For what reason does a person's blood pressure rise? Causes of high blood pressure in men and women. What to do with high blood pressure


According to official data World Organization Healthcare, hypertension is one of the most dangerous and common diseases of cardio-vascular system. The development of complications from high blood pressure can be prevented if the disease is detected in time. To do this, it is necessary to determine the exact symptoms and signs of high blood pressure.

Causes and signs of high blood pressure

Very frequent emotional experiences and stressful situationsmain reason development of hypertension. The risk group includes those people who have genetic predisposition to the onset of the disease. How more people will be nervous, the more pressure indicators will increase upward. With timely initiation of treatment, you can avoid not only the appearance of pathologies, but also various concomitant diseases.

The main causes of hypertension include:

  • improper diet, the main part of which consists of fatty foods;
  • too much salt in food;
  • frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages;
  • physical and emotional stress;
  • frequent stress;
  • maintaining a sedentary lifestyle;
  • excess body weight.

Excess body weight - as a cause of high blood pressure

The following signs indicate the appearance of hypertension:

  • facial redness;
  • headache;
  • rapid or, conversely, weak heartbeat;
  • dizziness;
  • excessive sweating;
  • sensation of pulsation in the head;
  • feeling of causeless anxiety;
  • chills.

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Symptoms of high blood pressure in humans

The symptoms of hypertension are very similar to the signs of the disease. In addition to all of the above, a person experiences:

  • feeling of weakness;
  • noise in ears;
  • rapid pulse.

Headache and throbbing sensation in the temples are the most striking signs of high blood pressure.

Let's look at what other symptoms are typical for high blood pressure:

  1. Overwork. The primary symptom of hypertension is fatigue, which affects the condition and functioning of the cardiovascular system. Most often it manifests itself in the form of increased blood pressure and heart failure.
  2. Headache. When the disease begins to progress, hypertensive patients develop severe pain in the head, which can be sharp, aching or squeezing in nature. During diagnosis, in addition to headaches, doctors often detect atrophic processes in the retina and changes in the fundus.
  3. Pain in the heart area. In patients with hypertension, along with pain in the head, painful sensations in the area of ​​the heart, which gives off to left hand and violations heart rate. This is very serious symptom which speaks of the beginning pathological changes V coronary arteries and heart muscle.

If you ignore the primary symptoms of high blood pressure, then initial stage the disease progresses into a hypertensive crisis. IN modern medicine There are several types of it, but the most common is neurovegetative crisis.

Its manifestations develop at a very high speed and are associated with strong release into the blood of a hormone such as adrenaline. This release is most often associated with previous stress.

The main symptoms of neurovegetative hypertensive crisis are:

  • vomit;
  • severe nausea;
  • dizziness;
  • severe pain in the head;

A sharp rise in blood pressure can occur both in chronic hypertensive patients and in relatively healthy people.

  • nervous excitement without objective reasons;
  • lack of air;
  • feeling of restlessness;
  • increased sweating;
  • excessive skin moisture;
  • increase in body temperature.

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Neurovegetative hypertensive crisis

In addition to an increase in blood pressure, a person develops an irresistible feeling of fear, tremor in the upper limbs, body temperature rises and tachycardia begins.

Hypertensive, or as it is also called edematous crisis, is another common type of hypertension. It is associated with disturbances in the functioning of the so-called renin-angiotensim-aldosterone system, which is responsible for maintaining normal blood pressure and a healthy environment in human body. This type of crisis is almost always observed in women and is the result of consuming excessive amounts of water.

What to do if you have high blood pressure?

When pressure rises, it is necessary to reduce it as quickly as possible so that a crisis does not begin. In this condition, the pressure reaches 200/110 and you simply cannot do without emergency medical care.

If a person is taking antihypertensive drugs, they should take it

At home, you can normalize blood pressure using the following procedures:

  • take a hot bath for your feet for no more than 10 minutes;
  • impose on calf muscle or back of the head mustard plaster;
  • Make compresses with apple cider vinegar on your feet.

Necessary treatment using pharmacological drugs should be taken only after consulting a doctor. The cardiologist must evaluate the medical history, risk factors and select the necessary medications.


A common reason for visiting a doctor is high blood pressure. With initial hypertension there are practically no symptoms. But in order to eliminate the consequences, it is necessary to have information about what causes a person’s blood pressure to increase, and to consult a doctor in time.

What is blood pressure?

Nutrition and oxygen enter the body through the blood, which passes through the vessels and arteries. During its passage, blood presses on the vascular walls. The heart muscle, pumping blood through the vessels, either contracts or relaxes.

The moment when the heart muscle contracts, the upper, systolic pressure is recorded during the measurement. When the muscle relaxes, the lower, diastolic measurement limit is shown on the tonometer.

The tonometer first indicates upper limit measurements, then the bottom one. The blood pressure norm has been established with indicators of 120 to 80. A difference of several units between the upper and lower limits will not be a deviation. The indicator is high when the systolic limit exceeds 140.

Although there are standards, measurements must take into account individual characteristics person:

  • age;
  • the presence of acute and chronic pathologies;
  • general well-being.

To each age period corresponds to its own norm of parameters. Indicators in adults can increase at any time, even at a young age.

If a person constantly has high blood pressure, or the level fluctuates, then he develops hypertension. If treatment is not started in time, internal organs may be damaged.

Main reasons for the increase

To understand why a person’s blood pressure increases, it is necessary to understand what hypertension is.

There are the following types of hypertension that disrupt the functioning of the heart and cause an increase in parameters:

  • hypertonic disease. This is a chronic process. The causes of the pathology have not yet been fully elucidated;
  • symptomatic arterial hypertension. The cause of hypertension can be poor nutrition, constant stressful situations, low mobility, high body weight, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption.

Also distinguished following reasons, due to which a person may suddenly experience high readings:

  • high physical exercise;
  • presence of bad habits: frequent consumption of strong coffee, alcohol, smoking;
  • after visiting a bath or sauna;
  • taking certain medications;
  • constant stressful situations;
  • unhealthy diet and lifestyle;
  • large body weight.

When measured with a tonometer, in adults both indicators can rise, or only the upper or lower limit rises.

Why is the bottom line rising?

If high lower diastolic pressure appears, this may indicate the following pathological processes:

  • renal pathologies;
  • dysfunction of the adrenal glands;
  • malfunction of the thyroid gland.

Most often the reason higher level lower pressure disturbances appear metabolic processes, occurring in paired filtering organs - the kidneys. In case of impaired metabolism in the kidneys, in addition to high lower pressure, the following additional symptoms are present:

  • sudden pallor skin;
  • increased heart rate;
  • heavy sweating;
  • diarrhea;
  • arrhythmia;
  • nausea, sometimes ending in vomiting.

If at least one of the listed signs is present, you should not delay applying for medical assistance. If you are constantly worried about a discomforting condition, with high pressure at the lower, diastolic border, you need to undergo a comprehensive medical examination, and begin to treat the pathology to eliminate increases lower level measurements.

High upper limit

A high parameter of the upper, systolic level of measurement usually manifests itself in old age. If the systolic limit rises, this may be a symptom of the development of pathology of the heart muscle.

If the examination is not carried out in time, the walls of the heart muscle thicken and blood flow is impaired.
It is necessary to consult a doctor not only in case of constant high blood pressure, but also when blood pressure rises periodically and does not cause discomfort. The main thing is not why the measurement parameters are high, but the presence of additional signs.

On the part of the nervous system, adults sometimes experience headaches of a pulsating and pressing nature that occur in the area of ​​the back of the head or temples. The pain usually occurs in the morning, immediately after waking up. There is noise in the ears, in the morning one feels tired, irritable, and causelessly anxious. This is how it reacts to high blood pressure. nervous system.

Failures of a vegetative nature are manifested by disturbances in the rhythm of the heart muscle, rapid pulse, a feeling of pulsation in the head, sharp redness of the skin of the face, and increased sweating.

If you are often bothered by swelling in your face, feet, hands and fingers, this indicates the presence of high blood pressure. One of the reasons why swelling occurs is a problem with removing fluid from the body.

What causes high blood pressure in women?

Among women over 40 years of age, there are many hypertensive patients. The main factor behind high blood pressure in women is the restructuring of the hormonal system due to the onset of menopause.

To avoid negative consequences from menopause and feel normal, a woman needs to monitor blood pressure readings and adjust her diet by consuming certain foods at the beginning of a new hormonal period. You need to reconsider your daily routine and make sure your measurements don’t increase.

Women may be concerned about high blood pressure during pregnancy, especially in the second trimester. If the patient is healthy, then after childbirth the indicators will stabilize.

Another reason for high blood pressure in women can be frequent stressful situations. Women react to any event more emotionally than men; they begin to worry, replaying past events in their heads. This behavior does not go unnoticed.

Excess weight, combined with low mobility, is also on the list of causes of high blood pressure.

Why are rates increasing in men?

Men begin to complain of problems with blood pressure closer to 50 years of age.

Among the main reasons why high blood pressure is recorded in men are the following factors:

  • unhealthy diet, when food contains a large amount of salt, fatty and smoked foods;
  • drinking excessive amounts of alcohol;
  • smoking;
  • low mobility, which affects many men in old age.

Men rarely pay attention to the signs of high blood pressure without thinking, which leads to feeling unwell. But if you ignore the increased parameters, then you cannot avoid serious pathologies internal organs and the development of stroke.

Why does it increase among young people?

The measured indicators can be high even at a young age. If blood pressure is elevated, the causes of the discomfort should be sought in in the right way life young man or girls.

Young people rarely pay attention to symptoms. But in order to identify the manifestations of hypertension at the initial stage, you need to know what can cause high blood pressure in a person at a young age.

Factors that can raise measurement parameters in young people include:

  • pathological processes of the spine. This is osteochondrosis, which develops due to low mobility and sedentary work. This is a violation of posture, which causes muscle and vascular spasm;
  • smoking and drinking large quantity alcoholic beverages;
  • body weight exceeding the norm. This reason becomes one of the main ones not only among middle-aged and elderly people;
  • nutrition. Eating smoked, salted, fried, sweet food. Insufficient water intake. As a result, the walls of blood vessels become clogged with cholesterol plaque, blood flow is disrupted, and blood pressure becomes high;
  • dysfunction of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands;
  • hereditary factor;
  • stressful situations and the inability to find a way out of them.

The uncomfortable state with high blood pressure in young people is accompanied by problems with remembering information, blurred vision, headaches, and excessive sweating.

At the initial stage of development of hypertension, you can do without medications. Home remedies can help reduce blood pressure levels and keep blood vessels in good shape. But to do this you need to understand why it happens high level pressure.

Why does eye pressure rise?

If blood pressure constantly increases, treatment must be prescribed comprehensive examination, which includes an examination of the fundus. Such a diagnosis is necessary to measure eye pressure.
High pressure The fundus may be due to the following types of pathology:

  • pseudohypertension;
  • symptomatic hypertension.

A problem with eye pressure can be a symptom of a serious disease - glaucoma.

To measure fundus pressure, a person is first instilled with special drops with an anesthetic effect. The procedure is called tonometry, and can be performed in the following ways:

  1. by palpation, or through the eyelids;
  2. transpalpebral method;
  3. Goldman technique;
  4. electrotonography;
  5. Maklakov technique;
  6. pachymetry, when the thickness of the cornea is measured.

Increased fundus pressure usually occurs in combination with additional symptoms. Sometimes there is a feeling that the eye is bursting from the inside, and there is a headache.

If it holds high rate, when measuring the fundus, there is a possibility total loss vision. First, cataracts or glaucoma develop, vision declines, and then the person stops seeing.

You need to know what causes increased eye pressure in order to keep the situation under control and prevent the development of glaucoma and subsequent vision loss. Increased fundus pressure depends on the following reasons:

  • atherosclerosis;
  • vascular and cardiac pathologies;
  • heredity;
  • high stress, both mental and physical;
  • farsightedness;
  • frequent stressful situations;
  • emotional overstrain appears;
  • as side effects after illnesses.

At the initial stage of development pathological processes fundus, the disease can develop with virtually no symptoms. It is important to notice the signs of the disease in time and begin treatment.

The main symptoms of fundus pathology:

  • slow pulse, less than 60 beats per minute;
  • colored circles before the eyes;
  • sudden drop in vision;
  • cloudy image before the eyes;
  • severe pain in the temples and around the eyes;
  • headaches accompanied by dizziness;
  • swelling of the cornea;
  • the pupil stops responding to light.

Fundus pressure can be caused by infectious diseases, dehydration and various inflammatory processes. In this case, the indicators will not increase, but decrease.

If more than one symptom appears intraocular pressure, you cannot self-medicate. It is necessary to undergo an examination and, depending on the diagnosis, take the necessary actions to eliminate the problem.

Diseases that cause high blood pressure

Blood pressure may rise suddenly or remain at high levels constantly. In such cases it is not independent disease, and high parameters act as symptoms of a developing disease.

The increase depends on the following diseases:

  • diabetes;
  • renal pathologies;
  • malformations of the heart muscle;
  • dysfunction of the thyroid gland.

To prescribe treatment, you must first identify the cause and understand what determines the deviation from the norm. After finding out the reason why the symptoms of increased blood pressure appeared, a comprehensive examination is carried out.

After diagnosis, treatment is prescribed, including the following measures:

  1. the first stage is drug therapy. By taking prescribed drugs from groups such as diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, calcium antagonists, sartans, it is possible to stabilize the indicators for a long time. Treatment is selected individually;
  2. The doctor gives recommendations on correcting your diet, daily regimen, and tells you how to monitor your weight.

When the disease is diagnosed at the initial stage of development, drug therapy is not used. Correction of nutrition and weight is enough to stabilize the indicators.

The pressure with which blood presses on the walls of human blood vessels is called arterial. The blood is forced to do this by the heart, which constantly pushes it into the vessels with contracting movements from 70 to 90 times per minute. If blood pressure measured at rest is in the range of 110/70 - 139/89 millimeters of mercury, it can be considered normal. If the reading is higher than this norm, the blood pressure is considered elevated, and the disease itself is called hypertension. What increases blood pressure? There are many reasons, but if it has increased as a result of emotional and physical stress, then this can be considered normal.

Symptoms of hypertension

This disease manifests itself slowly. The first signs of high blood pressure resemble a cold: irritability occurs, you want to sleep during the day, and at night, on the contrary, you have poor sleep. The patient cannot concentrate and turns red eyeballs. The person may feel weak, dizzy, often with nausea.

Following these troubles may come fast fatiguability, headaches that recur with some frequency, tinnitus occurs, the skin of the face may turn red, “hot flashes” or a feeling of heat may occur. There may be pulsation in the temples, and spots may appear before the eyes. It may occur in the heart pressing pain, it begins to beat faster.

Sometimes, especially at a young age, the increase in pressure can be imperceptible to a person and can only be detected when medical examinations. That is why such examinations must be carried out regularly, especially for people over the age of 30.

Measurement Rules

There is no need to draw your own conclusions about the disease and rush to stuff yourself with medications. First you need to make sure that the pressure is measured correctly.

Pressure is measured in a position comfortable for the person, with the hand at heart level. The cuff is attached 2 cm above the elbow. The air ducts are positioned so as not to compress inner part shoulder The cuff itself must match the size of the arm and cover about 80% of the shoulder. The cuff is inflated until the pulse disappears and 20 mmHg. Art. higher.

The pressure decreases slowly. The first audible beat indicates the largest ejection of blood from the heart into the vessels, and the pressure level is called “upper” or systolic. During the period when the ventricles of the heart begin to rest, the beats cease to be heard. The pressure indicator is called “lower” or diastolic.

Even having correctly measured the pressure, it is impossible to immediately name the real reasons for its increase; this requires additional examination.

In order for your blood pressure reading to be reliable, before measuring it you must prohibit yourself from:

  • Drink strong tea or coffee an hour before the procedure;
  • Load yourself with physical exercise or emotional experiences half an hour before the measurement;
  • Smoke an hour before the procedure;
  • Use eye or ear drops.

Blood pressure must be measured at least twice and the interval should not exceed a minute between measurements. If there is a discrepancy in the indicators, a third measurement follows. The average value is used for further analysis.

A blood pressure of 120/80 can be considered normal. If blood pressure remains at 130/80-139\89 throughout the day, it is considered “normally high.” Of all people with hypertension, up to 80% of them do. But in this case, the disease can be cured without using chemicals. To avoid high blood pressure, you must adhere to the following rules:

  • Complete smoking cessation;
  • Reduce alcohol consumption to a minimum;
  • Adjustment to normal body weight of a person, since losing weight by just 5 kg can lead to a change in blood pressure levels;
  • Compulsory physical education, but not excessive, but with light feeling fatigue;
  • Increase in diet plant food, lean meats, whole grains, nuts, fish;
  • Food should be taken in small portions and preferably separate proteins from carbohydrates;
  • Maintaining an optimal drinking regime;
  • Exclusion from food of canned food, marinades, sausages, spicy foods;
  • Exclusion of acidic drinks: carbonated drinks, compote, tea. It is better to drink only clean water;
  • At any age, it is necessary to monitor the emotional and psychological state, since experiences and stress can provoke a state of high blood pressure.

If blood pressure remains at 140 mm Hg, it is considered elevated.

Why does blood pressure rise?

Hypertension may also be an echo of other serious illnesses: heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, diseases thyroid gland. The disease in this case is called symptomatic hypertension. However, these causes account for only 5% of all causes of hypertension.

There are other reasons for high blood pressure: heredity, mental stress, bad habits, tumors of the adrenal glands and pituitary gland, lead or mercury poisoning (work in hazardous industries), taking contraceptives, diet pills, and some antipyretic drugs. More reasons:

  • Blood thickening, which occurs when the body is dehydrated;
  • Increased amount of cholesterol in the blood. In this case, the blood becomes fatty, the heart has to contract harder and compress the blood vessels.
  • Protein in the blood. At the same time, the blood becomes viscous and thick, and it is more difficult to pump such blood.
  • Increased adrenaline levels. With constant, nervous tension, a person’s blood vessels narrow, and it is harder to push blood through narrow vessels.
  • Hormonal imbalances in the body. If there is not enough hormone adolsterone, the potassium content in the blood increases and muscle weakness may occur.
  • Injuries. In case of spinal injuries, as well as concussions, there may be a risk of increased pressure in the blood vessels.
  • Meteosensitivity. Sensitive people may develop hypertension during magnetic storms and sudden changes in weather.

High blood pressure can occur during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. This period is characterized by an acceleration of metabolic processes in a woman’s body, the appearance of new hormones in the blood, an increase in body weight, and a shift in the position of the heart, which is why blood pressure rises. After the birth of a child, the pressure most often decreases and returns to normal levels.

Drug treatment

After a proper examination, you need to choose the right doctor to prescribe the right treatment.

A huge number of drugs have been created. Usually doctors prescribe 2-3 drugs with different spectrum of action at once in order to block several mechanisms of increasing blood pressure:

  • Diuretics (diuretics), they are prescribed at the beginning of treatment. These medications work to lower sodium and fluid levels in the body, which begins to reduce high blood pressure. However, there is a side effect of such drugs - a decrease in potassium in the body, which causes leg cramps and fatigue. Another side effect for people with diabetes is that your blood sugar levels may spike.
  • Beta blockers are prescribed to slow the heart rate and reduce the workload on the heart. As a result of use, a side effect in the form of general fatigue is possible.
  • Blockers calcium channels reduce the penetration of calcium into the heart and blood vessels. These drugs reduce the force of heart contractions and help relax the arteries, which lowers blood pressure.
  • Alpha blockers, vasodilators, central alpha agonists are prescribed if all the drugs described above do not help.
  • Nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, nifedipine are prescribed for intravenous administration to sharply reduce blood pressure (during hypertensive crisis). They act quickly, which is why medical supervision is essential.
  • In particularly severe cases it is required surgery. This is necessary for tumors, as well as for narrowing of the artery leading to the kidney.

Treatment with folk remedies

Along with drug treatment apply and traditional methods treatment. They do not act sharply and are effective mainly only at the initial stage of the disease:

  • If the cause of high blood pressure is constant worry, stress, insomnia, then the following herbs can be used for treatment: valerian, lemon balm, hop cones, mint.
  • If increased pressure leads to swelling of the face and limbs, accompanied by increased shortness of breath, you can use diuretic herbs: bearberry, elderberry flowers, acacia flowers, rose hips. But along with the use of these herbs, it is necessary to replenish potassium in the body by using bananas, dried apricots, persimmons, lettuce, and buckwheat.
  • Infusions of hawthorn and mountain ash help increase the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and prevent atherosclerosis, which is one of the main causes of hypertension.
  • Beetroot juice with honey is taken for hypertension, a tablespoon 3 times a day.

For hypertension, the following herbs are contraindicated: sandy immortelle, St. John's wort, rosea radiola, Chinese magnolia vine.

Procedure for high blood pressure

If your blood pressure has risen sharply, the following recipes may help:

  1. Measure your blood pressure and call an emergency doctor;
  2. Take a tablet of nifedipine – 10 mg or captopril – 25-30 mg under the tongue;
  3. For chest pain, take a nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue.

According to the American Heart Association, hypertension causes 56,000 deaths per year in the United States alone.

Complications

According to experienced doctors, people suffering from high blood pressure are highly susceptible to arteriosclerosis. When blood pressure rises to 180/110, a condition called hypertensive crisis may occur. It is dangerous because it can lead to loss of consciousness, kidney damage, heart attack, and stroke.

Also, such people may experience lameness, since the blood supply to the legs is impaired. The load on the heart is enormous, it may not be able to cope with it, which will also damage the small and big circle blood circulation This may also cause hemoptysis, shortness of breath, and swelling of the extremities.

Brain complications can also be a consequence of hypertension. If a person for a long time Hypertension is noted, then pinpoint hemorrhage may appear in the vessels of the retina, which leads to a disruption of the blood supply, and as a consequence, darkening of vision and blindness.

Prevention

It is not possible to completely cure hypertension, but by observing certain rules and by carrying out the treatment prescribed by your doctor, you can significantly improve your condition and maintain it for many years.

A big misconception is the fact that people with high blood pressure need to move less and sit and lie more.

Yes, excessive loads are contraindicated for such people. But only excessive ones! Regular gymnastics has not been canceled! After all, if you change your lifestyle to a sedentary or lying one, then: body weight will increase, metabolism will be disrupted even more, stagnation will occur in the blood, the heart will begin to contract weaker, the general vitality will weaken, from which all negative changes in the body will begin to develop even faster. An adult needs at least 150 minutes a week of physical exercise, and even more for young people. Walking, cycling, strength training, or other exercises can be a great option.

There is no magic pill that will improve a person’s blood pressure. Only a complex of drugs along with management healthy image, giving up bad habits can help restore health.

Hypertension has long ceased to be a disease of those over 40, but has spread to people at a young age. Now even children get it. Why? The reasons are banal:

Diseases in older age are a consequence of the lifestyle that a person has led all his life.

In a healthy person, the risk of developing hypertension increases after 55 years of age. The described disease at the age of 45 years is more common in men than in women. But the situation changes after 65 years, women more often begin to suffer from the disease. Before this period, with the right lifestyle and timely treatment pressure levels can be maintained at normal levels.

The problem of high blood pressure is very relevant today. Unfortunately, many people do not pay attention to high blood pressure until it becomes a serious concern. When persistent complaints begin, the cause of which are serious changes in many vessels of the body, they begin to use drugs, and they do this, most often, incorrectly. We will talk about how to recognize the symptoms of arterial hypertension in yourself, and how to deal with this disease correctly in order to avoid such terrible complications as myocardial infarction, stroke, memory impairment, attention, so-called encephalopathy (which can also be a cause of high blood pressure). Let's talk in this article.

Prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) problem

The problem of high blood pressure is quite common. According to statistics, 25% of the adult population suffers from high blood pressure; in persons aged 65 years and older, the percentage rises to 65 and above. Most common soft form arterial hypertension 70 - 80%, and the remaining cases are due to severe arterial hypertension.

Signs of high blood pressure

The main signs of high blood pressure are:

  • headache (feeling of pressure in the temples, forehead),
  • dizziness,
  • feeling of pressure on the eyes from the inside,
  • facial redness,
  • noise in ears,
  • floaters before eyes.

The difference between arterial hypertension and essential hypertension

Arterial hypertension- this is the presence of high blood pressure itself. This is the result shown by the tonometer. Hypertonic disease is a persistent, prolonged increase in blood pressure.

Arterial hypertension is a symptom of hypertension (primary arterial hypertension), the causes of which are: increased content cholesterol in the blood, which is deposited in the form cholesterol plaques in blood vessels, excess salt and fluid in the body, sedentary lifestyle, stress, excess body weight, hereditary predisposition.

There is also symptomatic arterial hypertension (secondary arterial hypertension). Symptomatic arterial hypertension occurs with kidney disease, with diabetes mellitus and others endocrine diseases, for diseases of the central nervous system (stroke, brain tumors), for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, heart defects, pathology of the aorta, valves. There is also drug-induced arterial hypertension (when taking glucocorticosteroids, contraceptives, antidepressants).

High blood pressure danger

A persistent increase in blood pressure can lead to complications such as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, chronic heart failure, and stroke. Therefore, it is important to reduce blood pressure and prevent its re-increase not only in order to improve the patient’s quality of life, but also in order to prolong the patient’s life itself. Such serious complications as stroke and myocardial infarction can lead not only to the patient’s disability, but also to his death.

Hypertensive crisis

A hypertensive crisis is understood as an excessive increase in blood pressure (in young people, a crisis often occurs when blood pressure levels are low; here it is important to listen to the symptoms and not focus on blood pressure numbers). Hypertensive patients, as a rule, know the symptoms of a hypertensive crisis - headaches, dizziness, staggering when walking, palpitations, shortness of breath. These symptoms indicate damage to target organs such as the brain and heart. Some patients also experience neurological symptoms: vomiting, convulsions, and disturbances of consciousness. Hypertensive crisis can lead to myocardial infarction and stroke, so it must be stopped immediately.

What to do if you have high blood pressure?

The first thing to do, if the symptoms of a crisis are minor and the crisis is just beginning, is to sit down and lower your legs, this way the blood flow to the heart is slightly reduced and the overload is reduced. You can also massage ears, apply cold to the head, take a hot bath for the feet - these procedures help as a reflex with a distracting effect. Deep breathing with pauses at the height of inspiration can help stop an incipient crisis without medication. You can calm the patient with drops of Valocardin and Corvalol.

What drugs are used for first aid for high blood pressure, depends on clinical symptoms crisis:

  1. A crisis without circulatory disorders (suffocation, palpitations, swelling in the legs, enlarged liver; and pathology of the central nervous system (impaired movement, ability to speak, numbness of fingers and toes, facial asymmetry) In such a crisis, the doctor gives medications in the form of tablets and must monitor the condition patient for a month.
  2. In a crisis with neurological symptoms, chest pain and shortness of breath, the condition is assessed as severe, drugs are administered only parenterally (intravenously) and the patient must be hospitalized for further treatment in a hospital. Hospitalization in a hospital is mandatory, since with these symptoms the patient may be diagnosed with a stroke or myocardial infarction.

Of the tablet drugs for young patients, Nifedipine and Metoprolol are used. At chronic diseases lungs, bronchial asthma Metoprolol is contraindicated. If the patient is elderly and has suffered a myocardial infarction, then Captopril and Carvedilol are recommended. When taking Captopril, you must lie down for 8 hours because your blood pressure may drop sharply when you try to stand up.

Magnesia sulfate is considered an outdated drug, but sometimes it is still used for hypertensive crisis; such drugs as No-shpa, Papaverine, Dibazol in injections are excluded from the treatment standards.

For intravenous administration, the drugs sodium nitroprusside, Nicadipine, Verapamil, Hydralazine, Enalaprilat, Labetalol, Clonidine, Azamethonium bromide are used.

Now let's talk about the treatment of hypertension. If a doctor has diagnosed hypertension and prescribed antihypertensive therapy, then the first thing the patient must remember is that antihypertensive drugs must be taken regularly, since their main goal is not to reduce already high blood pressure, but to prevent its increase. What drugs of choice are used to treat hypertension?

High blood pressure treatment

There are five main groups of antihypertensive drugs. It is also important what complicates and what is associated with hypertension in a given patient.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), one of the best drugs this group are Perindopril, Ramipril. Drugs in this group are used for a fairly common complication of hypertension - left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy. It has been proven that drugs in this group not only reduce blood pressure (have a hypotensive effect), but also help reduce left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy, and also have antiarrhythmic effect.

The combination of the drug Perindopril with Indapamide (a diuretic drug) is quite justified, since diuretics also have a hypotensive effect, and also in combination with a diuretic this drug more effective. ACE inhibitor drugs are the first in the treatment of hypertension. It is preferable to use new generation drugs as opposed to older drugs (such as Enalapril), as they are taken once a day and are also more effective.

ACE inhibitors are also effective in secondary prevention coronary heart disease and heart failure, and is preferable among other drugs for diabetes mellitus and renal pathology.

In case of intolerance, ACE inhibitors are prescribed inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system or sartans: Losartan, Valsartan, etc. These drugs are also effective in treating left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy (they reduce it when long-term use), heart failure, diabetic nephropathy, renal pathology, arrhythmia (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation).

Betta blockers(for example, Concor, Nebivolol). In addition to antihypertensive properties, they have anti-ischemic and antiarrhythmic effects, which allows them to be used for the prevention of sudden cardiac death. Beta blockers are the drugs of choice for the combination of hypertension (HTN) with coronary heart disease (CHD), especially after acute coronary syndromes (myocardial infarction), as well as for any types of arrhythmias, including tachycardia (increased heart rate) . From this group, it is preferable to use selective drugs that have the least side effects(Concor, Nebivolol), including negative influence to sexual activity.

Thiazide diuretics(Hypothiazide) . Therapy with thiazide diuretics reduces the incidence of complications of coronary artery disease, as well as the incidence of heart failure and renal disorders.

Calcium antagonists (CA). The drugs of choice in this group depend on the heart rate; with a tendency to tachycardia, the drugs of choice are the group of phenylalkylamines (verapamil), and with a tendency to bradycardia, the group of dihydropyridines (nifedipine, amlodipine).

Calcium antagonists reduce the incidence of complications of coronary artery disease due to their antianginal effect. The antianginal (or anti-ischemic) effect of AK is realized due to the expansion of the coronary vessels (vessels supplying the heart), thus, the frequency of attacks of chest pain decreases, or they even stop altogether and are prevented. The cardioprotective effect of AKs is associated with their ability to reduce left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy, which is a common complication GB. AKs also help reduce the complication of hypertension by heart failure.

These are the main five groups that are used to treat hypertension.

Currently widely used to treat hypertension combination drug therapy . It should be noted that at the stage of drug selection, the use of combination therapy is inappropriate, because it is necessary to find out how suitable the drug is for the patient, as well as determine the dosage. In the future, when the dosage is selected, combination drugs are often used. There are combinations that are more effective. Combination therapy is considered more effective because different groups drugs have different mechanisms actions, and their combination will give a more lasting and lasting effect.

ACE inhibitor + potassium-sparing diuretic (for example, Noliprel, Co-perineva). These are some of the most popular and well-tolerated combinations.

Sartans + thiazide diuretics (for example, Valz N, Lorista N). often used for intolerance to ACE inhibitors.

Sartans + slow calcium channel blockers (for example, Exforge, Exforge N with a diuretic). Used for a combination of hypertension and coronary artery disease, angina pectoris.

ACEI + BMKK, Equator. Also used for a combination of hypertension and coronary artery disease, angina pectoris.

Beta blocker + BMKK, Concor AM. This combination is considered effective for a combination of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, exertional angina and tachyarrhythmias.

Thiazide diuretic + beta blocker (Tenoric, Lopressor). This combination is considered effective, but has disadvantages in affecting lipid metabolism and sexual activity.

Features of the course of hypertension at different ages

If we talk about high blood pressure in childhood, then the main cause is kidney disease (glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, polycystic kidney disease), some heart defects, congenital changes large vessels(for example, stenosis renal arteries, coarctation of the aorta). By adolescence, the role increases endocrine pathology(hypothalamic syndrome). Now in many countries there is an increase in primary childhood hypertension, which is associated with overeating and a sedentary lifestyle, leading to obesity, which contributes to a failure in blood pressure regulation.

After 30 years, the importance of secondary arterial hypertension gradually decreases, and arterial hypertension itself or hypertension itself comes to the fore - a multifactorial disease that cannot be cured, but can only be controlled with medication by regularly taking blood pressure-lowering drugs. During this period, increased blood pressure is associated with mental and physical overload, night shift work, and stress. This type of hypertension is called reactive and requires constant monitoring. From the period of regular increase in blood pressure, it is necessary to monitor it and consult a doctor for further examination and treatment.

After 40 years, the risk of serious complications, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, increases sharply, so you need to monitor your blood pressure numbers especially carefully, not skip medications, and regularly see your doctor.

Sports and high blood pressure

What to do if a person suffering from hypertension wants to play sports? Should I be afraid of the condition getting worse?

Despite the increased blood pressure numbers, physical activity is necessary, but it must be appropriate to the patient’s condition. At systolic pressure 140/180 mmHg Art., and diastolic 105 mm. rt. Art. The patient is advised to remain active and combine different types sports Regular physical exercise contribute to the normalization of blood pressure numbers.

If the blood pressure numbers are higher, then sports activities are harmful to health. Such patients need uniform physical activity that strengthens the muscles.

Prevention of arterial hypertension

Have you started to notice an increase in blood pressure? What to do?

Prevention of high blood pressure is the fight against a sedentary lifestyle, normalization of work and rest, avoiding stress, and, of course, diet. To prevent arterial hypertension, it is necessary to limit salt and liquid intake, as well as exclude coffee, strong tea, carbonated sweet drinks, chocolate, smoked products, sausage, mayonnaise, fatty and fried foods. Eliminate completely or severely limit.

Take care of yourself and be healthy!

Therapist E.A. Kuznetsova

From this article you will learn: what are the manifestations of high blood pressure in women, and what symptoms occur more often with varying degrees hypertension.

Article publication date: 01/12/2017

Article updated date: 05/25/2019

In general, high blood pressure manifests itself with the same symptoms in all people, regardless of gender, age and other characteristics. But due to the fact that the nervous system of women is more susceptible to emotional influences, when blood pressure increases, 80% of them experience more pronounced symptoms than men.

They are mainly associated with violation normal operation brain and heart. It is impossible to predict exactly how high blood pressure may manifest itself, since everything depends on many factors (pressure level, how often hypertension occurs, individual characteristics of the body, etc.). The degree of increase in pressure is very important: if it is mild - less than 20% of a person’s usual pressure or less than 160/100 mm Hg. Art., the symptoms are less pronounced, if there are more of these criteria, the signs are clearly expressed.

Most often these can be:

If you have one or more of these symptoms, even without measuring your blood pressure, you can already assume that it is elevated. If tonometry confirms this assumption, you should consult a cardiologist, general practitioner or family doctor.

1. Headache

The vessels of the brain in women are subject to constant changes in tone. It does not remain at a stable level, increasing or decreasing, and reacts to different influences (stress, stress, weather changes). In response to high blood pressure, a spasm occurs—constriction. Therefore, headache acts as the most common symptom arterial hypertension among women.

Easy promotion

In women with a slight increase in blood pressure, headache is characterized as follows:

  • compressive, pressing;
  • most pronounced in the temples;
  • worsens when tilting and turning the head;
  • interferes with the usual work, but rarely prevents it from being done at all.

Strong increase

When the pressure exceeds a critical value, the symptoms of headache change as follows:

  • she becomes very strong;
  • a pronounced pulsation appears in the temples;
  • feeling of compression of the entire head;
  • heaviness in the eyes;
  • increased pain with the slightest movements of the head, when looking at bright lights, listening to loud sounds;
  • the general condition is disturbed.

Headache is the most common, but nonspecific (unreliable) sign of hypertension. It can occur in women with normal pressure, since it can arise for other reasons.

2. General weakness and dizziness

Absolutely all cases of exorbitant increases in blood pressure are accompanied by general weakness and dizziness of varying severity. The pattern is that the higher the indicator, the more severe the symptoms. Most of all, this is influenced not so much by the value of the indicator, but by the degree to which the figures are usual for a particular person.

This means that women suffering from constant hypertension up to 150–160/90–100 mm Hg. Art., can feel good when it increases to 180/120. Other women whose working pressure is within normal limits (less than 140/90), even when it increases by 20 units, notice unpleasant complaints and signs. Some of the most common - general weakness, malaise, dizziness, lack of coordination of movements.

How worse body adapted (adapted) to tolerate high blood pressure and the higher the indicator, the more pronounced such manifestations are. This may only be a slight discomfort, but it may also be a complete inability to stay in vertical position(standing, walking) – at up to 180–200/100–120 mm Hg. Art. about 90% of women are forced to take horizontal position(lie down).

3. Tremors throughout the body - tremor

A common symptom of high blood pressure is trembling of the hands, legs and body in general. Doctors call it tremor. It resembles trembling and body aches during chills, which occurs when high temperature. In 85% of women with a hypertensive crisis with very high blood pressure, their arms and legs begin to tremble. With moderate hypertension, trembling may also appear if a woman does not take measures to lower it within several hours. This will lead to a rapid depletion of energy in the muscles and will manifest itself as a simultaneous increase in weakness and tremors.

The extreme degree of involuntary muscle contractions and tremors are cramps. Usually, when they occur, the woman loses consciousness, rolls her eyes, clenches her jaw tightly, the muscles of the whole body become sharply tense, and her arms and legs twitch synchronously.

Convulsive syndrome is a serious complication of a hypertensive crisis, indicating a high probability of stroke.

4. Nausea and vomiting

Stomach disorders in the form of nausea and vomiting are symptoms not only of diseases digestive system. They are noted by women in case of high blood pressure:

  • up to 160/100 – 25%;
  • up to 180/120 – 65%;
  • up to 200/120 and more – 85%.

These statistics suggest that nausea and vomiting are clinical criterion, according to which, without tonometry, one can suspect a pronounced hypertensive crisis.

Features of nausea and vomiting are as follows:

  1. Vomiting occurs suddenly without previous nausea.
  2. After vomiting, nausea remains.
  3. Periodic repetition of vomiting attacks.
  4. The next regurgitation does not bring relief.
  5. At first, vomiting may be a large amount of food eaten, and if the stomach is empty, it may be mucus mixed with bile.

Indomitable repeated vomiting indicates serious violations cerebral circulation on the background strong increase pressure. This alarming symptom, which should be a reason for emergency care. Otherwise, when you strain during the next vomiting attack, the pressure will increase even more. This threatens with bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke).

5. Facial redness, hemorrhages

About 30% of women with periodic increases in blood pressure and 15% with frequent attacks hypertension note redness of the face at the height of the crisis. A characteristic pattern is that the higher the indicators, the more often this symptom occurs. All this means that if a woman’s face suddenly turns red, there is a high probability of high blood pressure. But if the skin of the face is of normal color, this does not mean that the pressure cannot be high.

Another symptom that is associated with increased blood filling of blood vessels with high blood pressure is spontaneous rupture vascular wall. It may present with either bleeding or hemorrhage. As a rule, superficial capillaries of the nasal cavity and eyes rupture. Therefore, 50% of women with sharp to high numbers (above 180/100) experience hemorrhages in the eye (as if after a blow), or blood begins to flow from the nose for no reason. In 10% of cases, nosebleeds are so severe that even specialists cannot stop them instantly.

Do not be afraid of nosebleeds and those caused by a hypertensive crisis. They can be called a kind of protective maneuver of the body. It protects brain vessels from rupture. After all, the consequences of such cerebrovascular accidents are crippling and fatal - hematoma and stroke.

6. Palpitations, arrhythmia

The main target organs suffering from increased pressure are the brain and heart. Therefore, hypertension often manifests itself as symptoms of their damage. If in relation to the brain it is headache, dizziness and vomiting, then in relation to the heart:

  1. Palpitations.
  2. Frequent pulse.
  3. Interruptions and irregularity of rhythm (arrhythmia).

About 70% of women with high blood pressure report signs of arrhythmia. More often, complaints occur as an attack and are described as a feeling of one’s own heartbeat (as if the heart is jumping out of the chest). Healthy man he should not feel his heart contracting, but during a hypertensive crisis this feeling is present.

If you count the pulse at this time, it turns out that it exceeds 90 beats/min, and may be irregular or intermittent with different intervals between successive contractions (beats). If you have heart problems, severe interruptions are possible - atrial fibrillation, extrasystole, atrial and ventricular fibrillation.

7. Chest pain and shortness of breath

As pressure increases, the heart muscle experiences increased stress, trying to overcome the increased resistance in the blood vessels. At this time, her need for oxygen and other nutrients increases and blood supply decreases. If a woman has any problems with the patency of the coronary vessels (coronary artery disease, angina pectoris, previous heart attack), then at the height of a hypertensive crisis she complains of:

  • pain in the heart or behind the breastbone;
  • discomfort in the left half chest, neck or under the shoulder blade;
  • feeling of lack of air;
  • shortness of breath (breathing frequently and shallowly).

Hypertensive crises in 20% of women are complicated by angina pectoris, acute coronary syndrome or myocardial infarction. Therefore, even those who do not have any heart problems, but with increased pressure begin to feel any pain in the heart area, should be examined for coronary artery disease.

What's the result?

Yes, hypertension has no specific clinical signs. But based on the totality of symptoms that most often accompany it, one can not only assume that the blood pressure is elevated, but also get an idea of ​​what the numbers are, whether there are any threats to life and health, and also identify associated health problems. Carefully evaluate the symptoms, because they are the body’s only signal of danger!