Why low blood pressure causes in adults. Life-threatening indicators, or the lowest pressure in humans. Normaten ® - an innovation in the treatment of hypertension in humans


The first number is the pressure during the period of cardiac output, called.

The second indicator is the pressure during relaxation of the heart muscle. Of course, these are not necessarily the norm for every person.

Some people are somewhat different from nature, others feel fine with indicators 10-15% below normal. Low blood pressure, provided that a person does not feel discomfort, is not a pathology and does not need treatment.

It can be both congenital and acquired. So, low pressure is typical for residents of the highlands. If the blood pressure drops, and at the same time, symptoms disturbing the patient are observed, we are talking about, or hypotension.

Distinguish between acute and chronic hypotension.

Although this condition is much less dangerous than high blood pressure, hypotension can cause extreme discomfort and interfere with the normal performance of professional functions. In addition, hypotension may be just the "tip of the iceberg" - a manifestation of a serious illness.

What are people with low blood pressure called?

For people with low blood pressure, there is a special definition - hypotension. Can hypotension be called a disease? Opinions are currently divided.

Hypotension sufferers can suffer both from an acute decrease in pressure, which manifests itself sharply and from time to time, and chronic.

In the case of chronic hypotension, the indicators are below the norm for a long time - months, or even years. At the moment, most Western doctors do not consider chronic hypotension a disease, especially in the case when the patient does not experience a significant deterioration in well-being.

Such a condition, according to these experts, does not require, since it is not dangerous to health under normal conditions. Acute hypotension is rightly considered dangerous for human health and life.

It is from these indicators that the “ordinary” person feels disturbing symptoms, such as weakness, drowsiness, fatigue.

It is with such indicators that most people feel severe dizziness, and significant weakness. For many people, pressure of 80/60 and below results in the inability to perform their usual functions and responsibilities.

If blood pressure falls below these boundary parameters, the patient needs urgent help from specialists using special medical equipment, and then treatment in a hospital.

In most cases, such pressure is a symptom of the development of a disease, and not necessarily a cardiovascular group.

Low pressure can cause collapse and oxygen starvation of the brain.

So, low pressure can occur with kidney disease, after poisoning with some fungi or metal salts, with severe blood loss. In general, there are about two dozen reasons why blood pressure can drop significantly.

Pressure below 100: low or not?

But often, systolic pressure drops to levels for no apparent reason.

Is this condition considered a pathology, and is it necessary to take any measures to increase the pressure?

It must be clearly understood that there is no threat to health when the upper pressure is lowered to 100, 95 or even 90 mm.

This pressure is enough to provide the necessary substances to the brain and other organs, to maintain their normal functioning. The main indicator that you should pay attention to when blood pressure is below 100/60 is its duration and the presence or absence of concomitant symptoms.

After all, such a decrease can be both a temporary consequence of fatigue, overstrain or insufficiently long sleep, and a normal state characteristic of the body of a particular person.

What is considered the norm?

How to find out your own, and not the "book" norm of blood pressure? It should be noted right away that they cannot be recognized as the norm, regardless of the age of the person.

Despite the fairly common assertion that they are considered normal, in fact, such an increase means development, conventionally called age-related.

Hypotension is more difficult. For most, 120/80 is optimal. Trained people, which include not only athletes, but also any person who is regularly exposed, feel fine with a systolic pressure of 100 or even 90 mm.

Therefore, in order to determine the blood pressure indicator that is normal for a particular person, it is necessary to perform a series of measurements within 3-4 weeks with good health. Pressure at which there is no weakness, headache and discomfort and will be normal for the patient.

Any manifestations of discomfort indicate the need for mild normalization of blood pressure levels.

What is he talking about?

Even pathological hypotension does not necessarily indicate the development of any disease.

Low blood pressure may be the body's response to:

  • malnutrition;
  • overwork;
  • taking a number of medications.

In addition, with moderate dehydration and as a result of a systematic lack of physical activity.

The last cause of hypotension is especially characteristic of people with. However, hypotension can also be a sign of a dangerous disease. Thus, internal blood loss, characteristic of acute forms of peptic ulcer, causes a sharp and significant drop in blood pressure.

A decrease in the intensity of cardiac output, causing low pressure, may be the result of a disease of the heart muscle - its dystrophy, or insufficiency of its blood supply as a result of sclerosis of the coronary veins.

Low blood pressure can be the result of a severe allergic reaction in the body.

A sharp decrease in performance is a consequence of anaphylactic shock, when the patient develops hypoxia - a lack of oxygen - due to difficulty breathing.

Without getting enough oxygen, the body begins to slow down all vital processes, which also affects blood pressure. Septic shock can also be the culprit in the development of hypotension.

It develops if the body is unable to localize and overcome infectious inflammation. As a response to such a condition, active production of peptide cytokines begins.

As a result of their action, there is a significant relaxation of the smooth muscles of the vessels, which causes a significant decrease in pressure.

The reason for the decrease in pressure can be diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, multiple system atrophy and other endocrine disorders.

Anemia, anorexia and bulimia also lead to a decrease in blood pressure. Problems with the autonomic nervous system, as well as various pathologies and tumors, eventually lead to a drop in blood pressure.

It can be both a chronic decrease and an acute one that occurs abruptly and only from time to time.

Hypotension can occur with the development of tumors, including malignant ones.

What to do if the pressure is constantly low?

First of all, you need to use . If the pressure is lowered to 100/90, there is no reason for immediate concern.

Perhaps the decrease is caused by fatigue, lack of sleep. In this case, the indicators are normalized independently.

If this does not happen, and the pressure lowered to 90 causes disturbing symptoms, it is best to. In the presence of a disease causing a decrease in blood pressure, only its cure or relief will help get rid of hypotension.

However, often hypotension is nonspecific, that is, not a symptom of the disease. In this case, it is necessary to take a number of measures aimed at normalizing the general condition of the body.

First of all, it is worth normalizing the regime of the day and. Sleep is shown at least 7-8 hours a day, as well as a balanced diet with enough protein.

It is also necessary to consume animal fats, getting them from meat dishes. This is especially true for the winter period.

Regular physical activity should also be increased. The most useful for hypotension are swimming, long active walks in the fresh air.

At the same time, it is necessary to avoid too significant loads of overwork - they can aggravate the state of hypotension. Stop smoking and limit your use as much as possible

At the same time, a significant decrease in indicators may be a sign of sufficiently large health problems that require immediate treatment.

Dizziness, weakness, darkening of the eyes, nausea - all this may indicate a decrease in blood pressure (BP), while the tonometer usually shows from 105/70 mm r. Art. and below. There are many reasons for this state of affairs. Let's take a closer look at why pressure drops and what to do in such cases.

Low blood pressure causes headache and dizziness

Why does a person's blood pressure drop?

Low blood pressure - hypotension - can be inherited or acquired during life due to certain situations.

Impact of external factors

The following external factors can lead to slow blood movement:

  • prolonged stay in a state of severe nervous strain;
  • sedentary lifestyle;
  • constant lack of sleep;
  • harmful working conditions (hot shops, foundries);
  • the influence of drugs that can be prescribed after surgery on internal organs or during the treatment of cardiac pathologies: diuretics, muscle relaxants, antibiotics, antispasmodics, large doses of sedatives.

Sleep deprivation can cause high blood pressure

A significant expansion of blood vessels, from which blood pressure decreases in healthy people, occurs after visiting a bath, sauna, cosmetic procedures (wrap), thermal baths. The provoking factors of low pressure include head injuries, oncological pathologies, anemia of various origins.

Internal factors

In addition to external sources, due to which blood pressure may fall, there are also internal causes - pathological changes in the body. These are diseases that disrupt the speed of blood flow through the vessels: vegetovascular dystonia, cardiac pathologies (myocarditis, arrhythmia, various blockades). They slow down the work of the heart, the blood pumps through the veins more slowly, which leads to a loss of vascular tone and a decrease in peripheral pressure.

Aggravation of ulcerative processes in the stomach, inflammation of the pancreas, malfunction of the adrenal glands, as well as heavy bleeding can provoke a sharp decrease. In addition to pain in the places of localization of pathologies, weakness and dizziness can be observed. In such cases, blood pressure is restored when the underlying disease is eliminated.

Depressions of various kinds (asthenic, anhedonic and apathetic) are another factor that adversely affects peripheral pressure.

Frequent depression negatively affects human health

Hypotension is often a congenital pathology. People with this disease constantly have low blood pressure and feel good. But its upward jumps can significantly worsen the quality of life of such patients and require medical intervention.

If the pressure dropped during pregnancy, the cause of slow blood flow is toxicosis in the early stages, which is quite normal. In the second and third trimester, blood pressure does not fall (with the exception of congenital hypotension), but rises slightly. Therefore, a decrease in the indicators of the tonometer in the later stages of gestation should alert, especially when accompanied by discomfort in the abdomen and blood discharge (threat of miscarriage).

Low blood pressure symptoms

Low blood pressure means that the upper pressure is not less than 100-105 mm R. Art., and the lower - 60-70 mm p. Art. Hypotensive patients with such indicators feel good, but lowering the values ​​\u200b\u200bmay cause them the following symptoms:

  • a significant decrease in efficiency (absent-mindedness, loss of strength, fatigue, excessive lethargy);
  • headaches in the back of the head;
  • shortness of breath, asthma attacks;
  • increased sweating (sharp cold sweat), the appearance of shortness of breath;
  • darkening in the eyes with a sharp rise from a position, sitting or lying down, dizziness and short-term disorientation;
  • low body temperature, slow pulse, nausea, vomiting, up to loss of consciousness.

Decreased blood pressure causes nausea and vomiting

In hypertensive patients (people with constantly high blood pressure), with a decrease in blood pressure, the listed signs appear very sharply, since the loss of the usual vascular tone and slow blood circulation puts an increased burden on the cardiovascular system and brain function.

Low pressure may be accompanied by a person's increased sensitivity to sudden changes in weather conditions (especially often observed in an elderly person). In addition, women are more likely to develop hypotension than men.

The pressure has dropped - what to do?

A sudden drop in pressure may indicate the development of a serious illness or be a negative reaction to a change in the environment. In any case, before the arrival of the doctor, it is necessary to provide first aid to the patient.

  1. Lay the person on the bed, provide him with a state of rest so that he does not lose consciousness.
  2. Raise the patient's legs up (put a pillow, a roller under the lower limbs). This will allow blood to arrive faster to the head and oxygenate the brain. Do a bladder massage.
  3. Make sure that the clothes do not hinder movement and do not interfere with normal breathing.
  4. It is better to turn the head to one side so that the person does not choke in case of possible bouts of vomiting.
  5. Cover with a blanket, drink sweet coffee, which will increase pressure and return body temperature to normal.

The patient must be put to bed until the ambulance arrives.

If a downward pressure jump happened to a person for the first time, then before the ambulance arrives, you do not need to give him medicine. The drugs will be prescribed by the doctor, after a thorough examination.

In case of poor health hypotension, it is necessary to find out how long he took medication to normalize blood pressure. Usually people suffering from low blood pressure, constantly drink pills. Most often after breakfast and in the late afternoon (after eating). Therefore, if you skip the medication, there may be serious consequences and a significant deterioration in the condition. After taking the right pills, the state of health should return to normal even before the ambulance arrives.

Prevention

Lowering blood pressure brings many problems in daily life. To avoid this, it is important to adhere to the basic preventive measures:

  • establish a regime of work and rest, sleep for at least 8 hours;
  • lead a healthy lifestyle: douche, dousing, running, swimming, long walks in the fresh air;
  • moderate physical activity, after which the body receives a sufficient amount of oxygen;
  • adhere to proper nutrition (consume more vegetables, juices, fruits, exclude all fatty, spicy, salty, smoked), do not abuse alcohol and smoking.

It is important to adhere to preventive measures and consult a doctor in case of any negative deviations. This will allow you to detect problems in the body in time, and will also make it possible to prevent their further development.

Jumps in blood pressure downwards are not groundless. Usually these are body signals about the development of negative processes - a decrease in adrenal function, problems with the thyroid gland, serious disruptions in cardiovascular work. It is important not to ignore this condition and go to the hospital immediately.

10.02.2017

Some doctors believe that hypotension, that is, low blood pressure, does not require treatment, because they do not consider it a disease. In part, this opinion is quite justified, since there are quite a lot of people in the world with very low blood pressure who do not even suspect about it, because they feel great and have no health complaints. It's just a feature of their body.

In addition, in many cases, low blood pressure is one of the symptoms of a number of many diseases, such as tuberculosis, heart attack, liver and biliary tract diseases, cardiovascular insufficiency, sinusitis, thyroid disease, and others. That is, as soon as the patient is cured of his underlying disease, hypotension will go away by itself, without special treatment.

But if we talk about hypotension as such, then you should know that it is based on a violation of the functions of the nervous system and the circulatory system. Factors such as lack of sleep, emotional stress and mental trauma contribute to the occurrence of hypotension.

Characteristic manifestations of low blood pressure:

  • fast fatiguability;
  • weakness;
  • migraine attacks;
  • dizziness with darkening of the eyes.

Also possible are palpitations, shortness of breath, trembling of the eyelids or fingers on outstretched hands, a decrease in overall body temperature, and meteosensitivity. Often people with low blood pressure suffer from orthostaticism - a condition where the pressure drops rapidly when moving quickly to a vertical position from a horizontal position, for example, at home when getting out of bed, thus requiring treatment from a specialist.

In any case, even if we do not consider hypotension as a disease that requires medical treatment, the condition of a person with low blood pressure levels leaves much to be desired. So what can you do to improve low blood pressure?

Express Methods for Increasing Pressure

  1. Salt with water. A small piece of bread should be generously sprinkled with salt and eaten. Salt provokes vasospasm and pressure rises.
  2. Water. Drink 3-4 sips of water every 10-15 minutes. The more water you drink, the greater the volume of blood in the vessels, therefore, the pressure becomes higher. This method is especially good for those who are engaged in sedentary work.
  3. Salt baths. Add 10-20 grams of sea salt to 1 liter of lukewarm water and soak your feet in it for about 15-20 minutes. If you regularly do this treatment at home, it will help increase blood circulation.
  4. Deep "yogic" breathing - breathing with the stomach. This method does not raise blood pressure, but simply normalizes it by increasing the level of oxygen in the blood, but in some cases this exercise is the best and fastest way to improve well-being.
  5. Ammonia. The smell of ammonia or essential oil will help bring the pressure back to normal.

It is widely believed that first aid for low blood pressure is a cup of strong coffee. Caffeine does help raise blood pressure, but its effect is very short-lived and blood pressure tends to drop even more over time.

Stable low pressure

In those cases, low blood pressure on the tonometer is accompanied by constant weakness, drowsiness, headache, you do not need to lie down at home, you should still contact a therapist who will prescribe the correct treatment. In any case, such poor health is an indicator of a chronic disorder in the functioning of blood vessels.

However, it should be understood that a mandatory visit to a doctor and carrying out all the studies prescribed by him will be completely useless if a person who has low blood pressure and suffers from it lives in the same conditions and does not change his lifestyle. In fact, nothing special needs to be done, all the recommendations have long been known to everyone, and yet ...

  1. Complete sleep. At night, you need to sleep at least 8 hours, and for people with low blood pressure, the time allotted for sleep should increase to 10 hours. You should go to bed no later than 23.00, and preferably at 22.00. The windows of the house before going to bed need to be ventilated.
  2. Proper nutrition. For hypotension, a full breakfast is required. You need to eat often - the best is 5-6 times a day - in small portions. All food should contain the required amount and ratio of all nutrients. Particular attention should be paid to the presence of vitamins B. C and E in food. They are natural stimulants that not only increase the tone of the whole body, but also contribute to the normalization of the cardiovascular system. If the condition of the gastrointestinal tract allows, it is necessary to add spices to your diet - chili pepper, cinnamon, turmeric. They have a warming effect and help speed up the movement of blood.
  3. Drinking mode. Treatment suggests that you need to drink about 1.5-2 liters of water per day. Tea, coffee, lemonade, not to mention alcoholic beverages, are not considered water. Although sweet coffee or tea in moderation is necessary. It is better to drink green tea, as it contains more tonic substances.
  4. Cold and hot shower. To train blood vessels in the morning, it is advisable to take a contrast shower. At first, you should alternate warm water with cool water, then, as you get used to it, the difference in water temperatures can be increased.
  5. Massage. It is very good to regularly do acupressure for yourself, with fingertips to apply pressure on the area between the lips and nose.
  6. Herbal teas and tinctures. Herbal tinctures of eleutherococcus, lemongrass, ginseng, ginger root can quickly restore a cheerful state of health to a person with low blood pressure. You need to take them in courses of 3-4 weeks with a break of a month. Tonic herbal teas, such as tea with rose hips, strawberry leaves, and hawthorn berries, are very helpful with general weakness and poor health.
  7. Calm, just calm. The phrase “All diseases are from the nerves”, which has stuck in the teeth, characterizes hypotension and its further treatment in the best possible way. If possible, irritating factors should be excluded from your environment and a benevolent “habitat” should be created.

Traditional medicine recipes for a gradual increase in pressure

Since low blood pressure is a frequent companion of other, much more dangerous diseases, in order to improve your condition without loading your body with drugs, you can start treating the symptoms of hypotension with the help of traditional medicine. Here are some very simple recipes for medicinal tinctures that you can make at home without much cost.

  1. Immortelle tincture. 100 g of crushed dry raw materials from immortelle flowers pour 250 g of vodka and leave for 4 days. Strain. Drink tincture before meals, 1 tablespoon at least 2-3 times a day.
  2. Aralia root tincture. Take 1 tablespoon of finely chopped aralia roots, pour 5 tablespoons of 70% alcohol. All this insist 1 week. The drug is taken 30 drops 2 times a day before meals.
  3. Ginseng tincture. Mix half a glass of vodka with 1 teaspoon of ginseng root, previously crushed. Leave in a dark place for 8-10 days. For very low blood pressure, drink 1 teaspoon at least 30 minutes before each meal.
  4. Vodka tincture from Rhodiola rosea. Dry the roots of Rhodiola a little, avoiding direct sunlight, chop and pour vodka. For 1 part of Rhodiola roots, 10 parts of vodka are taken. Set 2 weeks. Take 2 times a day for 10-12 drops.

Low bottom pressure

There are times when the lower pressure (diastolic) in a person is low, and the upper (systolic) remains high. Such a symptom may indicate a malfunctioning aortic valve and requires an immediate visit to a cardiologist.

Hypotonic attack

If you suddenly have a very sharp drop in pressure, and you feel that you are about to faint - try to lie down quickly. If this is not possible, you should at least sit down and lean as low as possible, it is best to lower your head between your knees - this way you can ensure blood flow to your brain. After some time, the state of health will noticeably improve. A glass of strong, freshly brewed sweet tea or coffee will help you finally bounce back. But this does not mean that it is not necessary to carry out complex treatment in the future.

When a person has arterial hypotension - low pressure, what to do at home urgently to stabilize the condition, you need to know for sure. You can fight hypotension with the help of medicines prescribed by the attending physician, or drugs made according to traditional medicine recipes.

Many people do not consider low blood pressure to be a serious problem and often leave the symptoms of this pathology unattended. This is a deep delusion, because hypotension indicates disorders in the work of the heart and blood vessels, which can lead to serious consequences. Since the blood moves at a reduced speed, tissues and organs do not receive the necessary amount of oxygen and nutrients. And this negatively affects the general condition of a person.

People suffering from low blood pressure should adhere to a number of recommendations in order to stabilize their condition as much as possible and reduce the appearance of unpleasant symptoms. First of all, it is necessary to observe a normal sleep pattern and spend at least 9 hours a day on it. This pathology is characterized by increased fatigue, and lack of sleep only increases weakness.

Equally important is proper nutrition. With it, you can quickly improve your condition, as well as bring it back to normal for a long period. The attending physician should take part in the preparation of the diet. Eat food often, but in small portions.

The hypotonic menu should contain spices and spicy dishes that perfectly constrict blood vessels and increase tone. Showing canned food, potatoes, sweets, pickles, smoked meats. However, it should be remembered that these products are not very useful, so they should be consumed in small quantities. It is better to give preference to beans, nuts, peas, fish, cheese, vegetables, citrus fruits. Useful grape and pomegranate juices. Carbonated drinks will have to be abandoned.

You should stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Alcohol is able to dilate blood vessels, and this further reduces pressure. However, it is permissible to use 50 g of cognac or sweet red wine for preventive purposes. 2-3 tsp cognac added to coffee or strong tea helps to quickly raise the pressure.

For people with low blood pressure, moderate physical activity is useful: morning exercises, leisurely walks, swimming. Even if the patient does not have a great love for sports, simple physical exercises are simply necessary for him. People who lead an active lifestyle are less likely to suffer from unpleasant symptoms that occur with low blood pressure. But in sports, as in any business, you need to follow the norm. Excessive exercise can further lower blood pressure.

One of the main causes of low blood pressure is nervous tension. A stressful situation can greatly lower your blood pressure. And this will lead to undesirable consequences. You need to strive to avoid stressful situations or change your attitude towards them so as not to experience excessive excitement.

Ways to increase pressure

In order not to feel helpless during attacks, all patients need to be aware of what methods are possible. You can raise the pressure yourself with the help of the most affordable products. For example, a cup of black coffee helps to dilate blood vessels and cheer up. Strong sweet tea tones and normalizes blood circulation. In the list of ways, how quickly and efficiently, this technique is one of the first places.

All people who are looking for a way to increase blood pressure should know about the benefits of hibiscus tea. However, there is one caveat in its use. To increase the pressure, you need to drink a hot drink, but a cold one will help lower it.

Regular table salt helps to raise the pressure. You just need to put some salt on your tongue and wait until it dissolves. You don't need to drink it. You can eat something salty: a piece of bacon, cucumber, nuts. Sugar has the same effect. If you feel unwell, you can dissolve a piece of refined sugar, eat chocolate or drink a sweet drink.

Cinnamon has excellent healing properties. Using it together with honey, you can fix a positive result for a long time. ½ tsp cinnamon powder should be brewed in a glass of hot water and add 1 tablespoon of honey. The resulting solution should be infused for 30 minutes, and only after that it can be drunk. Relief will come in a few minutes. If there is no desire to prepare a fragrant mixture, then you can simply eat cinnamon. Spread a slice of bread with honey and sprinkle the sandwich with cinnamon.

Effective help with low pressure is provided by acupressure. You need to massage the central part of the back of the head, the upper shoulder girdle and the area between the shoulder blades. Movements should be energetic, kneading.

Low pressure can cause numbness in the lower extremities. An urgent way to deal with the problem is active rubbing of the legs. In addition, it is necessary to massage the knees and ankles, and then massage the stomach and lumbar region.

Hypotension can be treated at home with acupuncture. This method is based on the impact on active points on the human body. Before treating a problem with this method, you need to figure out which point corresponds to which problem. In particular, the point responsible for pressure is located in the hollow under the nose. You should press it, hold it for 2-3 seconds and release. To achieve the desired effect, it is enough to make 10 clicks.

A contrast shower helps fight low blood pressure. This is not only a way to raise pressure, but also to increase the tone of the whole organism. To consolidate the effect, it will be useful to perform several breathing exercises. Inhale through the nose and exhale slowly through the mouth. Close teeth tightly.

Traditional medicine recipes

If hypotension is diagnosed, home treatment can be carried out with the help of herbs. Decoctions and tinctures are prepared from them, which must be taken before meals and only in the morning. It's best not to do this before bed.

With reduced pressure at home, it is useful to take an infusion of tansy flowers. To prepare it 1 tbsp. l. raw materials must be poured with a glass of boiling water. Insist for 4 hours, then strain and take 1 tbsp. l. before meals 3 times a day.

In the same way, you can prepare an infusion of thistle. But you will have to take it 4 times a day for ½ cup.

To increase the pressure at home, it is useful to take a decoction of immortelle. 2 tbsp. l. herbs pour a glass of boiling water and insist for an hour. Take 2 times a day before meals, 30 drops.

The use of ginseng tincture makes it possible to obtain a stable increased pressure on the tonometer. It can be prepared independently or purchased at a pharmacy.

You can stabilize the pressure at home with the help of mordovnik grass. But it must be used carefully. A large dose produces a strong lowering effect, but a small one can increase it.

Herbal treatment is not an emergency way to increase blood pressure. But if you use the medicine every day, then after 3-4 weeks the pressure stabilizes. Any tincture or decoction can be used for no more than a month. Constant use leads to addiction and a decrease in the effect of the drug, and then it becomes much more difficult to increase low pressure. In this case, you need to take a break or start using a different herb.

Arterial hypotension is a condition in which a person's blood pressure (BP) drops significantly below normal levels. Hypotension can be considered an acute or chronic drop in blood pressure below 100/60 mm. rt. Art. for men and 90/60 mm. rt. Art. for women.

In some cases, the readings of the tonometer, characterizing arterial hypotension, do not always indicate pathology - the individual adaptive abilities of the body may also be the cause of low pressure. When the pressure drops to 90/60 mm. rt. Art. arterial hypotension is diagnosed in all cases. Low pressure - how much? The figures given are only approximate indicators, for some people they may differ, and there is no answer to the question that satisfies all patients: “what pressure is considered low”.

This article will discuss the classification of arterial hypotension, its symptoms and features, as well as advice on what to do if the pressure has dropped.

Physiological arterial hypotension

Physiological arterial hypotension is a condition in which the systolic and / or diastolic blood pressure in a person is below the generally established normal, but despite this, they are not considered pathological. This feature may arise due to the individual variant of the norm of blood pressure (special "working" blood pressure).

In addition, many athletes and residents of some regions (Arctic, tropics, high mountains, etc.) also often have low blood pressure, the causes of which are the adaptive abilities of the body.

Acute arterial hypotension

Acute arterial hypotension is a condition in which the pressure can become very low (as a rule, it comes on suddenly, sometimes it counts for minutes), often posing a danger to the patient's life and requiring emergency medical care.

Reduced heart pressure in an acute form, which is a disease, is called pathological.

An acute decrease in pressure, representing a particular danger, can be expressed in the following forms:

  • Collapse

A form of vascular insufficiency caused by a change in circulating blood volume and / or an instantaneous drop in vascular tone. In addition to lowering blood pressure, collapse is dangerous due to hypoxia (oxygen starvation) of the brain and a decrease in blood supply to all vital organs.

A sharp, sustained and prolonged drop in systolic (upper) blood pressure, accompanied by a sharp decrease in blood supply to vital organs.

Causes of acute arterial hypotension

The causes of a sharp drop in blood pressure include the following factors and disorders:

  • loss of a large volume of blood;
  • dehydration of the body;
  • poisoning and intoxication conditions;
  • state of anaphylactic shock;
  • severe injuries (especially craniocerebral);
  • alcohol or drug intoxication;
  • disturbances in the work of the heart.

The most common causes of low are body structure features: women with a thin physique suffer from arterial hypotension several times more often. Low blood pressure is also often found in women during pregnancy, which is associated with the adaptive abilities of the body - it simply does not have time to “rebuild” its work in accordance with the new weight of a person. Anemia can also be the cause of constant low pressure during this period.

Arterial hypertension, if not properly treated, can cause a decrease in blood pressure. In this case, after emergency measures, a mandatory adjustment of drugs that reduce blood pressure is required, which should be carried out only by a qualified specialist. Self-adjustment of these drugs can lead to severe and irreversible consequences on the part of the cardiovascular system.

Old age is a relative risk factor for the development of arterial hypotension; in official medicine, people with low blood pressure of young and even adolescence are often found.

Vegetovascular dystonia as a cause of low blood pressure, compared with the age factor, occurs several times more often. Poor functioning of the central nervous system affects the disruption of communication between the heart and other organs, which ultimately leads to arterial hypotension.

Chronic arterial hypotension

Hypotension is a chronic arterial hypotension that requires constant support of the body with appropriate medications. May have one of the following forms or a combination of them:

  1. Neurocirculatory arterial hypotension is a disease that worsens the patient's well-being, but does not exclude the possibility of his recovery.
  2. Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a pathology in which low pressure is observed only with a sharp transition of the patient from a horizontal to a vertical position. This condition is due to a violation (decrease) in blood flow to the brain. It differs by a short period of action - the time during which the first symptoms of a decrease in pressure appear, and their complete disappearance occurs, is usually a few minutes. Most often, patients suffer from orthostatic hypotension in the morning, immediately after sleep. OH is dangerous not only by the possibility of loss of consciousness, but also by an increased risk of stroke, especially in the elderly.
  3. Essential arterial hypotension is a disease with an independent course, the cause of which, as a rule, is neurosis, stress, high intellectual stress, etc. Such a diagnosis primarily affects the vasomotor center of the brain.

When determining the type of arterial hypotension in women (primary or secondary) during the period of gestation, the time of its occurrence is taken into account. Secondary hypotension will be a disease that appeared during pregnancy itself (with some exceptions), all other forms of this pathology are classified as primary arterial hypotension.

Causes of chronic arterial hypotension

Persistent low blood pressure is not always an independent disease - it often occurs as a consequence or complication of another previously diagnosed diagnosis or pathological condition. Causes of low blood pressure include:

  • osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
  • some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - stomach ulcers, pancreatitis, etc .;
  • anemia;
  • hepatitis;
  • cystitis;
  • tuberculosis;
  • rheumatism;
  • alcoholism;
  • diabetes mellitus and other diseases of the endocrine system;
  • diseases of the respiratory system;
  • cirrhosis of the liver;
  • intoxication;
  • side effects of certain drugs (in this case, the appropriate solution would be to cancel them);
  • violations of blood supply and work of the cardiovascular system;
  • lack of vitamins E, C and B5.

Treatment of secondary arterial hypertension implies, first of all, the elimination of the cause that caused it. In order to find out why a person's blood pressure drops in such cases, additional laboratory and diagnostic studies will be required.

Symptoms of arterial hypotension

Symptoms of low blood pressure are typical of other diseases of the cardiovascular system. Patients with hypotension usually report the following complaints:

  • dizziness (sometimes reaching up to fainting);
  • blanching and numbness of the skin, as well as other signs of VVD;
  • general weakness and fatigue;
  • clouding in the eyes;
  • quickening of breathing.

Migraine attacks, as a sign of a drop in pressure, have some specific features: they disturb the patient after mental and physical stress (but may appear immediately after sleep), have a long-term (sometimes up to 2-3 days) effect, and are aggravated by sound and light influence. are symmetrical on both sides. By its nature, such a headache is usually throbbing, dull. Area of ​​low pressure (place of localization of pain) - forehead, temples, crown of the head.

Another common symptom of low blood pressure is nausea and vomiting. They are found mainly in weather-dependent people, patients affected by sunstroke or dehydration. Low blood pressure caused by poisoning or an overdose of BP-lowering drugs is also often accompanied by nausea. The development and duration of this symptom can proceed in different ways; in some patients, nausea in acute forms of the disease can last several hours.

Symptoms of low blood pressure include other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract: bloating, belching, constipation and intestinal colic.

Symptoms of low blood pressure in orthostatic hypotension practically do not differ from the general symptoms of the disease: tinnitus, dizziness, darkening of the eyes, lethargy, a feeling of chronic fatigue, inability to take a relaxing position. Some patients with hypotension experience a feeling of lack of air and are forced to take a deep breath, but they do not experience shortness of breath, in most cases there are no causes that cause it. Reduced blood pressure in all these cases can be supplemented directly by the diseases of the cardiovascular system themselves.

In some patients, at the initial stage of the disease, signs of low pressure may be absent, but this is rather an exception to the rule.

Arterial hypotension in children

Predisposition to arterial hypotension in children develops during the period of fetal formation. It is caused by violations of the normal course of pregnancy in the mother of the child. Reduced blood pressure in this case usually makes itself felt only when a child reaches adolescence, the following factors cause it:

  • hormonal changes in the body;
  • overwork due to school;
  • low level of physical activity;
  • infectious diseases (complaints of low blood pressure usually come during the recovery period);
  • unbalanced diet and eating disorders;
  • headache;
  • nausea.

Signs of low blood pressure in children with mild hypotension disappear with a passion for the game, after sleeping and walking in the fresh air. If the cause of an acute form of arterial hypotension in a child is overwork, in many cases a short break is enough to eliminate it.

Among all forms of hypotension, orthostatic hypotension is most common in children. When a child has a chronic form of the disease, his feelings of suspicion and resentment become aggravated, he becomes whiny and absent-minded. In older school age, this disease is usually expressed not only in the form of low blood pressure, but also pain in the heart.

Arterial hypotension in the elderly

Elderly people are much more likely to suffer from the opposite disease - arterial hypertension. There are also situations when a patient has suffered from hypotension all his life, and with an appropriate lifestyle at retirement age, it goes away on its own due to a natural increase in blood pressure.

Arterial hypotension in elderly patients usually has an orthostatic form. Incorrect "stopping" of such conditions or not paying due attention to them can lead to a stroke and even to dementia (senile dementia).

In the elderly, low blood pressure is often observed with an overdose of antihypertensive drugs. Due to pressure drop below 100/60 mm. rt. Art. patients with hypertension require medication adjustments.

Low heart pressure under the influence of other cardiovascular diseases may be manifested by a decrease in only systolic or diastolic blood pressure, and not both at once.

Systolic arterial hypotension

In some patients, low blood pressure is due to a violation of only one - systolic or diastolic indicator. As in the case of general arterial hypotension, the norm of such blood pressure is different for everyone. 100 mm. rt. Art. - the average minimum value for an ordinary healthy person who is not an athlete and does not live in specific climatic conditions.

The causes of low systolic pressure include the following diseases and pathological conditions:

  • bradycardia (especially if it is exposed to the patient in combination with arrhythmia);
  • dysfunction of the heart valve;
  • diabetes;
  • pregnancy (especially the first trimester);
  • increased physical activity.

Diastolic, i.e. lower blood pressure, with low upper pressure hypotension remains normal. Upper pressure 100 mm. rt. Art. not always hypotension (due to the individual characteristics of the patient and the conditions of his life), but with its periodic appearance, it will not be superfluous to consult a doctor.

Diastolic arterial hypotension

Lower blood pressure is fixed at the moment of relaxation of the heart muscle. Low diastolic pressure is considered as such if the difference between the upper and lower blood pressure is more than 60-70 mm. rt. Art.

Symptoms of diastolic hypotension include drowsiness, feeling powerless, lethargy, dizziness, and nausea. Patients diagnosed with low diastolic pressure are irritable and often become whiny.

The causes of this form of hypotension include the following diseases and pathological conditions:

  • kidney or heart failure;
  • vegetovascular dystonia;
  • allergic diseases;
  • shock conditions;
  • disorders in the thyroid gland.

Low diastolic pressure requires finding out the cause that caused it and its maximum possible elimination.

Diagnosis of arterial hypotension

Arterial hypotension is easily diagnosed using the blood pressure measurement procedure, but it is impossible to identify the disease immediately on the first measurement. To make a diagnosis or refute it, blood pressure monitoring is used for a time determined by the attending physician.

With low blood pressure and high heart rate, patients are advised to undergo an ECG and consult a cardiologist during treatment due to possible disturbances in the work of the heart. In such patients, hypotension can be combined with arrhythmia, extrasystole (untimely contraction of the heart or its individual chambers), bradycardia.

In addition to the ECG, a doctor may prescribe an ultrasound examination of the heart to establish cardiac output and phonocardiography to study heart sounds.

Treatment of arterial hypotension

Periodic pressure reduction up to 100/60 mm. rt. Art. in most cases - a reason to start therapy. Only a qualified specialist should determine how to normalize low blood pressure and choose the appropriate treatment plan. Even if individual hypotension seems uncomplicated, special understanding of what to do if the pressure has dropped sharply may be required.

Most often, arterial hypotension is not an independent disease, but a sign of other health problems. Treatment should be aimed at eliminating the cause of the fall in blood pressure. For example, if hypotension is caused by blood loss, it is necessary to stop bleeding and replenish the volume of circulating blood. If arterial hypotension occurs due to dehydration, it is necessary to replenish the water balance in the body.

For the treatment of hypotensive conditions, the following drugs are used:

  • herbal medicines based on eleutherococcus, ginseng, etc. (plant adaptogens). Available in the form of tinctures, tablets and capsules. Tinctures are intended for both systemic and "emergency" use. Herbal adaptogens do not affect the heart rate and in many cases are the drug of choice for patients with low blood pressure and high pulse;
  • caffeine sodium benzoate. Available in the form of tablets and solutions for injection. Its use is not recommended at low pressure and high heart rate, because the drug has a cardiotonic effect and increases heart rate;
  • cordiamine. Available in the form of drops and solutions for injection. It is used only in a hospital for an emergency rise in blood pressure.

Be careful if headaches have entered the area of ​​​​low pressure: Citramon or Askofen, which is often used to eliminate them, contains caffeine-sodium benzoate. Don't overdose them!

In the arsenal of doctors, there are more powerful drugs to increase blood pressure when it drops sharply. These are adrenaline, norepinephrine, mezaton, dopamine. These funds are used only in life-threatening situations.

Portal expert, doctor of the first category Nevelychuk Taras.

What to do in case of fainting?

Sometimes acute attacks of hypotension end in fainting. If you have such a disease in yourself or a loved one, you need to know what to do with low pressure, resulting in fainting. It is possible to provide assistance to people affected by fainting almost anywhere. To do this, you need to perform a number of the following steps:

  1. Lay the patient down with the legs elevated. If fainting occurs in a vehicle, sit the victim in such a way that the head leans to the knees as much as possible.
  2. Release the victim from everything that can squeeze the body - a tie, belt, etc.
  3. If possible, lightly splash cold water on the face, then pat the patient on the cheeks, make him breathe deeply.
  4. Give the victim to smell the cotton wool with ammonia.

If the pressure has dropped, it is not recommended to give validol to victims of fainting associated with this fall.

Lifestyle with arterial hypotension

Hypertension does not always require drug therapy. Understanding how to live with low blood pressure is very simple. All that is required for this is to observe a healthy lifestyle, adhere to proper nutrition, sleep and rest at the time of exertion. Physical activity should be moderate. The best exercises for hypotensive patients are jogging on a track, exercises on an exercise bike and swimming in a pool. These loads contribute to an increase in vascular tone.

With arterial hypotension, it is desirable to comply with the rules:

  1. Sleep should be not only full, but also long. To normalize the indicators, low heart pressure requires normal rest - you need to sleep 1-2 hours more than a healthy person.
  2. To give the vessels (which inevitably weaken with this disease) tone, the amount of liver, eggs, fruits and vegetables consumed in the diet should be increased. Taking food should be mostly protein.
  3. With hypotension, a contrast shower helps to maintain blood pressure in a normal state. In this case, the temperature of the water should be lowered gradually, over several weeks. After taking such a shower, to achieve an even greater effect, you can rub yourself well with a towel.
  4. Notify your doctor immediately of any changes in your condition and adhere to all prescribed prescriptions.
  5. If you often experience stress, try to avoid situations that cause it as much as possible.
  6. Before going to bed, patients with arterial hypotension are advised to hold their feet in cool water for 1-3 minutes, accompanying this with sharp movements, then put on woolen socks and walk around the room a little. Helps patients with this disease and periodic visits to physiotherapy, which are prescribed by a physiotherapist. You can significantly improve your condition with this disease with the help of spa treatment.

Before ascertaining hypotension, the doctor must establish for an individual patient his low blood pressure, since the standard pressure is 100 mm. rt. Art. not for everyone will be a threshold.