An increase in pressure above age is correctly called arterial hypertension.
If the pressure rises frequently or for a long time, and the reason for this cannot be determined during the examination, a diagnosis of hypertension is made. If a person has any disease that causes increased pressure (eg past traumatic brain injury, kidney disease, etc. ), they are referring to secondary arterial hypertension. However, colloquially, all cases of high blood pressure are commonly referred to as hypertension.
Hypertension is known as the "silent killer" because the disease does not always have obvious symptoms, especially in the early stages. It is established that 20-30% of the adult population has high blood pressure, although many people are unaware of their disease for a long time. If hypertension is left untreated, the risk of a heart attack or stroke increases. The only way to find out if there is a problem is
measure blood pressure regularly.
Blood pressure is the force that blood exerts on the walls of blood vessels and the heart. With hypertension, blood pressure in the arteries and heart becomes excessively high, leading to premature wear of these organs and an increased risk of other diseases, such as kidney or brain damage.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded in two directions:
- systolic blood pressure - the blood pressure when your heart contracts and pushes blood into your arteries;
- Diastolic pressure is the blood pressure when the heart muscle relaxes between contractions.
For example, if your doctor says your blood pressure is "140 over 90, " that means your systolic blood pressure is 140 mmHg. Art, and diastolic pressure - 90 mm Hg. Art.
Optimal blood pressure in adults is considered to be less than 120/80 mm Hg. Art. However, numbers up to 139/89 are within the normal range. If, according to the results of some measurements, your pressure exceeds 140/90, you have arterial hypertension, which requires further examination and possibly treatment.
Symptoms of arterial hypertension (hypertension)
An increase in blood pressure is not always accompanied by a change in health status. The only way to know for sure if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure measured. Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every 5 years.
If you're pregnant, it's important to have your blood pressure checked regularly, even if it's not high. Monitoring blood pressure during pregnancy helps reduce the risk of complications. High blood pressure in pregnant women can lead to preeclampsia. This is a dangerous condition in which there is a problem with the placenta (the organ that provides blood circulation to the fetus).
Sometimes the symptoms of high blood pressure are:
- headache;
- dark or double vision;
- epistaxis;
- shortness of breath.
Such signs appear in people with very high pressure. If you experience any of these symptoms, see your doctor. If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to serious illnesses, including stroke and heart attack. Make an appointment with your doctor right away if you experience any of these symptoms or high blood pressure. If symptoms are severe, call an ambulance.
Causes of high blood pressure (arterial hypertension)
In more than 90% of cases, the cause of high blood pressure cannot be identified. Then, hypertension is called essential or primary. Factors that may increase your risk of developing primary hypertension include:
- age: the risk of developing hypertension increases with age;
- there is a history of high blood pressure in your family (it can be hereditary);
- excess salt in your diet;
- lack of exercise;
- sufficiency;
- smoke;
- alcohol abuse;
- stress.
Known causes of hypertension
About 10% of cases of high blood pressure are the result of a specific disease or cause. These conditions are called secondary hypertension. The typical reasons for the increase in pressure in this case are:
- kidney disease;
- Diabetes;
- narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the kidneys;
- a hormonal disorder such as Cushing's syndrome (a condition in which the body produces too much steroid hormone);
- diseases that affect the body's connective tissues, such as systemic lupus erythematosus;
- oral contraceptives (birth control pills);
- pain relievers called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
- club drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines and crystal methamphetamine;
- some herbal remedies and tonics.
Diagnosis of high blood pressure
To diagnose arterial hypertension and identify possible causes, they first used a systematic method of measuring blood pressure. This can be done by a healthcare professional or using a home pressure gauge yourself.
Healthy people over the age of 40 should have their blood pressure measured at least every 5 years. If you are at high risk of developing high blood pressure, you should have your blood pressure checked more often, ideally once a year.
Checking blood pressure is usually easy to do in most clinics and hospitals. Blood pressure is usually measured with a sphygmomanometer (manometer), a device that includes a stethoscope, cuff, measuring device, air blower, and valve.
The cuff is wrapped around the biceps and inflated to restrict blood flow in the arteries. The cuff is then slowly deflated while listening to the pulse with a stethoscope. Listening to your pulse below a deflated cuff provides reliable results of your blood pressure. In addition, automatic (digital) sphygmomanometers are now common, which measures pressure and pulse using an electrical sensor.
Before starting to measure your blood pressure, you should rest for at least five minutes and empty your bladder. For accurate blood pressure readings, you need to sit and not talk during the test.
If one of the measurements shows high blood pressure, it doesn't necessarily mean you have hypertension. During the day, blood pressure levels can fluctuate. Pressure can build up during your doctor's appointment due to anxiety and stress. In these cases, you should measure the pressure yourself during the day, using a home barometer. By removing the "white coat fear" you can get more objective indicators.
You may also have blood and urine tests to check for conditions that increase your risk of high blood pressure, such as kidney disease.
Decode the manometer reading
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded in two ranges:
- systolic blood pressure - the blood pressure when your heart contracts and pushes blood into your arteries;
- Diastolic pressure is the blood pressure when the heart muscle relaxes between contractions.
For example, if your systolic blood pressure is 140 mm Hg. Art. , and the diastolic blood pressure is 90 mm Hg. Art. , Then they say your pressure is 140 out of 90.
Ideally, blood pressure should be less than 120/80. However, readings below 140/90 are generally considered normal. If you have kidney disease, diabetes, or heart or circulatory disease, your goal blood pressure should be less than 130/80 mmHg. Art.
If the readings are above 140/90 for several days, you have arterial hypertension and need further testing.
Treatment of high blood pressure
Effective actions to lower blood pressure levels include lifestyle changes and medication. Your choice of treatment regimen will depend on your blood pressure levels and your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
If your blood pressure is slightly above 130/80 mm Hg. At the same time, your risk of cardiovascular diseases is low, so you can reduce the pressure just by making some changes to your lifestyle.
If your blood pressure is moderately high (140/90 mmHg or higher) and you are at risk of developing heart disease within the next 10 years, treatment will include medications and lifestyle changes.
If your blood pressure is very high (180/110 mmHg or higher) you will need early treatment, possibly with more testing, depending on your health.
Lifestyle in hypertension
Here are some changes you can make to your lifestyle to lower your blood pressure. Some of them will lead to rapid improvement within a few weeks, others will take effect over a longer period.
- Reduce salt intake to less than 6 grams per day.
- Eat healthy, low-fat, balanced foods, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Stay active: Staying physically active is one of the most important things you should do to prevent or control high blood pressure.
- Cut down on your alcohol intake.
- Stop smoking. Cigarette smoking significantly increases the risk of lung and heart disease.
- Weight loss.
- Drink less coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverages like cola. Drinking more than four cups of coffee a day can raise your blood pressure.
- Try relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, and stress management (spontaneous training).
The more healthy habits you adopt, the greater its positive impact will be. In fact, some people find that by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, they don't need to take medication.
Medications to treat high blood pressure
There are many types of blood pressure medications. You may need to take more than one medicine because sometimes a combination of drugs is needed to treat high blood pressure.
In some cases, you will need to take blood pressure medication for the rest of your life. However, if your blood pressure remains under control for several years, you may be able to stop drug treatment. Most medicines for high blood pressure can cause side effects, but this problem can be solved by changing the type of medicine you take.
Tell your doctor if you experience any of the following side effects of this medicine:
- sleepy;
- pain in the kidney area (in the lumbar region);
- dry cough;
- dizziness, exhaustion, or coma;
- rash on the skin.
Below are the most commonly used medications for high blood pressure.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitorsLowers blood pressure by dilating the walls of blood vessels. The most common side effect is a persistent dry cough. If side effects start to bother you, you may be advised to take medications such as angiotensin-2 receptor antagonists, which work in a similar way to ACE inhibitors.
ACE inhibitors can cause unwanted side effects when taken with other medicines, including over-the-counter medicines. Before starting any complementary medicine, check with your doctor to see if the combination is causing negative side effects.
Calcium Blockers(calcium antagonist) prevents calcium from entering the muscle tissue of the heart and blood vessels. This causes your arteries (large blood vessels) to dilate and lowers your blood pressure.
Drinking grapefruit juice while taking certain types of calcium channel blockers might increase the risk of side effects. For more information, you can discuss this with your doctor.
Diuretic(diuretics) work by removing excess fluid and salt from the body in the urine.
Beta-blockers (beta blockers)It works by reducing the speed and force of the heart's contractions, thereby lowering blood pressure. Beta-blockers were once a popular medication for high blood pressure, but today they're often only used when other medications don't work. This is because beta blockers are considered less effective than other high blood pressure medications.
In addition, beta blockers can interfere with other medications, causing side effects. Check with your doctor before taking other medicines in combination with beta blockers.
Do not stop taking beta-blockers suddenly without talking to your doctor. This can lead to serious side effects such as high blood pressure or angina.
Alpha blockers (alpha blocking drugs)is not usually recommended as the first choice for high blood pressure, unless other medications have not worked. Alpha blockers work by relaxing your blood vessels, greatly facilitating blood flow within them.
Common side effects of alpha blockers include:
- fainting at the first dose of the drug ("first dose effect");
- dizzy;
- headache;
- ankle swelling;
- weariness.
Complications of high blood pressure
High blood pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. If left untreated, high blood pressure increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease over time.
Cardiovascular disease in hypertension
High blood pressure can cause many different diseases of the heart and its blood vessels and vessels (cardiovascular disease), including:
- The hit;
- heart attack;
- embolism: occurs when a blood clot or air bubble blocks the flow of blood in a vessel;
- Aneurysm: develops when the wall of a blood vessel stretches and can burst at any time, causing internal bleeding.
Kidney disease and high blood pressure
High blood pressure can also damage the small blood vessels in the kidneys and impair their function. This complication can cause symptoms such as:
- weariness;
- swelling of the ankles, feet, or hands (due to water retention in the body);
- shortness of breath;
- the presence of blood in the urine;
- urinating often, especially at night;
- itchy skin.
Kidney disease is treated with medications and nutritional supplements. More severe cases require dialysis (a medical procedure in which the blood is artificially cleaned of toxic metabolic products in the body) or a kidney transplant.
Prevention of high blood pressure
High blood pressure can be prevented by eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake, and not smoking.
Smoking by itself doesn't cause high blood pressure, but it greatly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Smoking, like high blood pressure, causes arteries to narrow. If you smoke with high blood pressure, your arteries will narrow much more quickly and your risk of future heart and lung disease will increase dramatically.
Power supply at high pressure
Reduce the amount of salt in your diet, eat more fruits and vegetables. Salt raises blood pressure. The more salt you consume, the higher your blood pressure. Try to eat less than 6 grams of salt per day, which is equivalent to one teaspoon.
Eating low-fat, high-fiber foods (such as whole grain rice, bread, and pasta) and plenty of fruits and vegetables has been shown to help lower blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber that keep your body healthy. Try to eat 5 servings of 80g of fruit and vegetables each day.
Regularly drinking more than the limit will cause your blood pressure to rise over time. Men should not regularly consume more than 2-4 servings of alcohol per day, and women - more than 2-3. Regular use means every day or most days of the week. 1 serving of alcohol corresponds to a glass of vodka, half a glass of wine or half a glass of beer.
Also, because alcohol is high in calories, drinking alcohol regularly will lead to weight gain, and therefore, increase your blood pressure.
Drinking more than four cups of coffee a day can lead to high blood pressure. If you're a big fan of coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverages (such as Coca-Cola and some energy drinks), consider cutting back. It's fine to have tea and coffee as part of a balanced diet, but it's important that such drinks are not your only source of fluids.
Weight and exercise for hypertension
Being overweight forces the heart to work harder to pump blood around the body, which often leads to increased blood pressure. If you really need to lose weight, it's important to remember that losing even two to three kilograms of weight will dramatically change your blood pressure readings and improve your overall health.
An active lifestyle and regular exercise lead to lower blood pressure by keeping the heart and blood vessels in good shape. Regular exercise also helps you lose weight, which also helps you lower your blood pressure.
An adult should spend at least 150 minutes (2 hours 30 minutes) per week of moderate-intensity outdoor exercise, such as cycling or brisk walking. When performing the exercises, you should be guided by the fact that you should feel warmth and exhale. For a plump person, to reach this state, just a little walk up the hill is enough. Physical activity can include a variety of exercises, from sports to walking and gardening.
Relaxation exercises can lower blood pressure. These include:
- Stress management (spontaneous training), meditation or yoga.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on how your thoughts and beliefs may affect your health and ability to cope with problems. You can discuss with your doctor the possibility of you undergoing such psychotherapy.
- Biofeedback (a method of self-regulation used to help you consciously control your blood pressure): A small screen that shows you your heart rate or blood pressure in real time. Your doctor can make a recommendation for biofeedback.
Which doctor should I contact for hypertension?
If you have high blood pressure, find a good specialist who can understand the cause and prescribe treatment. If you have heart complaints or chronic cardiovascular disease, choose a cardiologist.