of disease on which the drug is used. This high blood pressure treatment includes:
- Quit smoking. Lifestyle changes are very important, and such changes can be very good at preventing cardiovascular disease.
- Eliminate excess weight. A common cause of high blood pressure is excess weight, so diet plays an important role in this. In addition, a balanced and appropriate diet has beneficial effects on risk factors such as diabetes and cardiac hypertrophy.
- Reduce salt intake. According to ongoing research, reducing salt intake to 4. 5 g/day helps reduce systolic blood pressure by 4-6 mmHg. Art.
- Drink strong beverages in small amounts.
- Specially designed diet. Your diet should include vegetables, fruits, foods rich in magnesium, potassium, potassium, fish, seafood. Additionally, the diet involves a limited intake of animal fats.
- Active lifestyle. Here, 30-minute brisk walks 3-4 times a week are very helpful. When performing isometric loads, it may cause blood pressure to rise.
medical treatement
Medication should be administered according to the following recommendations:
- Treatment starts with small doses of the drug.
- In the absence of therapeutic effect, it is necessary to replace the use of one drug with another. If rapid blood pressure lowering is not required, the interval between degrees should be less than 4 weeks.
- With long-acting medications, you can get 24 hours of results in a single dose.
- The best combination of application equipment.
- Treatment should be permanent. The drug is not allowed in the course.
- Effective blood pressure control throughout the year helps to gradually reduce the dose and amount of medication.
Precaution
Prevention of arterial hypertension includes the following recommendations:
- If a family member has this condition and you are over the age of 30, you will need to measure your stress regularly.
- Quit smoking and drinking.
- A low-fat and low-salt diet should be followed.
- Exercise outdoors.
- Avoid stressful situations of all kinds.
- maintain a normal weight.
With arterial hypertension, a person is likely to lead a normal, fulfilling life, but adhere to all the advice described. In this case, controlling blood pressure is one of the main components of successful treatment of the disease. Therefore, try not to get sick and seek medical attention in time to avoid various serious complications.