Hypertonic disease. Types, degrees and treatment of arterial hypertension. Causes, symptoms and stages of hypertension Complaints of hypertension

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Many people face a problem such as hypertension. What it is? This is a pathology that is accompanied by a persistent increase in blood pressure. The disease is often primary, but sometimes problems with blood pressure arise against the background of damage to other organs.

The symptoms of hypertension are very unpleasant and affect the patient’s quality of life. Moreover, if left untreated, the disease can lead to a host of dangerous complications, including stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.

Today many people are interested in additional information. Why do symptoms of hypertension appear? What it is? What treatment methods can the doctor suggest? Is there effective prevention of the disease?

Hypertension: what is it?

To begin with, you should familiarize yourself with the general information. Today, hypertension is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases. What it is?

This disease is accompanied by a persistent increase in blood pressure in the vessels of the systemic circulation. Normally, young people have blood pressure levels of 120/70-75 mmHg. Art. Blood pressure increases as the body grows and ages. For example, for a forty-year-old patient these figures are approximately 130/80, and for patients over 50 years old - 135/85.

If a person's blood pressure exceeds 140/90 mm Hg. Art., then it is advisable to talk about hypertension (hypertension). Of course, we are talking about a persistent change in indicators, and not about a short-term increase in pressure due to, for example, stress or taking certain medications.

The main causes of the disease

There are a huge number of reasons for the development of hypertension. What are these predisposing factors? The list of them is quite impressive.

• Statistically, age matters. In most cases, arterial hypertension is registered in people over 35 years of age; at a younger age, such a disease is considered rare.
• Gender also has a certain meaning. The disease is more often diagnosed in men than in women.
• In this case, we can talk about heredity. If a person's close relatives suffered from hypertension, the risk of developing such a disease increases.
• Risk factors include constant psycho-emotional stress and stress. Against the background of such conditions, the level of adrenaline in the blood sharply increases, which is accompanied by an increase in blood pressure. If stress levels are constantly high, temporary hypertension can become chronic.
• The most common causes include atherosclerosis. This disease is accompanied by the formation of plaques on the inner surface of blood vessels and a decrease in the tone of the arterial wall. The narrowing of the lumen of the vessel leads to an increase in blood pressure.
• Hypertension and diabetes are also linked. Moreover, there are many endocrine diseases that can lead to blood pressure problems (thyrotoxicosis, pheochromocytoma).
• Sometimes an increase in blood pressure is associated with a malfunction of the excretory system. The list of causes includes pyelonephritis, polycystic kidney disease, hydronephrosis, neuroptosis, aneurysms and thrombosis of the renal arteries.
• Hypertension may also have a neurogenic origin. Increased pressure in the arteries can be associated with meningitis, polyneuropathies, brain tumors, etc.
• Risk factors include dietary errors. For example, excessive consumption of table salt leads to an increase in sodium concentration in the body. In order to restore the water-salt balance, the body begins to accumulate fluid in the soft tissues, which leads to an increase in blood volume, the formation of edema and an increase in blood pressure.
• It is believed that physical inactivity increases the risk of developing the disease. Lack of physical activity affects the body's metabolism. Moreover, it is much more difficult for the heart to cope with any stress.
• Risk factors include obesity. The fact is that the appearance of excess weight is usually associated with poor nutrition, hypertension, and atherosclerosis.
• Bad habits are also dangerous. For example, smoking provokes vasospasm. In addition, some components of cigarette smoke cause vascular damage. Alcohol also has an adverse effect on the vascular system. Constant abuse of alcoholic beverages causes an increase in blood pressure (by 5 mm Hg per year).

The combination of the above risk factors results in the development of persistent, chronic hypertension.

Information about common symptoms

Of course, the symptoms of hypertension directly depend on the form and stage of development of the disease. In the initial stages, the disease may occur without any symptoms at all. In the future, the clinical picture depends on which target organs are affected by the pathological process. The most common symptoms include:

• frequent dizziness;
• heaviness in the head;
• throbbing pain that appears in the back of the head, spreads to the frontal and temporal zones, the area of ​​the orbits;
• the appearance of “floaters” and glare before the eyes;
• periodic tinnitus;
• swelling of the face, which is most pronounced in the morning (especially in the eyelid area);
• nausea;
• increased sweating;
• swelling of the lower extremities and hands;
• numbness of fingers, tingling sensation;
• chills that appear for no apparent reason;
• increased irritability;
• constant internal tension, inexplicable feelings of anxiety and restlessness;
• memory problems;
• feeling of a rapid and intense heartbeat;
• decreased performance, constant fatigue.

Of course, these symptoms are nonspecific and can indicate a wide variety of diseases. This is why it is so important to see a doctor and undergo a full examination.

Primary hypertension

Statistics show that in most patients the disease is primary, and heredity plays a major role in the development of the disease. Depending on the characteristics of the clinical picture, several forms of the disease are distinguished.

• The hyperadrenergic form of hypertension is recorded, as a rule, in young people. The disease develops against the background of frequent releases of norepinephrine and adrenaline into the blood. Patients complain of chills and palpitations. The patient's skin turns red and sometimes acquires a reddish color.
• Hyporenin hypertension mainly affects older people. The disease develops against the background of increased renin activity, as well as an increase in the amount of aldosterone (adrenal hormone).
• The hyperrenin form of the disease is relatively rare. It is characterized by a severe course, rapid progression, and sudden jumps in blood pressure. During an attack, patients complain of severe headache, dizziness, nausea, and weakness.

Types of secondary hypertension

As already mentioned, there are a huge number of diseases that can cause the development of secondary hypertension. Reviews from doctors indicate that this form of the disease is less common than primary hypertension. Depending on the causes and some other characteristics, several types of this pathology are distinguished.

• Renal hypertension is a disease that develops due to narrowing of the renal artery. This can be observed with atherosclerosis of the renal artery, its thrombosis and inflammation. Sometimes the vessel is damaged during injury or is compressed by a tumor or hematoma. The list of possible causes includes amyloidosis, pyelonephritis, congenital dysplasia of the renal artery. This form of the disease is often asymptomatic. Only occasionally do patients complain of mild pain in the lower back, which appears before the pressure surge.
• Endocrine hypertension is the result of certain hormonal disorders. In most cases, the “culprit” of blood pressure problems is a tumor of the adrenal glands, which directly affects their hormonal activity.
• Hemodynamic hypertension, as a rule, develops against the background of severe forms of heart failure or congenital coarctation of the aorta.
• If the patient has encephalopathy, encephalitis, tumors, as well as cerebral atherosclerosis, then hypertension of neurogenic origin may occur.
• A separate group includes drug-induced hypertension, which is the result of the use of certain drugs (many medications have side effects after taking them, in particular increased blood pressure).

Pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rather rare pathology, cases of which are not recorded very often in modern medical practice. The disease develops as a result of narrowing of the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the lung tissues into the cavity of the left ventricle.

Pulmonary hypertension develops against the background of narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels, inflammation of the arterial walls, or the formation of blood clots. This disease can be hereditary, but most often it develops against the background of other pathologies. Causes include liver disease, HIV infection, taking certain medications (in particular, pills that are used to normalize body weight) and narcotic substances (cocaine, amphetamine). Sometimes the reasons for the development of pulmonary hypertension cannot be determined - in such cases, doctors talk about the idiopathic form of the disease.

Labile hypertension

Many patients are faced with a diagnosis of labile hypertension. What it is? In fact, this is a borderline state - episodes of increased pressure occur, but the change in indicators is insignificant.

In this case, the patient does not require special therapy - a proper diet and some lifestyle changes are enough to control the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. Nevertheless, a person should be registered with a doctor and regularly measure blood pressure - there is always a possibility that labile hypertension will develop into a more serious form.

Stages of development of the disease

In modern medicine, there are three stages of hypertension.

• At the first stage, the increase in pressure is not too significant. Bursts of hypertension are minor and do not cause any particular inconvenience to the patient.
• The second stage is accompanied by a persistent increase in blood pressure.
• The third stage is spoken of when hypertension leads to severe systemic damage to the body.

As you can see, the symptoms and their intensity directly depend on the stage of hypertension.

Development of the disease and features of symptoms

The clinical picture largely depends on the extent of the pathological process. Stage 1 hypertension is rarely accompanied by any obvious disorders. Blood pressure readings range from 140/90 to 159/99 mmHg. Art. Patients suffer from recurrent headaches, increased drowsiness (or insomnia), and fatigue, especially when it comes to mental stress. Unfortunately, patients rarely seek help at this stage, attributing symptoms to ordinary fatigue.

Second-degree hypertension is accompanied by more pronounced symptoms. The fact is that at this stage damage to various organs already appears. The patient's blood pressure ranges from 160/100 to 179/109 mmHg. Art. High levels remain constant - the pressure decreases only after taking the pill. The following violations are possible:

• narrowing of the coronary vessels, as a result of which myocardial trophism is disrupted (oxygen starvation gradually develops);
• formation of atherosclerotic plaques on the inner surface of the coronary arteries;
• increased muscle volume in the area of ​​the left ventricle of the heart (hypertrophy);
• progressive chronic renal failure;
• retinal vascular damage.

The third degree of arterial hypertension is the most severe. The patient's upper pressure is above 180 mm Hg. Art., and the lower one rarely falls below 110 mm Hg. Art. Of course, such a circulatory disorder affects the functioning of absolutely all organ systems. The list of possible complications is long.

• Serious disorders of the cardiovascular system are possible. Quite often, hypertension leads to artery blockage, the development of heart failure and angina. Possible detachment of the aortic walls, myocardial infarction.
• An increase in blood pressure affects the functioning of the visual analyzers. Retinal hemorrhage and papilledema are possible.
• Hypertension negatively affects kidney function. If left untreated, there is a high risk of developing kidney failure.
• High blood pressure negatively affects the brain. Various transit disorders of cerebral circulation are possible. There is a risk of developing encephalopathy and vascular dementia. Sometimes hypertension ends in a stroke.

As you can see, these complications are very serious. Moreover, in the absence of timely treatment, the possibility of death cannot be ruled out. That is why hypertension should not be ignored under any circumstances.

Diagnostic procedures

Of course, if there are problems with blood pressure, careful diagnosis is required. It is very important not only to determine the presence and degree of development of hypertension, but also to identify its causes. Of course, first you need to collect general information for anamnesis.

• First of all, blood pressure is measured. Pressure in hypertension is not always elevated - often jumps in the indicator are associated with physical activity, fatigue, stress and other factors. This is why doctors recommend daily monitoring - this is the only way to get truly accurate information.
• This is followed by an external examination and physical examination. Using a phonendoscope, the doctor listens to the heart - murmurs or other uncharacteristic sounds may appear.
• A biochemical blood test is mandatory. It is very important to determine the level of cholesterol and lipoproteins, as well as glucose. This makes it possible to find out whether there is a risk of developing diabetes, atherosclerosis and some other diseases.
• An important diagnostic procedure is the electrocardiogram. The doctor has the opportunity to detect heart rhythm disturbances and also check whether there is hypertrophy of the left side of the myocardium, which is one of the signs of high blood pressure.
• Echocardiography allows you to examine the heart and valves and detect the presence of structural defects.
• Dopplerography and chest x-ray are mandatory.
• If kidney disease is suspected, an ultrasound examination of the kidneys is performed.
• Sometimes an ultrasound of the thyroid gland is additionally prescribed.

Drug therapy

How to treat hypertension? Your doctor will tell you about this. The fact is that therapy directly depends on the causes, the degree of damage to the body and the stage of development of the disease. For example, stage 1 hypertension is treated with proper diet and physical activity - many patients do not need special medications. In other cases, a fairly wide range of drugs is used.

• Quite often, therapy begins with the use of diuretics. These are diuretic medications that help get rid of edema and remove excess fluid from the body. Of course, such remedies can only be used with the permission of a doctor. Diuretics are used in combination with other drugs.
• Beta blockers are also considered effective. Such drugs help reduce blood output, normalize heart rate, and lower blood pressure. Medicines are used if hypertension is associated with tachyarrhythmia, increased coronary risk, or a previous heart attack. It is worth noting that such drugs narrow the lumen of peripheral arteries and veins, and are therefore contraindicated in case of obliterating vascular diseases.
• Calcium channel blockers are also used, which prevent the contraction of muscle cells, thereby relieving spasm of the walls of blood vessels - this ensures a decrease in blood pressure.
• Angiotensin II receptor blockers are often used. These drugs have pronounced vasoconstrictor properties. Moreover, they have virtually no contraindications and rarely cause any complications.
• The action of alpha blockers is aimed at weakening the contractions of the walls of small arterioles.
• If there is a risk of thrombosis and stroke, patients are prescribed medications that thin the blood and prevent the formation of blood clots.

Diet and healthy lifestyle

It is not always possible to control hypertension without medications. But even if the patient takes appropriate medications, therapy must be supplemented with other, non-drug measures.

• First you need to give up bad habits, in particular, quit smoking. Alcohol also has an adverse effect on the body. The maximum permissible dose of ethanol per day is 10–20 g (although it is better to avoid this).
• An important element of therapy is proper diet. The menu should include fresh fruits and vegetables, cereals, and seafood. Is it possible to eat meat if you have hypertension? Absolutely yes. But it is better to give preference to lean, low-fat varieties (rabbit, chicken). It is better to boil, bake or steam dishes. Fried and fatty foods are contraindicated for patients. Experts also recommend limiting the amount of table salt you consume. Salty foods contribute to the accumulation of fluid in the body, which consequently affects blood pressure.
• Regular exercise for hypertension is also very important. This can be either walking or running, swimming, tennis and other sports. Of course, if physical inactivity occurs, then physical activity should be increased gradually - this will give the myocardium time to adapt. If we are talking about elderly patients and people with various diseases of the musculoskeletal system, then it is better to exercise under the supervision of an experienced physiotherapist.
• Additionally, patients are prescribed massage - this helps relieve muscle spasms, stimulate blood circulation, and improve trophism of nearby tissues.
• The development of hypertension is facilitated by constant psycho-emotional stress. This is why doctors recommend that patients learn to control their stress levels. Sometimes yoga, having a calming hobby, etc. can help cope with this. In extreme cases, a specialist may prescribe a mild sedative.

Treatment of hypertension: gymnastics for the neck

As a rule, the above measures help control blood pressure. There are other methods that are included in the treatment regimen for hypertension. Gymnastics for the neck helps to cope with unpleasant sensations and migraines.

The exercises are actually quite simple. You just need to sit on a chair and slowly relax your neck muscles, allowing your head to fall under the influence of gravity. It is important to find the most comfortable position and stay in it for 20 seconds. Then the head is slowly raised. The exercise is repeated 10–20 times. Slow tilts of the head to the left and right are also effective. It is worth noting once again that all movements should be slow and careful - sudden jerks can only worsen the situation.

Such exercises are especially effective if the disease is associated with cerebral circulation disorders. Gymnastics also helps relieve spasm of the neck muscles.

Prevention: how to protect yourself?

You already know what the main symptoms of hypertension are, the extent of the disease and the causes of its development. But it is much easier to try to prevent the development of a disease than to then treat it.

Prevention of hypertension is actually very simple, and you should start following its rules in your youth. Regular physical activity will have a positive effect on your health, be it daily jogging, swimming, fitness, race walking or just long walks. Regular exercise for hypertension is important, but it also helps prevent the development of the disease. Physical activity strengthens the heart, helps it cope with stress, and has a positive effect on the condition of the vascular wall.

An important element of prevention is proper nutrition. It is necessary to limit the amount of cholesterol and table salt, fatty and fried foods, and sweets. The diet should include fresh vegetables and fruits, cereals, and cereals. Of course, you should give up bad habits - remember that smoking and alcohol abuse primarily affect the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.

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Hypertension is a very common chronic disease that is characterized by a persistent and prolonged increase in blood pressure.

Hypertension is caused by disruption of the heart and vascular pathologies and is in no way related to other disease processes in the internal organs. Hypertension is not at all associated with increased blood pressure, which is a sign of any disease (for example, the endocrine system or renal pathologies). According to WHO standards, the normal upper limit of blood pressure is considered to be 140/90 mm Hg. This and higher blood pressure is already considered elevated.

At the beginning of development, the pathology is associated with changes in the functionality of some parts of the brain responsible for heart rate, heart rate, lumen of blood vessels, and the volume of pumped blood. At the very beginning, the changes are reversible. Further, irreversible morphological pathologies arise: myocardial hypertrophy and arterial atherosclerosis.

Causes and mechanism of development

Typically, hypertension occurs after prolonged nervous stress, overexertion, or mental trauma. People over 40 years of mental work, whose work occurs against a background of nervous tension, especially those with hereditary risks and other provoking factors (for example, smokers), are more prone to the disease.

The pathogenesis of hypertension is based on an increase in cardiac output and vascular resistance. After exposure to a stress factor, changes in the regulation of peripheral vascular tone by the centers of the brain occur in response. A spasm of arterioles begins, which causes dyskinetic and dyscirculatory syndromes. The secretion of neurohormones of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system increases. Aldosterone causes sodium and water retention, which increases blood volume and increases blood pressure.

At the same time, the viscosity of the blood increases, which causes a decrease in the speed of blood flow. The walls of the vessels thicken, the lumen narrows, and a high level of peripheral resistance is recorded, which makes headache irreversible. Then, due to plasma impregnation of the vessel walls, ellastofibrosis and arteriolosclerosis develop, this leads to secondary changes in tissues: myocardial sclerosis, primary nephroangiosclerosis. The degree of organ damage in hypertension varies.

Clinical picture

The clinical picture depends on the stage and form of the disease. There are 3 stages of benign hypertension:

1. I - initial or transient, which is characterized by a short-term increase in blood pressure that normalizes relatively quickly;
2. II - stable, in which the increase in pressure becomes constant;
3. III - sclerotic, when pathologies begin to develop in the vessels and in the organs they supply.

At the beginning of the disease, the patient’s health remains satisfactory, but during stress, headaches, prolonged dizziness, hot flashes, insomnia and palpitations appear. In the second stage, the symptoms intensify and become familiar. In the third, symptoms characteristic of damage to the heart, brain, and kidneys begin to worry, and complications arise.

The second and third degrees of hypertension can be complicated by a hypertensive crisis, especially often resulting from abrupt cessation of treatment. The most common causes are that the patient, seeing signs of improvement, stops taking the prescribed medications.

Blood pressure level is of great practical importance. Standard table:

• optimal -< 120/80мм рт.ст.;
• normal - 120-129/84 mm Hg;
• borderline normal - 130-139/85-89 mm Hg.

Pathology table:

• arterial hypertension stage I — 140-159/90-99 mm Hg;
• arterial hypertension stage II — 160-179/100-109 mm Hg;
• arterial hypertension stage III — above 180/110 mm Hg;

Also, based on the level of diastolic blood pressure, the following variants of hypertension can be distinguished:

• with a mild course - diastolic blood pressure below 100 mm Hg;
• with a moderate flow - from 100 mm Hg. up to 115 mm Hg;
• with severe course - above 115 mm Hg.

Classification

Stage I is considered mild. During this period, blood pressure rises to 180/95-104 mm Hg. Art. Gradually, the pressure normalizes without medication, but surges are observed more and more often. Some patients do not notice any visible changes in their condition, while some patients notice signs such as headaches, sleep disturbances, and deterioration in concentration.

Stage II is considered medium. During this period, blood pressure at rest is 180-200/105-114 mm Hg. Dizziness, headaches, pain in the heart area are the main signs of headache development at this stage. After the examination, pathologies of target organs, manifestations of vascular insufficiency, cerebral strokes, transient cerebral ischemia, etc. are detected.

Stage III is the most severe. At this stage, vascular accidents often occur, provoked by a constant increase in blood pressure and the progression of atherosclerosis of large vessels. Blood pressure at rest reaches 200-230 at 115-129 mm Hg. and without medications it does not normalize. Damage to the heart (such as myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, etc.), brain (encephalopathy, etc.), kidneys (decreased renal blood flow, etc.) and fundus are noted.

Based on its origin, hypertension is divided into primary and secondary.

Primary hypertension affects up to 95% of all patients. The main factors provoking its development are hereditary. There are different forms of hypertension depending on the clinical symptoms:

• The hyperadrenergic form is characterized by an increase in the amount of norepinephrine and adrenaline in the blood. Signs: pulsating head, chills, anxiety, skin turns red or pale, blood volume increases sharply for a short moment.
• Normo- and hyporenin forms appear due to the activity of renin in the plasma simultaneously with an increase in the level of aldosterone, which retains sodium and fluid in the body. Therefore, the patient has a typical renal appearance with swelling and puffiness of the face.
• The hyperrenin type is very severe, often in young men. The form is characterized by strong pressure surges up to 230/130 mm Hg. All other symptoms are standard.

Secondary or symptomatic hypertension occurs as a result of damage to various organs and systems that take part in the regulation of blood pressure. Usually this form occurs in parallel with another underlying disease:

• The renal form is invariably associated with nephritis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, etc.
• The endocrine form is caused by a dysfunction of the thyroid gland; Cushing's syndrome and hypolatamic syndromes are also responsible for its appearance.
• The causes of the neurogenic form are cerebral atherosclerosis, brain tumor, encephalopathy, etc.
• The cardiovascular form is associated with defects of the heart and the structure of the aorta.
• Blood pathologies accompanied by an increase in the number of red blood cells can provoke the onset of the disease.
• Dosage forms may appear as a result of side effects of drugs.

Also, the classification of hypertension distinguishes between a rapidly progressing or malignant form and a slowly progressing - benign form.

Risk factors for development

If you have more than 2-3 of the risk factors listed here, then you need to monitor your health more closely:

• heredity - in about a third of all cases, hypertension is hereditary;
• in men, the risk of developing hypertension increases at the age of 35-50 years, in women the risks are high during menopause;
• age - the incidence of the disease increases sharply after 50 years;
• Stress is a very important provoking factor: under the influence of stress, adrenaline is produced, which causes the heart to contract more often, pumping large volumes of blood;
• excess salt in the diet - sodium retains water in the body, due to which the amount of fluid pumped increases;
• smoking provokes spasm of blood vessels, due to which atherosclerotic plaques form on their walls, all this impedes the flow of blood;
• alcohol abuse - if you drink strong alcohol every day, your blood pressure increases by 5-6 mmHg. Every year;
• physical inactivity increases the risk of development by 30%;
• obesity is directly complex factors (risks include excess salt and physical inactivity), which leads to increased blood pressure.

Main symptoms

The most common symptoms of hypertension:

• severe and prolonged headaches in the temples and in the back of the head;
• tinnitus is caused by a narrowing of blood vessels, therefore accelerating the flow of blood in them;
• visual impairment - double vision, floaters, retinal separation;
• vomit;
• dyspnea.

Diagnostics

If your blood pressure is constantly elevated and the above symptoms appear, you should immediately contact your doctor for a diagnosis. The doctor will conduct a comprehensive examination, take an anamnesis, find out the risks, and listen to the patient. Hypertension when listening shows the presence of murmurs and uncharacteristic sounds in the heart. Further research is carried out using the following methods:

• ECG, which allows you to detect changes in heart rhythm, hypertrophy of the left ventricular wall, characteristic of hypertension;
• Ultrasound of the heart, to identify pathologies in its structure, changes in wall thickness, to determine the condition of the valves;
• Arteriography is an x-ray method showing the condition of the arterial walls and the lumen of the arteries. The method allows you to detect the presence of plaques;
• Doppler ultrasound allows you to examine blood flow;
• Biochemical blood test - determination of the level of cholesterol and lipoproteins of very low, low and high density: these substances indicate the presence of a tendency to atherosclerosis;
• Ultrasound of the kidneys and analysis to determine the level of urea and creatinine;
• Ultrasound of the thyroid gland;
• blood test for hormones.

Treatment

To receive adequate treatment, you should see a cardiologist. The cardiologist prescribes the initial stage of treatment: diet and drug therapy, medical and health regimen.

Long-term medical supervision is required. Therapy is adjusted by a cardiologist depending on the effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs.

Non-drug

With a mild degree of hypertension, which is also detected in time, the doctor does not always prescribe medications. It’s enough just to change your lifestyle and minimize the risks present in life:

• reduce body weight to normal;
• stop smoking;
• reduce the amount of alcohol consumed;
• introduce moderate physical activity;
• increase the amount of plant foods in the diet, remove salt.

Medication

Once hypertension has been diagnosed and its stage has been identified, the attending physician will prescribe medications for treatment. Only a doctor can choose the right combination of medications and their dosage, taking into account many factors, including age, the presence of concomitant chronic diseases. Treatment of hypertension is carried out by different groups of drugs:

• Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors are enalapril, ramipril, lisinopril, etc. These drugs are not prescribed during pregnancy, high potassium levels, angioedema, 2-sided vasoconstriction of the kidneys.
• Angiotensin1 receptor blockers are valsartan, candesartan, losartan, irbesartan with the same contraindications.
• β-blockers - nebivolol, metoprolol, bisoprolol. Contraindications for these drugs are bronchial asthma, second-third degree atrioventricular block.
• Calcium antagonists - these include amlodipine, nifedipine, diltiazem, verapamil. Some drugs from this group have chronic heart failure and second- or third-degree atrioventricular block as contraindications.
• Diuretics - spironolactone, indapamide, hydrochlorothiazide. For this group, the presence of chronic renal failure and high potassium levels should be taken into account as contraindications.

Today, 2 treatment methods are used:

• monotherapy is prescribed at the beginning of treatment;
• combined is prescribed to patients with second or third degree. The existence of several types of antihypertensive drugs expands the range of their combinations, allowing you to choose a drug or an effective combination for each case individually.

Forecast

The consequences of hypertension are determined by the nature of the disease. If the course is severe, it progresses quickly, severe vascular damage is diagnosed - this significantly worsens the prognosis and causes complications of hypertension.

With hypertension there is a high risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and premature death. There are few optimistic forecasts if HD is detected at a young age.

Early therapy and blood pressure control will help slow the progression of hypertension.

Prevention

1. To train the heart muscle, you should increase physical activity, but do not overdo it. Light cycling, Nordic walking, swimming, and skiing in winter can be considered optimal physical activity.
2. Please note that some dietary restrictions may be necessary. Limit foods in your diet that contain sodium chloride. And this is not only a reduction in the amount of table salt, but also some other products: smoked meats, sausages, mayonnaise, canned food, etc. You can replace salt with soy sauce. You should also limit the amount of fried and smoked foods in your diet and add more vegetables to the menu.
3. Reduce the number of stressful situations - chronic stress is a very common cause of high blood pressure.
4. Stop smoking and excessive alcohol abuse - minimize provoking factors.

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Hypertension is a chronic disease that is characterized by a persistent increase in blood pressure to high levels due to a violation of the regulation of blood circulation in the human body. Terms such as arterial hypertension and hypertension are also used to refer to this condition.

Medical statistics are such that today hypertension is one of the most common diseases. It usually begins to progress in people after 40 years of age, but there is a risk of progression at any age. Thus, the disease is increasingly being detected in patients of working age. It is worth noting that representatives of the fair sex get sick several times more often than men. But it is in men that hypertension is more severe, since they are more prone to the development of blood vessels.

Blood pressure may increase with strong mental or physical stress for a short period of time - this is an absolutely normal phenomenon. A longer increase in blood pressure is observed in a number of diseases of the kidneys, endocrine glands, and also during pregnancy. But in this case, hypertension is only one of the symptoms that indicates changes in the organs. In hypertension, an increase in blood pressure is an independent, primary, painful process.

The pathogenesis of hypertension is such that, under the influence of exogenous and endogenous factors, the tone of the walls of arterioles in the body increases. As a consequence of this, they gradually narrow and the blood flow in the affected vessels is disrupted. During this pathological process, blood pressure on the walls of the arteries increases, which entails further symptoms.

Etiology

The main reason for the progression of hypertension is an increase in the activity of the sympathetic-adrenal system. The vasomotor center is located in the medulla oblongata in humans. From it, certain impulses travel along nerve fibers to the walls of blood vessels, causing the vessels to expand or contract. If this center is in a state of irritation, then only impulses will flow to the vessels, increasing the tone of their walls. As a result, the lumen of the artery narrows.

Arterial hypertension is characterized by a simultaneous increase in systolic and diastolic pressure. This is observed under the influence of various unfavorable factors.

Exogenous risk factors:

• severe nervous tension is the most common cause of progression;
• physical inactivity;
• poor nutrition. Non-compliance with the diet and consumption of large quantities of fatty and fried foods;
• excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages;
• smoking;
• drug use.

Endogenous risk factors:

• burdened heredity;
• atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels of the heart;
• increased blood viscosity (the heart cannot fully transport it through the vessels);
• kidney ailments such as,;
• metabolic disorder;
• the presence of endocrine pathologies;
• increased calcium concentration in the blood;
• the effect of adrenaline on the heart during stressful situations;
• increased sodium concentration in the blood.

Classification

Over the entire period of studying the disease, scientists have developed more than one classification of hypertension - according to the appearance of the patient, according to etiology, according to the level of increase in pressure, the nature of the course, etc. Some have long been irrelevant, while others, on the contrary, are being used more and more often.

Degrees of hypertension (by pressure level):

• optimal – indicators 120/80;
• normal – upper from 120 to 129, lower – from 80 to 84;
• increased normal - upper indicators - from 130 to 139, lower - from 85 to 89;
• stage 1 hypertension – DM from 140 to 159, DD – from 90 to 99;
• stage 2 hypertension - systolic pressure increases to 160–179, and diastolic pressure increases to 100–109;
• stage 3 hypertension - systolic pressure rises above 140, and diastolic pressure rises above 110.

WHO stages of hypertension:

• Stage 1 hypertension – blood pressure rises, but no changes in internal organs are observed. It is also called transient. The pressure will stabilize after a short period of rest;
• Stage 2 or stable. At this stage of hypertension, blood pressure increases constantly. The main target organs are affected. During the examination, damage to the heart, fundus vessels, and kidneys can be noted;
• Stage 3 or sclerotic. This stage of hypertension is characterized not only by a critical increase in DM and DD, but also by pronounced sclerotic changes in the blood vessels of the kidneys, heart, brain, and fundus. Dangerous complications develop - angioretinopathy, etc.

Forms of the disease (depending on which organ vessels are affected):

• renal form;
• heart shape;
• brain shape;
• mixed.

Types of hypertension:

• benign and slow-flowing. In this case, symptoms of progression of the pathology may gradually appear over 20 years. Phases of both exacerbation and remission are observed. The risk of complications is minimal (with timely therapy);
• malignant. The pressure increases sharply. This form of hypertension is practically untreatable. As a rule, the pathology is accompanied by various kidney diseases.

It is worth noting that often with hypertension of 2nd degree and 3rd degree the patient experiences. This is an extremely dangerous condition not only for human health, but also for his life. Clinicians identify the following types of crises:

• neurovegetative. The patient is hyperactive and very agitated. The following symptoms of hypertension appear: tremor of the upper extremities, and excessive urination;
• hydropic. In this case, the patient is drowsy and his reactions are inhibited. There is muscle weakness, swelling of the face and hands, decreased diuresis, and a persistent increase in blood pressure;
• convulsive. This option is the most dangerous, as there is a high risk of developing dangerous complications. It is worth noting that it is the least common. It is characterized by the following symptoms: convulsions and impaired consciousness. A complication is cerebral hemorrhage.

Symptoms

The symptoms of the disease directly depend on what stage of hypertension the patient has.

Neurogenic

An increase in blood pressure is usually observed against the background of severe psycho-emotional stress or due to increased physical activity. At this stage, there may be no signs of pathology at all. Sometimes patients begin to complain of pain in the heart, irritability, headache, tachycardia, and a feeling of heaviness in the back of the head. The indicators of diabetes and diarrhea are increasing, but they can easily be normalized.

Sclerotic

This clinical picture is supplemented by the following symptoms:

• increased headache;
• dizziness;
• feeling of a rush of blood to the head;
• poor sleep;
• periodic numbness of the fingers on the extremities;
• fast fatiguability;
• “flies” before the eyes;
• persistent increase in blood pressure.

It is worth noting that this stage can progress over several years and at the same time patients will be active and mobile. But disruption of the blood supply to certain organs entails disruption of their functioning.

Ultimate

Usually at this stage, doctors detect and, as well as a violation of blood circulation in the brain. The outcome of the disease, as well as the development of complications, is determined by the form of hypertension. Crises often occur.

In the cardiac form, the patient gradually progresses to heart failure. Shortness of breath, pain in the projection of the heart, and swelling appear. With the brain form, a person is bothered by severe headaches and visual impairment.

Hypertension and pregnancy

Hypertension during pregnancy is the most common cause of premature birth of a child or perinatal fetal death. Typically, a woman already has hypertension before pregnancy and then simply becomes more active, because carrying a child is a kind of stress for the body.

Considering the high risk for the mother and the unborn child, if the disease is diagnosed, it is important to determine exactly the degree of this risk in order to decide on further bearing the fetus or terminating the pregnancy. Doctors distinguish three degrees of risk (based on the stage of arterial hypertension):

• Risk level 1 – pregnancy complications are minimal, crises rarely develop. Possible angina. Pregnancy in this case is acceptable;
• Level 2 risk – pronounced. Complications develop in 20–50% of cases. A pregnant woman experiences hypertensive crises, insufficiency of the coronary vessels of the heart, and high blood pressure. Termination of pregnancy is indicated;
• 3 degree of risk. Pregnancy complications occur in 50% of cases. Perinatal mortality is observed in 20% of cases. Possible placental abruption and impaired blood circulation in the brain. Pregnancy poses a danger to the mother's life, so it is terminated.

Patients who continue to be pregnant must visit a doctor once a week so that he can monitor their condition. Treatment of hypertension is mandatory. The following antihypertensive drugs are allowed:

• antispasmodics;
• saluretics;
• sympatholytics;
• clonidine derivatives;
• rauwolfia preparations;
• ganglion blockers;
• beta blockers.

Also, in order to treat illness during pregnancy, doctors resort to physiotherapy.

Diagnostics

When the first signs of illness appear, it is important to immediately contact a medical facility to confirm or refute the diagnosis. The sooner this is done, the lower the risk of progression of dangerous complications (damage to the heart, kidneys, brain). During the initial examination, the doctor must measure the pressure in both arms. If the patient is elderly, then measurements are also taken in a standing position. During diagnosis, it is important to clarify the true cause of the progression of the pathology.

A comprehensive plan for diagnosing hypertension includes:

• taking anamnesis;
• ABPM;
• determining the level of bad cholesterol in the blood;
• X-ray;
• fundus examination;

Treatment

Treatment of hypertension is carried out in an inpatient setting so that doctors can constantly monitor the patient’s condition and, if necessary, adjust the treatment plan. It is important to normalize the patient’s daily routine, correct his weight, limit the use of table salt, and completely abandon bad habits.

The following medications are prescribed to correct blood pressure:

• alpha-blockers;
• beta blockers;
• calcium channel blockers;
• diuretics. This group of drugs is especially important as it helps reduce sodium levels in the blood, thereby reducing swelling of the walls of blood vessels.

All of these medications should be taken only as prescribed by your doctor. Uncontrolled use of such drugs can only worsen the patient's condition. These drugs are taken according to a specific schedule.

Diet

During the treatment of hypertension, in addition to taking medications, it is important to adhere to a special diet. For hypertension, the patient is prescribed table No. 10. The principles of this diet:

• add seafood to your diet;
• limit salt intake;
• fractional meals;
• limit carbohydrates and animal fats in your diet.

The diet for this pathology implies restriction:

• Sahara;
• of bread;
• potatoes;
• pasta;
• cereal dishes;
• animal fats;
• ghee;
• sour cream and so on.

Diet No. 10 is complete and can be followed for a long time. To improve the taste of dishes you can add:

• prunes;
• vinegar;
• jam;
• cranberries;
• lemon.

The diet is indicated not only during treatment, but also after it, so as not to provoke a worsening of the condition. It is worth noting that the diet is developed strictly individually for each patient, taking into account the characteristics of his body. An important point is that while following a diet you should consume no more than 1.5 liters of liquid per day.

Prevention

Prevention of hypertension is quite simple. The first thing you need to do is normalize your diet and lead an active lifestyle. In order for the blood vessels to be elastic, you need to eat more vegetables and fruits, drink up to 2 liters of water per day. You can take vitamin supplements. Also, prevention of hypertension involves avoiding smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages.

You will learn what hypertension is, what degrees it has and what normal blood pressure is for a person; we will also definitely look at the main target organs that suffer greatly from this disease. Plus, we’ll talk about complications and how to lower high blood pressure correctly and without consequences.

Hypertension is a persistent increase in blood pressure of more than 139/89 mmHg in a calm state. In general, high blood pressure is the only damaging factor of this disease.

Why is that bad?

What do you think will happen to a conventional heat pipe when there is constant high pressure? The pipe will simply burst due to exhaustion of metal in some bend.

The same thing can happen to our body. Can a normal healthy person have blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg? Yes maybe!

Should we be afraid of this?

If this is a short-term increase in pressure, then there is no need to be afraid. Even healthy people sometimes experience high blood pressure. This happens for various reasons.

For example, on a date with your loved one, while playing sports or taking exams.

In this case, this is something other than adapting the blood supply to certain organs and systems to suit our needs. You need to understand that pressure is never constant. It changes all the time depending on the position and mood in which we are now.

Therefore, if during the day your pressure changes by +- 10 mmHg, then this is quite normal.

But if high blood pressure is observed for quite a long time, then this is already a serious problem. A stroke, hemorrhage, and so on may occur.

Also, a thinned vessel is a target for cholesterol, which accumulates in the arteries and eventually leads to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

And this is a physical restriction of blood flow and the risk of developing diseases such as myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, coronary heart disease (IHD), atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels with the development of dementia, and so on.

Well, people with high blood pressure themselves, as a rule, often suffer from severe headaches. These pains do not go away until blood pressure normalizes.

If at rest, sitting and without provoking factors, your blood pressure is above 140/90 mmHg, then consult your doctor immediately. Then begin the course of treatment.

Primary and secondary hypertension

We continue to understand what hypertension is.

You often hear people complaining about high blood pressure very often. This is one of the common problems of primary and secondary hypertension. Every third person suffers from this disease.

If nothing is done, the disease can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney damage and even death. Next, I will tell you more about blood pressure.

is the force generated by the heart as it pumps blood throughout the body. But before we talk about the dangers of high blood pressure, let's look at exactly how blood travels throughout the body. And what are the causes of high blood pressure.

Heart is a muscle that sends blood throughout the body, carrying oxygen and nutrients to all organs and cells. Typically, arteries respond to external changes by expanding or narrowing. For example, physical activity, emotions or stress.

If the vessels are wide open, then blood flows easily. If they are narrowed, then blood flows to the organs with difficulty.

In this case, in order to pump blood, the heart has to work harder, thereby increasing the pressure on the walls of the blood vessels. As a result, high blood pressure begins to appear.

Usually our body easily copes with pressure changes. But if it remains high for a long time, it can cause damage to any internal organs.

One of the consequences is an enlargement of the heart muscle, which has to work much harder to continue pumping blood through the narrowed vessels. This in turn increases the likelihood of cardiac arrest.

It often seems that arterial hypertension occurs for no reason and out of nowhere.

When it is impossible to establish a specific one, the disease is called primary hypertension. As a rule, we traditionally call it hypertension.

But sometimes it is possible to determine the cause of the increase in pressure. Such hypertension is then called secondary. It is based on a disease of the internal organs (eg kidneys, adrenal glands, endocrine system).

Classification of blood pressure level and degree of hypertension

Below you will find a classification of blood pressure levels, as well as the degree of hypertension.

When measuring blood pressure, you are told two numbers. For example, 120/80. 120 is the upper pressure. Another name for it is systolic pressure.

80 is the lower pressure. May be called differently diastolic pressure. Accept the fact that both of these numbers are equally important to us.

The table shows that pressure lower than 120/80 is considered optimal. As a rule, with such indicators there is a minimal load on the body.

Please note that 139/89 is the limit of normal pressure. And if you have diabetes, then the border will already be shifted to 130/85.

Anything above 140/90 is hypertension. In this case, it is prescribed antihypertensive drugs that you need to take for the rest of your life.

False high blood pressure

Very often high blood pressure occurs due to white coat syndrome.

It is also worth noting that the pressure should be measured in a state of great comfort and complete rest. If you run to the clinic and wait in line, then when measuring your blood pressure you will have high readings.

So if you have high blood pressure in the clinic, then this is not a death sentence. You will need to be sure to measure your blood pressure at home and in a quiet environment.

If you experience high levels for several days, then only then begin treatment. If your measurements are normal, then there is no need to worry.

Which organs are affected by high blood pressure? First of all, it hits the vessels that connect the body. Thus, hypertension affects the entire body. However, there are sighting target organs.

The first such organ is the heart. Some even call it cardiac hypertension.

When pressure is high, small peripheral vessels (capillaries) spasm. And as we know, the heart pushes blood through the vessels. As a result, with spasmodic blood vessels, the heart has to try harder to push blood through. The heart muscle has to work with increased load.

Like any muscle, it gets pumped up. That is, how we pump up any muscles (abs, biceps, etc.), the heart is also pumped up. It gets thicker. The thicker the muscle, the more nutrition (blood) she demands.

There is such a concept atherosclerosis.

This is when the blood vessels narrow, reducing the blood supply to the heart. As a rule, atherosclerosis is a faithful companion to some age-related changes in a person, as well as hypertension itself.

As a result, we have a pumped-up heart that requires even more blood for nutrition. However, the vessels do not allow enough blood to pass through. The vessels cannot additionally nourish the thickened heart muscle.

As a result, there is a lack of blood for the heart, and it begins to hurt.

In this case, additional pain appears during emotional stress or some kind of outburst. A person’s performance begins to decline. Fatigue and weakness appear.

When a person comes to the doctor, as a rule, the patient is diagnosed cardiac ischemia. And this will be true because it is slowly developing against the background of hypertension.

In general, with this method, hypertension hits the heart. That is, it first pumps it up, and then a lack of nutrition appears. That is why this disease manifests itself as pain in the heart.

Renal hypertension

The second target organ is the kidneys. There is also such a thing as renal hypertension. This is when a person has any kidney pathology (cyst, pyelonephritis, organ prolapse with artery torsion, etc.). All this in itself can cause hypertension.

The kidneys may be primarily affected and become the cause of this disease. But even if they did not cause hypertension, our body acts as follows.

When a severe stressful situation arises, there are 2 places that the body begins to sacrifice first. These are skin and kidneys.

In general, the body has a certain reserve. And as soon as there is a shortage of blood in the heart, a redistribution of resources will take place within the body. That is, power is turned off to less important organs to support more important ones.

And since our skin is the first to turn off, lack of nutrition primarily leads to human aging. If there is still not enough nutrition, then additional food will be taken from the kidneys. So kidney diseases are sure companions of arterial hypertension. The kidneys simply do not have enough blood to function properly.

Liver complication

The third target organ is the liver. This organ takes a huge part in the blood flow.

The liver helps the heart pump blood. Therefore, with hypertension, the liver also suffers. Sometimes the lesion is primary. Because with viral and toxic hepatitis, high blood pressure is a complication.

Organ damage due to arterial hypertension:

• heart
• vessels
• kidneys
• liver
• brain.

Cerebral hypertension

Brain- This is the organ that most needs constant blood flow. He doesn't need much blood. The liver takes more of it. However, the brain needs a constant blood supply. If the blood supply to the brain is cut off for a few seconds, the person immediately switches off and loses consciousness.

Therefore, the brain needs constant fresh blood. And the pressure hits the vessels that carry blood. Hence the problems with the brain. Cerebral hypertension occurs.

Complications of hypertension

In addition to target organs, there are also complications of hypertension. The most popular of them is heart failure.

This is when a person begins to experience shortness of breath due to high blood pressure. He can no longer climb to the 4th floor without stopping. As a rule, many doctors point out age to their patients with such complaints.

A person may also have slight swelling in their legs. However, the problem is that these small signs are not paid enough attention. This is bad! Although these are minor signs, they are still insufficient activity of the heart. This is the first sign that this organ is not coping.

But it can’t cope because there is a huge load. The heart has to constantly push blood through spasmodic vessels. And these small signs gradually begin to slowly increase. Therefore, as a rule, many patients and doctors do not pay attention to this.

And now some time has passed, and the person is no longer on the 4th, but on the 2nd floor. Plus, I started going out less often. Also, pain in the heart appeared, heaviness, shortness of breath no longer goes away, and so on.

In general, all this is called heart failure. In another way, she is also called the silent killer.

Myocardial infarction— many people have also heard about him. If the thickened heart suddenly does not have enough blood, a heart attack will occur. Don't forget about stroke. This is also a complication.

In general, complications of hypertension are as follows:

• heart failure
• myocardial infarction
• strokes (and ischemic)
• complications from drug therapy

Complications during drug treatment of hypertension are no less scary. The standard medications for treating this disease are antihypertensive drugs. They are also called drugs to lower blood pressure.

However, the problem is that these drugs themselves can lead to ischemic stroke. Why is this happening?

Let's say a person is prescribed medications that need to be taken every day. But as we know, people’s blood pressure is not constant. If today it was 160/100, then tomorrow it could be 120/80. And the problem is that with normal blood pressure a person still starts taking these drugs.

As a result, the pressure drops even more, the brain lacks blood and an ischemic stroke occurs. Therefore, the longer a person takes antihypertensive drugs, the more often such complications arise. But such therapy lasts for years.

How to reduce high blood pressure correctly

Let's talk a little about how to reduce high blood pressure. In principle, reducing it from 220/140 to 120/80 is not a difficult matter.

However, the problem is that this will make the person feel very bad. If the pressure is reduced so sharply, the patient can have a stroke.

Therefore, if you have high blood pressure, then under no circumstances reduce it sharply. The pressure should decrease slowly and gradually. Make it a rule to reduce your blood pressure by no more than 30 mmHg in 30 minutes. If you reduce it faster, you may become very ill.

If you see that your blood pressure has dropped sharply, I recommend lying down immediately. This will make it easier for you to bear with everything.

Many drugs even have such an effect as first dose. This is when mild and long-acting drugs are initially prescribed at half the dose. Because the body is not yet accustomed to them and the pressure may drop sharply.

Enter all data in this diary. This is done because pressure surges always happen. Even in healthy people. However, when you are already keeping a diary, you immediately see all the pressure statistics.

As a rule, when treating hypertension, the minimum reduction in blood pressure per month should be 10 mm. That is, within a month of good treatment, your average pressure should drop by at least 10 mmHg.

It is also worth noting that if you have suffered from hypertension for 20 years and are already over 65, then you do not need to strive to do 120/80. If you have lived for 20 years with a blood pressure of 160/90, then all the processes of your body have already adapted to such pressure during this time.

So don't try to dramatically lower your blood pressure to normal standards. If you are already elderly and have suffered from hypertension for years, then you need to be especially careful. The pressure must be reduced gradually and very slowly.

It is also important that it does not jump around later. And to avoid jumping, always get preventive care from your attending physicians. I recommend using EHF for prevention rather than drugs. After EHF you will not have complications.

If you apply pharmaceutical drugs to reduce blood pressure, then even with normal results, do not stop using them under any circumstances. Abruptly stopping pharmaceutical medications again leads to increased blood pressure. Therefore, when the pressure decreases, you need to gradually reduce the dose of medication, but not interrupt the treatment itself.

It is worth noting that the lower diastolic pressure increases when fluid retention occurs in the body.

Why is renal hypertension characterized by high diastolic pressure? But because the kidneys begin to remove fluid poorly, and it lingers in the body. This includes external swelling of the eyes, as well as swelling of internal organs.

But when the lower pressure is increased, it means that there is such swelling in the body. And upper pressure increases more easily because it is associated with cardiac output, which can fluctuate very widely. Therefore, his increase does not mean much.

It's just hypertension.

There are several ways to help get rid of hypertension forever. First of all, this is physical activity. It also helps reduce blood pressure, since this exercise dilates the blood vessels of the muscles.

Equally important is proper nutrition. Also try to worry less and enjoy life itself more.

They are also very helpful in treating this disease. Be sure to check out the recipes.

And of course, don’t forget about smoking and alcohol. If you want to get rid of this disease forever, you can immediately forget about all these bad habits.

Now you know what hypertension is and how it is dangerous for humans. You also already know how to reduce high blood pressure the right way. Never reduces it sharply to avoid problems. And of course, try to eliminate the main causes of the disease itself. In general, be healthy!

People living with high blood pressure do not always know exactly what their disease is called. Hypertension and hypertension, the differences between which many do not see, are often mistaken for the same disease. In fact, both conditions are characterized by increased blood pressure and have similar symptoms, but there are still differences between these disorders.

Arterial hypertension, essential hypertension, is a pathology in which jumps in blood pressure (BP) occur from time to time. The disease is accompanied by a number of specific symptoms and associated disorders. Hypertension is an independent pathology, most often age-related.

Arterial hypertension is also a condition characterized by increased blood pressure. It would seem that there is no difference in terms other than sound, but this is not entirely true.

The only difference between hypertension and hypertension is the peculiarities of its course. While hypertension is an independent disease, arterial hypertension is a symptom of a pathological condition, which manifests itself in a persistent increase in pressure.

Thus, it is possible to say that these are one and the same thing only in the case of a hypertensive crisis. The crisis itself is characterized by a sustained increase in blood pressure (hypertension) and is caused by hypertension.

The process of development of these conditions will help you understand in more detail the differences between hypertension and hypertension.

Arterial hypertension is the main symptom of hypertension

Features of hypertension

A disease accompanied by an upward deviation of blood pressure from normal is hypertension. The disease is diagnosed in patients over 40-50 years of age, as the pathology develops over the years. There are three stages of the disease – mild, moderate and severe. At the initial stage, the pressure is within 140 to 100, with periodic jumps of 10 points. The second stage is the pressure within 160 to 120.

As a rule, the first two stages of hypertension are not treated with medication. The patient is prescribed a diet, normalization of the daily routine and periodic examinations by a cardiologist. At a young age, symptoms of hypertension are usually a consequence of systemic diseases or pathologies of internal organs. The third stage of the disease is an increase in pressure above 180 mmHg.

The very fact of increased pressure is called arterial hypertension, acting as the main specific symptom of hypertension.

Other symptoms of hypertension:

• increased vascular tone;
• increased muscle tone;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• dyspnea.

In addition, there are a number of specific signs that characterize the patient’s well-being with a rapid increase in blood pressure - these are tachycardia, chest pain, panic attack, profuse sweating.

Hypertension is dangerous due to the risk of target organ damage. A prolonged increase in blood pressure over time leads to pathologies of the kidneys, heart and brain.

Constant high blood pressure leads to irreversible changes in target organs

Hypertension is a disease characterized by specific symptoms and which poses a danger to the functioning of the entire body as a whole. It is almost impossible to get rid of hypertension forever. In most cases, the pathology is caused by age-related changes and the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels (atherosclerosis). To normalize the patient’s well-being, antihypertensive medications, anticoagulants, and vitamin preparations are used to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and improve their tone.

Today, hypertension is one of the most common causes of disability among people over 50 years of age. First of all, this is due to the rhythm of life in a modern city. It is impossible to pinpoint one reason why the disease develops. Pathology is a consequence of a combination of factors, including:

• stress;
• caffeine abuse;
• smoking and alcohol abuse;
• poor nutrition.

Stress poses a serious threat to the health of the entire body. This condition is one of the most important prerequisites for the development of hypertension. As statistics show, the classic traits of a hypertensive person are short temper, irritability, and increased emotionality. Even such reactions indicate disruption of the nervous system due to prolonged destructive effects of stress.

Stress is considered one of the main causes of hypertension

Along with stress, another cause of hypertension is loss of vascular elasticity. In addition to natural aging, impaired permeability of vascular walls and decreased elasticity are caused by a lack of vitamins, poor diet and bad habits.

Interestingly, according to statistics, residents of large cities suffer from hypertension 4 times more often than people in small towns and villages.

Arterial hypertension

When describing patient complaints of hypertension, doctors often use the term “arterial hypertension.” In this case, hypertension can be included in the symptoms of hypertension.

Thus, hypertension and hypertension are not the same thing. Hypertension is a disease, a precise diagnosis, and hypertension is a condition or symptom.

Arterial hypertension characterizes the patient’s condition only at the time of blood pressure measurement. If the tonometer here and now shows a value above 140 to 100, doctors talk about arterial hypertension. At the same time, if the pressure was measured for six months, and from time to time there were stable increases in blood pressure values, they speak of hypertension as a condition that is accompanied by constant deviations from the norm.

In addition, hypertension differs from hypertension in that it can be a symptom of other pathologies. Among the diseases accompanied by hypertension:

• acute renal failure;
• pathologies of the thyroid gland;
• heart failure;
• cerebrovascular accident;
• encephalopathy.

Arterial hypertension can be a symptom not only of hypertension, but also of other diseases and conditions

Hypertension can occur during pregnancy and when women take oral contraceptives. In this case, we are talking about a symptom that is associated with other disorders, but is not a consequence of pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

When the production of thyroid hormones increases, blood pressure increases. At the same time, we are also talking about hypertension as a symptom, and not hypertension as a diagnosis. This is due to the fact that the main disease, and therefore the diagnosis, in this case is hyperthyroidism, which entails a violation of vascular tone due to increased production of hormones.

Another difference is that hypertension against the background of pathologies of internal organs does not always require treatment, acting only as a symptom, but not as an independent disease.

Once you understand the difference between a disease and a symptom, you should understand when you need to see a doctor for treatment of hypertension.

Hypertension and hypertension, being a disease and its symptom, are treated differently.

Treatment of hypertension includes a complete change in lifestyle: giving up bad habits, a balanced diet, fighting stress and normalizing the daily routine. In addition, the patient is advised to take a number of drugs that normalize blood pressure, strengthen the walls of blood vessels and protect target organs. A person with hypertension lives at constant risk of developing complications. A hypertensive crisis in some cases can be fatal.

Hypertension is treated by a cardiologist. However, it is impossible to get rid of the disease forever. Therapeutic measures are aimed at normalizing blood pressure and reducing the risk of disruption of internal organs.

Hypertension, as a symptom, often does not require specific treatment. For episodic hypertension, the patient is advised to take a single dose of an antihypertensive drug. Medicines are not taken in courses on an ongoing basis, as with hypertension.

For hypertension, medications are taken only when necessary; for hypertension, constant medication is required

In most cases, hypertension is not treated at all. Therapy is used for the underlying disease that caused the increase in blood pressure. If hypertension is a consequence of kidney failure, a nephrologist treats the problem. If blood pressure increases due to thyroid hyperfunction, consultation with an endocrinologist is necessary. To normalize the production of thyroid hormones, diet therapy and drug treatment are used. Arterial hypertension in this case goes away on its own after the endocrine system is restored.

Why is hypertension dangerous?

A sudden increase in blood pressure to critical values ​​is a hypertensive crisis. The condition is dangerous with the risk of developing myocardial infarction. As a rule, every hypertensive patient knows how to independently stop a crisis and prevent dangerous complications. A person who is experiencing hypertension for the first time should call a doctor if their health worsens due to increased blood pressure.

Long-term hypertension leads to impaired kidney function. Hypertension is often accompanied by renal failure in older age. The disease leads to brain pathologies due to impaired blood circulation, and if unfavorable it can lead to a stroke.

Despite the impossibility of a complete cure for hypertension, timely initiation of drug therapy will avoid negative consequences and preserve the patient’s ability to work for a long time. It is important not to try to treat yourself, but to trust a qualified cardiologist.