Disorders of the cardiovascular system are one of the most common health problems in humanity. Studies have shown 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" and develop in people under 40 years of age. One of the most common pathologies of this type is hypertension. It is a regular increase in blood pressure above average.
Symptoms (signs) of hypertension
The manifestations of the disease depend on what stage of development it is in. Normally, blood pressure is between 110 and 130 times 70 to 90 mmHg. Depending on the severity of the disease, in critical cases it can increase 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 increase 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", stains, a veil before the eyes;
- decreased visual acuity;
- impairment of spatial coordination and fine motor skills;
- tremor, numbness in 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 over a lifetime. There are three stages of development of the disease:
- I - with blood pressure readings of 140-160 by 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 causes cardiac dysfunctions; The most common consequence of this is the development of coronary artery disease. There is also the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Causes of hypertension
Specialists have not fully studied the nature of diseases of the cardiovascular system. A particular difficulty lies in the fact that these 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;
- thyroid gland pathologies;
- disturbances in the functioning of the adrenal glands;
- smoking and drinking alcohol;
- Insufficient or excessive physical activity.
Such causes provoke a secondary form of the disease, that is, one that develops under the influence of provoking factors. Signs of hypertension usually appear after 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 state of blood vessels and the chemical composition of the blood, which also indirectly affects the increase in blood pressure. It has been shown that smoking often causes the disease.
Which doctor should I contact?
The manifestation of symptoms of hypertension requires mandatory medical intervention in the early stages. Delay can lead to the development of complications and, in the future, lead to such serious diseases as strokes and heart attacks. Timely diagnosis will significantly reduce the risk. The doctor will help you solve the problem:
One of the most important points when identifying a disease is to determine its fundamental causes, especially if the hypertension is secondary. In this case, the effectiveness of the treatment will not be high without eliminating the previous conditions of the pathology. To deal with it, the doctor must specify the clinical picture as much as possible. To do this, he will ask you the following questions:
- What symptoms worry you?
- How long ago did they start appearing?
- How often do hypertension attacks occur?
- Are they related to some external factor?
- Does the patient have any heart, kidney or endocrine disease?
- What kind of life do you lead?
- What symptomatic treatment do you use for attacks?
After this, an external examination will be performed by 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 treatment of 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. All of this information allows the specialist to develop an optimal individual treatment plan. Most often it includes the following steps:
- control of body weight through diet;
- perform physical exercises of varying intensity;
- taking diuretics;
- use of antitachycardia drugs;
- taking adrenergic blockers;
- use of antispasmodics and analgesics;
- use of potassium-containing medications.
The therapeutic regimen is strongly influenced by the stage of the disease. In the first stage, it is sometimes possible to do without even medications, while the second and third stages require rather large doses 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 allows us to determine if it is primary in nature and if there are associated disorders. In this case, the differential diagnosis method 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 specific period of time using portable equipment. The cost depends on the required duration of monitoring. The accuracy exceeds 95%.
- Urine and blood laboratory tests. Determine the quantitative and qualitative composition of liquids and the speed of chemical reactions in the body. The accuracy is about 75%.
- Chest x-ray. Allows you to visually assess the condition of the heart. Accuracy: less than 70%.
For possible cardiac pathologies, an electrocardiogram is prescribed. Additionally, an ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity can be performed to determine the condition of the kidneys and diagnose the fundus if vision deteriorates.
Possible complications
The symptoms of hypertension affect an important part of organs and systems that are not directly related to blood circulation. However, overall health depends on the quantity and quality of nutrients and oxygen carried by the fluid stream. Severe attacks of hypertension can cause the following problems:
- vascular deformations;
- coronary heart disease;
- kidney pathologies;
- threat of stroke and heart attack;
- blurred vision due to damage to the eye vessels;
- development of the "pulmonary heart";
- exercise intolerance.
The possibility of complications of varying severity depends on the stage of the disease. In the initial and middle stages, attacks can be complemented 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 serious conditions are seizures, heart attacks and strokes.
Groups at risk
Many people wonder what type 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, between 20 and 45 years old, although a few decades ago the threshold was much higher. Not all people have the same probability of developing this disorder. The following groups are particularly at risk:
- people with higher body weight and obesity;
- those whose activities are associated with intense physical activity or, on the contrary, with its lack;
- people with a genetic predisposition to high blood pressure;
- live in environmentally polluted areas;
- smokers and alcoholics;
- people who do not control the content of fats and carbohydrates in their food;
- those who have been diagnosed with serious 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 between the ages of 55 and 60, and in men - between the ages of 65 and 70.
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 by age. However, preventive measures will continue to have a positive effect on the situation and overall health. Hypertension can develop due to poor lifestyle choices, so correcting some aspects will be beneficial. The recommendations are:
- quickly treat all diseases that cause hypertension: heart, blood vessels, blood, kidneys;
- follow 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 periodic preventive examinations;
- take vitamin and mineral complexes recommended by your doctor to maintain health.
Hypertension can only be prevented by maintaining the general well-being of the body. Several systems influence the formation of this disease, so prevention with pills or exercise alone will not be effective. An important stage in its implementation is the timely diagnosis of accompanying and provoking factors.