Disorders of the cardiovascular system are one of the most common health problems of mankind. Studies have shown that they are more common among urban residents than those who spend most of their time in rural areas. In addition, diseases in this category are "younger", developing in people younger than 40 years old. One of the most common pathologies of this type is hypertension. This is a regular increase in blood pressure above the average level.
Signs (symptoms) of hypertension
The manifestations of the disease depend on the stage of its development. Normal blood pressure is between 110-130 for 70-90 mmHg. Depending on the severity of the disease, it can rise from 260 to 110 in critical cases. This situation poses a threat to human health and life. At the same time, in the initial stages, hypertension can be expressed only by mild discomfort, increased fatigue and headache. As the pathology develops, its course becomes more complicated. The most dangerous situation is a hypertensive crisis - a sharp jump in blood pressure. Common symptoms of the disease are:
- headache, feeling of tightness, especially in the back of the head and in the temples;
- noise and ringing in the ears;
- "spots", spots, veil before the eyes;
- decrease in visual acuity;
- deterioration of spatial coordination and fine motor skills;
- tremors, numbness in arms and legs;
- nausea and vomiting.
Symptoms of hypertension appear in different degrees depending on the stage of the disease. Deterioration of the condition occurs gradually, often throughout life. There are three stages of disease development:
- I - with blood pressure readings of 140-160 for 90-100 mmHg;
- II - at a pressure of 160-180 for 100-110 mmHg;
- III - when it exceeds the upper limits of the second stage.
A constant increase in pressure causes malfunctions in the heart - the most common result of which is the development of coronary artery disease. There is also a risk of heart attack or stroke.
Causes of hypertension
The nature of diseases of the cardiovascular system has not been fully studied by experts. A special difficulty is that such disorders often occur during intrauterine development and appear later. At the same time, it is not always possible to notice and study the onset of the disease. Hypertension often occurs together with the following diseases:
- kidney diseases;
- vascular pathologies;
- renal artery obstruction;
- pathologies of the thyroid gland;
- disorders in the work of the adrenal glands;
- smoking and drinking alcohol;
- insufficient or excessive physical activity.
Such reasons lead to the secondary form of the disease - that is, it develops under the influence of provoking factors. Symptoms of hypertension usually appear after 35-40 years of age. The main subtype of the disease is directly caused by congenital pathologies of blood vessels or heart. The following factors increase the risk of developing hypertension:
- Age over 55 years;
- obesity;
- high cholesterol level;
- genetic predisposition;
- diabetes mellitus;
- hormonal disorders;
- often 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 the blood vessels and the chemical composition of the blood, which indirectly affects the increase in blood pressure. Smoking has been proven to cause many diseases.
Which doctor should I see?
Manifestation of hypertension symptoms requires mandatory medical intervention in the earliest stages. Delay can lead to complications and lead to serious conditions like stroke and heart attack in the future. Timely diagnosis will significantly reduce the risk. The doctor will help to solve the problem:
One of the most important points in determining the disease is to determine its root causes, especially if the hypertension is secondary. In this case, the effectiveness of the treatment will not be high without eliminating the preconditions for the pathology. To cope with it, the doctor will have to clarify the clinical picture as much as possible. For this, he will ask the following questions:
- What symptoms are bothering you?
- How long ago did they appear?
- How often do hypertensive attacks occur?
- Are they related to any external factors?
- Does the patient have heart, kidney or endocrine diseases?
- What kind of lifestyle does he lead?
- What symptomatic treatment is used for attacks?
After that, an external examination will be performed with listening to the heart and measuring blood pressure. In addition, laboratory tests of urine and blood, hardware tests are prescribed and differential diagnostic tools are used.
Disease treatment methods
The scheme of influence on pathology is based on the causes of hypertension in each individual case. Since the main purpose of the effect depends on it, it is necessary to take into account whether it is primary or secondary. The sum of this information allows the specialist to create an optimal individual treatment plan. It often involves the following steps:
- managing body weight through diet;
- to do physical exercises of different intensity;
- taking diuretic drugs;
- use of anti-tachycardia drugs;
- taking adrenergic blockers;
- use of antispasmodics and pain relievers;
- the use of drugs containing potassium.
The therapeutic regimen is strongly influenced by the stage of the disease. In the first stage, it is sometimes possible to do even without drugs, while the second and third stages require rather large doses or strong drugs. Only conservative therapy is used to treat high blood pressure.
Diagnosis of hypertension
Detection of pathology requires observations over a period of time with constant monitoring of results. This allows you 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:
- Repeat blood pressure measurement. Depending on the age, it is carried out in a sitting or standing position on both arms. The accuracy is about 85%.
- Daily blood pressure monitoring is a procedure that allows continuous monitoring over a period of time using portable equipment. The price depends on the required duration of monitoring. Accuracy exceeds 95%.
- Laboratory tests of urine and blood. Determine the quantitative and qualitative composition of fluids and the speed of chemical reactions in the body. The accuracy is about 75%.
- X-ray of the chest. Allows you to visually assess the state of the heart. Accuracy - less than 70%.
An electrocardiogram is prescribed for possible heart pathologies. In addition, an ultrasound examination of the abdomen can be performed to determine the condition of the kidneys, and a fundus diagnosis in case of poor vision.
Possible complications
Symptoms of hypertension affect a significant number 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 hypertension attacks can cause the following problems:
- vascular deformations;
- coronary heart disease;
- kidney pathologies;
- risk of stroke and heart attack;
- blurred vision due to damage to the eye vessels;
- "heart of the lung" development;
- exercise intolerance.
The probability of complications of different severity depends on the stage of the disease. In the initial and middle stages, attacks can be completed with nosebleeds, vomiting and tachycardia attacks. If the condition worsens significantly, loss of consciousness, heart failure, and violation of the integrity of blood vessels are possible. The most severe conditions are crisis, heart attack and stroke.
Risk groups
Many people ask what kind of disease hypertension is, because the prevalence of this problem is very wide. At the same time, the pathology affects people of working age - from 20 to 45 years, although the threshold was higher a few decades ago. 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 activity is associated with heavy physical activity or, conversely, its lack;
- people with a genetic predisposition to high blood pressure;
- living in ecologically polluted areas;
- smokers and alcohol abusers;
- people who do not control the content of fats and carbohydrates in their food;
- persons diagnosed with severe heart, liver or kidney disease.
The pathology does not show preferences between men and women - the statistics for both sexes are approximately the same. However, due to more frequent alcohol consumption and hard working conditions, the risk of the stronger sex is slightly higher. In women, the disease usually develops at the age of 55-60, and in men at the age of 65-70.
Prevention of hypertension
It is not always easy to protect yourself from cardiovascular diseases, because many of them are caused by congenital characteristics of the body or age. However, preventive measures will still have a positive effect on the condition and health in general. Hypertension can develop due to poor lifestyle choices, so correcting some aspects of it will be beneficial. The recommendations are:
- immediately treat all diseases that cause hypertension - heart, blood vessels, blood, kidneys;
- follow a daily routine;
- prevent insomnia and overwork;
- maintain a healthy diet - avoid foods high in fat and cholesterol, alcoholic beverages, strong tea and coffee;
- do 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 be prevented only by maintaining the general well-being of the body. Several systems contribute to the development 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.