Not everyone thinks that it is bad feeling may be associated with some dangerous disease. Often there may be cases of advanced disease, which is a consequence of the fact that a person adapts to his condition and considers it normal specifically for himself. Currently, cardiovascular diseases for most people are only a medical phrase. Many people do not know what such diagnoses entail. A doctor and an electrocardiogram will help to accurately determine the nature of the disease. If any symptoms are observed, you should immediately see a specialist.

Cardiovascular diseases are currently the first in terms of mass damage and pose a danger. Very important reason their occurrence became a predisposition at the level of genetics and life activity that was far from correct.

To date, diseases central system There are a lot of life support, their course occurs in different ways. The reasons for their appearance can be very diverse. These include various types of inflammation, trauma, intoxication and factors that have not been fully studied.

Regardless of the causes, the symptoms of the diseases are very similar. Thanks to several simple rules the disease can be recognized by its first signs. Knowing these rules, you can avoid complications or even eliminate the pathology itself.

Symptoms cardiovascular diseases are divided into several categories:

Any discomfort or pain in the area chest are the main signs of diseases caused by the erratic functioning of the cardiovascular system. Lack of oxygen saturation of the heart muscle itself causes vasospasm, which causes severe burning pain in the chest.

At, pain is usually caused by stressful situations, cold, and exertion. When the heart is starved of oxygen, angina appears, which in most cases the doctor determines by the first symptoms. If deviations are present, recording an electrocardiogram throughout the day helps to recognize them.

Angina pectoris is usually divided into 2 types: rest and tension. In the first case, its manifestation occurs at night and is accompanied by a feeling of lack of air. Angina pectoris can be stable when attacks occur over approximately equal periods and are provoked even by a small load. When the course of the disease is unstable, the attack makes itself known for the first time or changes its character, its duration is longer, it occurs suddenly, and progresses in contrast to the previous ones. This type of disease can also cause, in which case the patient requires urgent hospitalization.

Angina pectoris may indicate the onset of coronary disease heart, so it is very important to conduct an electrocardiogram when the first signs are detected. To make the most accurate diagnosis, you may need to go to the hospital and undergo a cardiovisor examination.

• Myocardial infarction manifested by sharp pain in the chest, which resonates in the neck and left arm. Sometimes the pain is so intense that a person faints or goes into shock. The pressure drops rapidly, pallor appears, and cold sweat appears. It should not be confused with, in which pain is reflected in the back of the head, back and, less often, in the groin.
• Development of pericarditis– inflammatory process of the heart sac – makes itself felt dull ache in the area of ​​the heart, gaining strength or weakening with increasing body temperature.
• Lethargic state, shortness of breath, pain radiating to the shoulder, jaw, arm and neck, give an idea of ​​developing pulmonary embolism. A person experiences different symptoms depending on where the clot is located.
• Numerous stressful situations and a busy lifestyle often cause. The pain can be quite long-lasting, sometimes lasting for several days. Advanced neurosis leads to angina pectoris.
• Loss of concentration, increased fatigue, trembling hands and feet also indicate heart neurosis.

Left-sided pain under the ribs may indicate not only diseases of the cardiovascular system, but also others:

• intercostal neuralgia making itself known acute pain between the ribs, partial loss of perception is possible nerve endings skin at the painful point;
• herpes zoster, similar to intercostal neuralgia, but characterized by the appearance of herpes-like blisters and an increase in body temperature;
• spontaneous pneumothorax, expressed by acute pain accompanied by shortness of breath;
• cardiospasm, in which not only pain occurs, but also belching, and the swallowing reflex is impaired;
• cervical and thoracic radiculitis, which appears when bending and turning.

Depending on the pain described, the specialist determines the nature of the disease, and thanks to the cardiovisor, it is possible to find out whether the symptoms are associated with poor functioning of the cardiovascular system.

• and strong blows, often occur at the very beginning of the development of the disease. A heartbeat with a clearly marked period indicates the presence of tachycardia. With heart block, irregular contractions are observed, accompanied by dizziness or loss of consciousness.
• When the number of heart contractions decreases,, in most cases resulting from atherosclerosis - stagnation of blood in the pulmonary circulation. In particular, it gains strength at night, when the sick person goes to bed.
• Severe obesity puts strain on muscle tissue, taking part in respiratory process, which may result.
• In a neurolytic state, psychogenic shortness of breath is characteristic, which is not a sign of heart failure. People with this disease are often forced to breathe deeply, and they experience dizziness and weakness.

A computer screening analysis system helps to accurately indicate the nature of the disease.

• Venous capillaries may suffer from increased pressure, due to which edema may appear, which is a visible sign of heart failure and impaired kidney function. The chronic nature of the disease is often accompanied by shortness of breath, a faster pulse and extraneous noise in the lungs.
• With anemia and vasospasm, pallor appears among the visible signs, and in critical cases– cyanosis. Discoloration of the skin indicates rheumatic carditis.
• and dizziness often report incorrect functioning of the heart and blood vessels. The brain is poorly supplied with blood; due to poor blood supply, decay products that poison the body are not removed.
• Pulsating headache is basically a sign of high blood pressure. To avoid apocalyptic shock and myocardial infarction, blood pressure must be treated.
• Insomnia, anxiety, nausea, discomfort on the left side in a lying position means the appearance of problems in the heart area. In addition, the disease is characterized by rapid loss of strength and weakness.

It is necessary to diagnose cardiovascular diseases as early as possible in order to avoid unpleasant consequences, and not wait until they appear. visible symptoms. At the first feeling of discomfort, you should immediately consult a doctor.

It is recommended to visit a cardiologist at least once a year, because the disease may not make itself known to its carrier; an electrocardiogram can reveal it. Based on this, the doctor will be able to accurately make a diagnosis, which will greatly increase the chances of recovery.

Treatment

Often, people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system remember the names and dosage of the medications they take, because none of them fully recover, you can only achieve the best possible condition.

Drugs prescribed to the patient:

• Nitrates are used for angina pectoris and are used to dilate coronary vessels. As side effect headaches and headaches may occur.
• Anticoagulants are used for acute diseases and have an anticoagulant effect.
• Antiplatelet agents used for vices, they prevent. The enteric coating protects the patient’s stomach from gastropathy.
• Beta blockers They should not be used for certain diseases of the respiratory organs, but they are excellent for angina pectoris, heart attack and other pathologies.
• Blockers calcium channels partly used in the fight against arrhythmia, partly against high blood pressure.
• Diuretics() are taken to remove fluid from the body. These drugs may cause electrolyte disturbances.
• ACE inhibitors needed to prevent structural changes in the heart. Drugs have the opposite effect on stenosis renal arteries.
• Angiotensin receptor blockers also help reduce blood pressure. Sometimes taken instead of ACE inhibitors.
• Lipid-lowering drugs help reduce cholesterol in the blood and, as a result, improve prognosis and longevity.
• Antiarrhythmic drugs used for various heart rhythm disorders. It is possible to combine drugs.
• Cardiac glycosides prescribed for insufficient blood circulation. They increase contractions of the heart muscle.

The most important role in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases is played by diet, physiotherapy and physical therapy. If treatment is ineffective, surgical methods are adopted, after which it will be necessary to undergo cardiac rehabilitation. A person’s well-being noticeably improves, and physical stability increases.

Treatment of cardiovascular diseases can also be carried out using traditional methods. Many people are convinced that old recipes bring much greater effect than medical intervention. However, it is worth understanding that people used herbs because they did not have access to modern medicines and technologies, and many decoctions not only did not bring benefit, but even caused harm. Do not forget that no herbs can replace medications and physical activity.

A person with a cardiovascular disease who does not take part in his recovery will be convinced that medicine is powerless in his case. Without deep knowledge of the effects of herbs on the body of a particular person, it is safer not to resort to folk remedies. But for those who still decide to take this step, below are specific types of cardiovascular diseases with examples of a set of herbs.

• Arrhythmia: black radish, calendula, open lumbago, horsetail, eleutherococcus, valerian.
• Atherosclerosis: ripe cherries washed down with milk, eggplants, watermelons, black currants, juice raw pumpkin, green tea, fish, salads, onions, garlic, horseradish, dill, apples, pears, plums, rice, grape juice, rosehip, nettle, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, walnuts, corn oil. Echinoid tincture helps with vascular spasm.
• Heartache: hawthorn, lemon balm, garlic.
• High pressure: honey, carrot juice, horseradish juice, lemon juice, a mixture of beet juice and honey.
• Low pressure: high azalea roots, ginseng root, maral root, Chinese lemongrass.
• Cardiac ischemia: fresh root horseradish, honey
• Angina: bogweed, hawthorn, meadow clover, motherwort, tincture of lily of the valley, mint, licorice root, valerian, dill, string, calendula.
• Tachycardia: peppermint, valerian root, lemon balm, hawthorn, motherwort, low-alcohol beer.
• Chronic heart failure: honey, milk, cottage cheese, fruit, rose hips, lemon, garlic, walnuts, raisin cheese.

The above list of cardiovascular diseases is far from complete. More than enough recipes have appeared over several decades, and medicine is constantly discovering new pathologies.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system are widespread among the adult population of many countries around the world and occupy a leading place in overall mortality statistics. This problem mainly affects countries with middle and low level income - 4 out of 5 deaths from cardiovascular pathology were residents of these regions. To the reader who does not have medical education, it is worth understanding at least in general terms what this or that heart or vascular disease is, so that if you suspect its development, you do not waste precious time, but immediately seek medical help. To find out the signs of the most common diseases of the cardiovascular system, read this article.

Atherosclerosis

According to the WHO (World Health Organization) definition, this is a constantly increased arterial pressure: systolic – above 140 mm Hg. Art., diastolic – above 90 mm Hg. Art. The blood pressure level at diagnosis should be determined as the average of two or more measurements during at least two examinations by a specialist on different days.

Essential hypertension, or essential hypertension, is increased blood pressure in the absence of an obvious reason for its increase. Accounts for about 95% of all cases of arterial hypertension.

The main risk factors for this disease are the same factors that contribute to the development of coronary heart disease and aggravate the same course hypertension the following accompanying pathology:

• diabetes;
• cerebrovascular diseases - ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes (TIA);
• heart diseases – myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, heart failure;
• kidney diseases - diabetic nephropathy;
• peripheral arterial disease;
• retinal pathology – disc edema optic nerve, hemorrhages, exudates.

If a patient suffering from hypertension does not receive therapy that helps lower blood pressure, the disease progresses, hypertensive crises occur more and more often, which sooner or later can cause all sorts of complications:

• acute hypertensive;
• pulmonary edema;
• myocardial infarction or unstable angina;
• stroke or transient ischemic attack;
• aortic dissection;
• eclampsia - in pregnant women.

Secondary, or symptomatic, hypertension is a persistent increase in blood pressure, the cause of which can be determined. It accounts for only 5% of cases of arterial hypertension.

Of the diseases that lead to high blood pressure, the most commonly diagnosed are:

• damage to kidney tissue;
• adrenal tumors;
• diseases of the renal arteries and aorta (coarctation);
• pathology of the central nervous system(brain tumors, polyneuritis);
• (polycythemia);
• pathology of the thyroid gland (-, -, hyperparathyroidism) and other diseases.

Complications of this type of arterial hypertension are the same as with hypertension, plus complications of the underlying disease that provoked hypertension.

Heart failure

Common pathological condition, which is not an independent disease, but is a consequence, the outcome of other acute and chronic heart diseases. At this state Due to changes in the heart, its pumping function is disrupted - the heart is unable to supply all organs and tissues with blood.

Complications of heart failure are:

• arrhythmias;
• congestive;
• thromboembolism;
• chronic renal failure(the so-called “stagnant kidney”);
• cardiac cachexia (exhaustion);
• cerebrovascular accidents.

Acquired heart defects

Acquired heart defects occur in approximately 1-10 people per 1000 population, depending on the region of residence, and account for about 20% of all heart lesions of an organic nature.

The main reason for the development of acquired heart defects is rheumatic damage to the valves: 70-80% of all defects are pathology of the mitral valve, the second place in the frequency of damage belongs to the aortic valve, stenosis and/or insufficiency of the tricuspid valve and pulmonary valve are relatively rarely diagnosed.

This pathology affects people of different age groups. Every 2nd patient with heart disease requires surgical treatment.

The essence of the disease is that under the influence etiological factors Heart valves lose their ability to function normally:

• stenosis is a narrowing of the valve, as a result of which it does not allow enough blood to pass through, and the organs experience a lack of oxygen, or hypoxia;
• insufficiency - the valve leaflets do not close completely, as a result of which blood is thrown from the part of the heart located below to the part located above; the result is the same - the organs and tissues of the body do not receive the vital oxygen they need, and their function is impaired.

Complications of heart defects include many conditions, among which the most common are acute, infectious bronchopulmonary complications, chronic failure blood circulation, atrial fibrillation, thromboembolism and others.

Clinically, myocarditis is manifested by attacks of chest pain, signs of valve pathology, symptoms of arrhythmias, and circulatory disorders. May be asymptomatic.

The prognosis for this disease depends on the severity of its course: mild and moderate forms, as a rule, result in complete recovery of the patient within 12 months after the onset of the disease, while severe forms can lead to sudden death, refractory circulatory failure and thromboembolic complications.

Cardiomyopathies

Cardiomyopathies are independent, steadily progressing forms of damage to the heart muscle of unclear or controversial etiology. Within 2 years, about 15% of patients die from some forms of this disease in the absence of symptoms, and up to 50% in the presence of symptoms corresponding to the disease. They are the cause of death in 2-4% of adults, and are also the leading cause of sudden death in young athletes.

The probable causes of cardiomyopathies are:

• heredity;
• infection;
• metabolic diseases, in particular glycogenosis;
• lack of certain substances in the diet, in particular selenium, thiamine;
• pathology of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, acromegaly);
• neuromuscular pathology (muscular dystrophy);
• exposure to toxic substances - alcohol, drugs (cocaine), certain medications (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin);
• diseases of the blood system (some types of anemia, thrombocytopenia).

Clinically, cardiomyopathies are manifested by all sorts of symptoms of cardiac dysfunction: angina attacks, fainting, palpitations, shortness of breath, cardiac arrhythmias.

Cardiomyopathy is especially dangerous increased risk sudden death.

Pericarditis

– this is an inflammation of the layers of the lining of the heart - the pericardium - of infectious or non-infectious etiology. Areas of the pericardium are replaced by fibrous tissue, and exudate accumulates in its cavity. Pericarditis is divided into dry and exudative, acute and chronic.

Clinically manifested by chest pain, shortness of breath, fever, muscle pain, combined with signs of the underlying disease.

The most dangerous complication of pericarditis is cardiac tamponade - the accumulation of fluid (inflammatory or blood) between the layers of the pericardium, preventing normal contractions hearts.

Infective endocarditis

It is an inflammatory lesion of valve structures with subsequent spread to other organs and systems, resulting from the introduction of bacterial infection into the structures of the heart. This disease is the 4th leading cause of death in patients from infectious pathology.

IN last years incidence rate infective endocarditis has increased significantly, which is associated with the wider spread surgical interventions on the heart. It can occur at any age, but it most often affects people between 20 and 50 years of age. The ratio of incidence between men and women is approximately 2:1.

Infective endocarditis is a potentially life-threatening disease, therefore timely diagnosis it, adequate, effective treatment and rapid identification of complications are extremely important to improve prognosis.

Arrhythmias

Heart rhythm disturbances are not certain diseases, but represent manifestations or complications of any pathological conditions associated with heart disease or non-cardiac pathology. They can be asymptomatic for a long time, and can pose a danger to the patient’s life. There are many types of arrhythmias, but 80% of them are due to extrasystole and atrial fibrillation.

Clinically, arrhythmias are manifested by a feeling of interruptions in the work of the heart, dizziness, shortness of breath, weakness, a feeling of fear, and others. unpleasant symptoms. Their severe forms can provoke the development of cardiac asthma, pulmonary edema, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy or arrhythmic shock, and also cause sudden death of the patient.

Which doctor should I contact?

Diseases of the cardiovascular system are treated by a cardiologist. They are often combined with pathology of the endocrine glands, so consultation with an endocrinologist and nutritionist will be useful. A cardiac and vascular surgeon is often involved in the treatment of patients. Patients must be examined by a neurologist and an ophthalmologist.

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In life modern man There are always factors that negatively affect the state of the cardiovascular system.

Lack of movement, stress, bad habits, overeating - all this leads to increased blood pressure, and in chronic form - to arterial hypertension (AH). This disease causes a noticeable deterioration in well-being and a decrease in quality of life, and subsequently often becomes the cause of a heart attack or stroke.

Therefore, it is important to recognize the disease at the earliest stages, when the process is still reversible. Better yet, try to avoid it.

A disease in which a person has high blood pressure , in medical circles is called hypertension.

Blood pressure is stable, starting from 160/95.

Must be recorded at least three times within 15 days.

The disease is dangerous, since if hypertension, this disease, has gone far, it can give complications in the form of a fatal heart attack, loss of consciousness and stroke.

One of the common pathologies of the heart is impaired myocardial conduction. You can also find this pathology under the name “heart block”.

It's relative common occurrence, which can be caused by a whole range of deviations and diseases, so it needs to be considered in detail.

What it is

To be more precise, myocardial conduction disturbance is not a disease/pathology, but a whole group of diseases/pathologies.

Left atrial hypertrophy is a disease in which the left ventricle of the heart thickens, causing the surface to lose its elasticity.

If the compaction of the heart septum occurs unevenly, disturbances in the functioning of the aortic and mitral valves of the heart may additionally occur.

Today, the criterion for hypertrophy is myocardial thickening of 1.5 cm or more. This disease is currently the main cause of early death among young athletes.

Why is the disease dangerous?

A person suffering from arrhythmia is at risk for stroke and myocardial infarction. This is due to the fact that during arrhythmia the heart contracts incorrectly, resulting in the formation of blood clots.

With the flow of blood, these clots are carried throughout the body and where the clot gets stuck, blockage will occur and the person will get sick.

Encyclopedia of therapeutic movements for various diseases Oleg Igorevich Astashenko

The most common diseases of the cardiovascular system

Quite often, doctors record a pathological condition in which there is a disturbance in the frequency, rhythm or sequence of heart contractions. These are arrhythmias that are part of a large and very difficult to diagnose group of cardiac diseases.

Arrhythmia may manifest as tachycardia(increased heart rate up to 100 beats per minute), bradycardia(slowing heart rate to 40 beats per minute), extrasystoles(premature contractions) atrial fibrillation(disorganization of rhythmic activity), etc.

Arrhythmia can be a consequence of diseases of the heart muscle, neuroses, hereditary malformations, alcohol and nicotine intoxication, etc. Most arrhythmias can be dealt with if the underlying cause of the disease is eliminated.

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is chronic illness, characterized by damage to the vascular wall. The disease is based on disturbances in protein and fat metabolism (primarily cholesterol metabolism). Atherosclerosis manifests itself in the fact that the vascular wall is saturated with proteins and lipids, followed by the development of reactive changes around these deposits.

This chronic illness arteries, gradually leading to a narrowing of their lumen. As a result, blood flow through the artery becomes difficult. This means that the blood flow through the artery of an intensively working organ when atherosclerosis occurs in it becomes insufficient, which significantly limits the functionality of the organ.

Atherosclerosis is mainly observed in people exposed to frequent and prolonged stress. Contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus, obesity, gout, cholelithiasis and some characteristics of a person’s character (anxiety, suspiciousness, shyness, etc.). But sometimes the predisposition to the occurrence of atherosclerosis can also be hereditary.

In areas of the arterial wall affected by atherosclerosis, accumulations of cholesterol are always found along with scar tissue cells. In the human body, cholesterol is part of protein compounds that easily penetrate the vessel wall. A factor that accelerates the course of the disease is an increase in the concentration of cholesterol in the blood serum.

It is generally accepted that atherosclerosis is akin to a death sentence - irreversible and inescapable. However, this is not the case. Atherosclerosis can undergo reverse development! In this case, cholesterol leaves the arteries, is absorbed, and damaged areas in the vascular wall heal. Sometimes damaged vessels are completely restored. Therefore, having “received a diagnosis”, you cannot give up, you need to act. But, of course, act correctly and carefully, remembering that moderation should be observed in treatment.

Changes in the vascular wall occur as a result of disturbances in the functioning of complex nervous, hormonal and other biochemical mechanisms that control the activity of the human cardiovascular system. Breakdown of these regulatory mechanisms occurs under natural, but unbearable loads. Disruption of the normal functioning of the nervous regulatory function occurs primarily under the influence of factors environment: intense pace of life, noise, some specific working conditions, etc. Overstrain of the nervous system is invariably accompanied by excessive active work heart and vascular system.

In addition, factors contributing to the appearance and development of atherosclerosis, and consequently, coronary heart disease, are, as already mentioned, a sedentary lifestyle, excess nutrition with large amounts of fats and carbohydrates, violation of the vitamin and microelement balance of food, smoking, etc. excess weight. Obesity, among other things, generates an increase in the concentration of fats in the blood and liver, which already complicates the resorption of atherosclerotic deposits (plaques) and, on the contrary, contributes to their accumulation.

Very often, atherosclerosis develops in the coronary arteries of the heart. The disease caused by coronary sclerosis is considered as an independent disease and is called coronary heart disease. The disease develops slowly, sometimes over decades. It is characterized by a wave-like course: periods of exacerbation of the disease are followed by periods of calm - remission.

It is not difficult to understand that the disruption of blood supply is becoming more severe, and the blood flow to the heart is insufficient: discomfort throughout the body, headaches, pain in the heart, in the legs.

But even in this case, not everything is so gloomy, because the vascular system has enormous potential for restoring normal blood supply, disturbed by atherosclerosis and its complications. For example, if necessary, roundabout blood supply pathways to the organ are opened, and neighboring, “clean” vessels are connected to the work. Of course, such a restructuring of the vascular bed takes time. To speed up the process, you will need special food With increased amount vitamins, and primarily vitamin E.

Phlebeurysm

Varicose veins are a disease of the veins, it develops gradually, mainly affecting saphenous veins. Development varicose veins veins in the legs contribute to difficulty in the outflow of blood due to blockage (thrombosis) of the vein by a blood clot as a result long stay on foot. The lower extremities are most often affected. In this case, dilated veins become visible or swell under the skin in the form of convoluted, so-called varicose nodes. As the disease progresses, dark brown and brown spots. Impaired skin nutrition can lead over time to the development of trophic ulcers.

Varicose veins are more common among women, and there are several reasons for this. Women are more likely than men to suffer from excess weight, which is dangerous to health. In particular, it is the excess weight that puts pressure on the legs, and this weakens the venous wall. Many women have to spend all day on their feet, as their professional activities require it. Teachers, hairdressers and salespeople stand at work all the time. They, like no one else, risk that the veins in their legs will not withstand heavy physical activity. Moreover, in their desire to look “one hundred percent,” or, as Americans say, a million dollars, women often forget about health and think only about external beauty.

Varicose veins go through seven stages in their development.

First stage. In this period external signs no, but the heaviness in my legs bothers me.

Second stage. Small wreaths and nets appear. During this period, night cramps of the calf muscles may bother you.

Third stage. The symptoms of the previous stages are also accompanied by visible changes - dilated veins.

Fourth stage. Swelling appears in the legs, which does not go away after rest.

Fifth stage. The shins become dark brown and dermatitis appears.

Sixth stage. Very advanced varicose veins. It is characterized by ulcers that heal over time.

Seventh stage. Development of a persistent (trophic) ulcer, usually in the lower leg area.

Exist dangerous diseases caused by varicose veins and destruction of the walls blood vessels due to other diseases.

Thrombophlebitis– inflammation of the vein wall with the formation of a blood clot that clogs its lumen. Thrombophlebitis can occur when the vascular wall is damaged, inflamed, when blood flow slows down, or when its composition changes. The most common occurrence is thrombophlebitis of both deep and superficial veins of the lower extremities. Thrombophlebitis is often a complication after childbirth, various operations, infectious diseases. The initial signs of thrombophlebitis are aching and nagging pain in the calf muscles, pain when squeezing these muscles with your hands, swelling, especially when deep veins are affected. Thrombophlebitis of the superficial veins is characterized by painful lumps with redness of the skin along the veins. Purulent destruction of a blood clot and the spread of infection through the bloodstream is called septic thrombophlebitis. A chronic course of thrombophlebitis with periodic exacerbations is possible.

Embolism– transfer with the bloodstream of so-called emboli - particles that can get stuck in the lumen of blood vessels and cause their blockage. Circulatory disorders are aggravated by reflex vascular spasm and secondary thrombosis.

Thrombosis- the process of formation of a blood clot, leading to difficulty or complete cessation of blood flow. A thrombus is a blood clot that forms intravitally in blood vessels. The development of thrombosis is facilitated by damage to the vascular wall, slowing blood flow, and increasing blood coagulability and viscosity.

Varicose ulcer– trophic ulcer, a skin ulcer that usually forms on the lower leg with seriously advanced varicose veins. Varicose ulcers are formed due to swelling,

called stagnation of blood and further destruction of the affected tissues.

Diabetes– causes destruction of not only venous, but also arterial walls, and is dangerous due to severe edema that can cause gangrene.

Varicose veins in the later stages can only be treated surgically, which is why it is so important to prevent this disease. The sooner you notice varicose veins and begin to fight it, the more effective this fight will be. Remember that your chances of developing varicose veins increase if your relative, such as your mother or grandmother, suffers from this disease. Varicose veins are hereditary in 60–85% of cases. If you fall into this risk group, then prevention should begin without waiting for the first symptoms to appear.

In order not to miss the onset of the disease, you need to carefully monitor the condition of your legs. Otherwise, we risk missing the time when it is still possible to prevent the development of the disease, avoid surgery or long-term treatment. To do this, you need to know well what the signs of the initial stage of the disease are and what risk factors exist that can cause this disease in ourselves, our family and friends.

The main signs of the initial stage of the disease:

leg pain;

a feeling of warmth and burning in the legs along the veins;

heaviness in the legs;

swelling of the legs in the evening;

night cramps in the legs;

dilated veins;

darkening and thickening of the skin of the legs;

trophic ulcers.

Causes of varicose veins:

high-heeled shoes (4–5 cm and above);

very tight jeans, tight tights, tight belts;

long posture “leg-to-leg”;

standing for a long time;

overweight;

hot baths, saunas, baths;

overheating in the sun;

leg injuries;

strength training, heavy loads;

increasing the dose of hormones, contraceptives;

long (hours) sitting at a desk or computer.

Hypertension

One of the most common diseases of the human cardiovascular system is arterial hypertension. It affects people at the most active age, leads to a decrease in the standard of living, contributes to the occurrence of myocardial infarction and stroke (bleeding in the brain), damage to the kidneys and eyes.

Due to the fact that in many cases initial stages hypertension is asymptomatic, and also due to the development of severe complications, arterial hypertension called the "silent killer". Hypertension is dangerous and insidious. At this stage, the disease most often goes unnoticed, and the fact that a person is sick is most often discovered by chance, during a medical examination.

Hypertension refers to the so-called three halves rule. Of the total number of HD patients, only half know about this. Of those who know, only half of the patients are treated. And again, half are treated correctly. There is one way to correct this strange pattern - educating citizens.

The very first classification of hypertension belongs to the German doctor Volhard. In a series of works from 1913 to 1920, he began to subdivide the disease based on appearance person.

Red hypertension– at the moment of increased pressure, the face and body turn red, often in spots, which is explained by the expansion of skin capillaries.

Pale hypertension– a spasm of small blood vessels occurs, the skin of the face and limbs turns pale and becomes cold to the touch.

By the end of the 30s, G. F. Lang not only developed a definition of hypertension, but also made an attempt to distinguish between its variants.

The following were highlighted:

benign(slowly progressive);

malignant(rapidly progressive) types of hypertension.

At slow(benign) As the disease progresses, it goes through 3 stages, which are distinguished by the degree of stability of the increase in blood pressure, as well as by the presence and severity of pathological changes in other organs.

Malignant hypertension often begins at a young and even childhood age. As a rule, it is endocrine in nature and is very difficult. It is characterized by consistently high blood pressure, symptoms of hypertensive encephalopathy (severe headaches, vomiting, swelling of the optic nerve and severe damage to the fundus vessels, transient paralysis, convulsions, coma), cardiac decompensation, and progressive renal failure. Currently, malignant hypertension is rare.

The main reasons for the development of hypertension are commonplace, and there are several of them.

First- This is heredity. It has been established that hypertension in families where immediate relatives suffer from high blood pressure develops several times more often than in members of other families. Children of parents with hypertension are 3.5 times more likely to suffer from this disease. And in order to delay this unattractive moment, you need to start monitoring your blood pressure 10 years earlier than your peers, undergo a medical examination and follow doctors’ recommendations.

It should be emphasized that it is not hypertension itself that can be genetically inherited, but only a predisposition to it, the characteristics of the metabolism of certain substances (in particular, fats and carbohydrates) and neuropsychic reactions. However, implementation genetic predisposition largely due to external influences: living conditions, nutrition, unfavorable factors.

The second reason– a sedentary lifestyle (sofa – armchair – chair – car) and poor nutrition (breakfast – coffee, cigarette; lunch – coffee, cookies, sandwich; dinner – a lot of everything at once, plus alcohol), and therefore excess weight.

In almost 50% of patients with hypertension, the increase in blood pressure is due to overweight bodies. Hypertension is approximately 6–8 times more common in overweight people. It has been established that with a decrease in body weight by 1 kg in such patients, systolic (upper) blood pressure decreases by 1–3 mmHg. Art., and diastolic (lower) - by 1–2 mm Hg. Art.

Third reason hypertension is caused by smoking, alcohol, fatty and salty foods. Excess salt in food increases the risk of disease by 10 times. And all together increases the amount of lipids and bad cholesterol in the blood and triggers the mechanism of vascular atherosclerosis. The lumen of the arteries narrows due to “calcareous” deposits on the walls, and the blood pressure increases, which in turn leads to rapid wear and tear of the heart muscle.

Smoking is one of the leading factors in the development of most diseases of the cardiovascular system - hypertension, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis.

When smoking 20 or more cigarettes daily, the risk of cardiovascular diseases increases by 3 times compared to non-smokers. Smoking increases the risk of sudden death and arrhythmias.

And finally, fourth Stress remains a provoking factor for the development of hypertension. With frequent stressful situations, prolonged fatigue, excessive mental stress there is a change in metabolic processes in the brain. Relative oxygen starvation occurs nerve cells, resulting in the development of the first stage of hypertension.

If harmful influences, such as negative emotions, act frequently and for a long time, the compensatory and adaptive capabilities of the body are exhausted, and the ability to independently cope with emerging deviations decreases. In addition to this, other protective devices, the tone of a huge network of blood vessels steadily increases, renal blood flow is disrupted, the functioning of the endocrine apparatus changes, and the amount of substances in the body that increase vascular tone increases. Hypertension occurs.

In addition, there is a certain psychological personality type in which the risk of cardiovascular pathology increases several times. These people strive to advance and achieve a high position in society; they are characterized by constant conscious and intense activity. Having achieved their goal, they immediately switch to a new one, so their state of internal tension never goes away. They always lack time, because after each completed task a new, more serious one is immediately assigned, often requiring no less nervous tension than the previous one.

Cardiac ischemia

Ischemia is a disease associated with acute or chronic dysfunction of the heart muscle due to a decrease in the supply of arterial blood to the myocardium and, accordingly, oxygen. Arteries affected by atherosclerosis cannot provide normal blood supply to the heart, which leads to major changes in the heart muscle.

Ischemia may manifest itself in the form angina pectoris, arrhythmia, heart failure. In the most severe cases, with severe and prolonged ischemia, due to lack of nutrition and oxygen, death and destruction (necrosis) of a section of the heart muscle occurs, i.e. myocardial infarction. However, coronary heart disease can be asymptomatic for quite a long time, and the person feels completely healthy.

Risk factors for coronary heart disease, as well as atherosclerosis, are: increased content cholesterol in the blood, largely associated with the consumption of high-calorie, cholesterol-rich and saturated fatty acids food; overweight; physical inactivity; smoking; hypertension; emotional stress. The incidence of the disease increases with age, reaching a maximum after 50 years, but currently there is a definite trend towards “rejuvenation” of this disease, with men getting sick more often than women.

Prevention of ischemia comes down mainly to eliminating risk factors that contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. Early diagnosis of this disease is extremely important. Timely therapeutic measures and lifestyle changes significantly slow down the progression of the disease and support the compensatory mechanisms of the heart. This significantly reduces the risk of developing the consequences of ischemia - severe angina and myocardial infarction.

Angina pectoris

The main symptom of angina is sudden, paroxysmal chest pain, which is usually localized behind the upper or middle part of the sternum (or slightly to the left of it) and radiates to the left shoulder blade, shoulder, forearm, less often - in the neck, lower jaw and even in top part belly. Sometimes an attack of angina is accompanied by weakness, darkening of the eyes, shortness of breath, and arrhythmias; It is often accompanied by the fear of death. Immediate cause pain are specific metabolic products formed in the myocardium during oxygen starvation and activating pain receptors. As a rule, angina develops against the background of atherosclerosis, when the lumen of the coronary vessels decreases, they lose their ability to expand and their sensitivity to various vasoconstrictive influences increases.

An attack of angina always signals that some part of the heart muscle lacks oxygen. If oxygen starvation persists for a long time, irreversible changes can occur in the myocardium - cell death, i.e. myocardial infarction. Therefore, if heart pain occurs, it is necessary to immediately take all measures to relieve the attack as quickly and completely as possible. The simplest and most reliable way to relieve an attack of angina is to stop all exercise and take nitroglycerin or its analogues.

Myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction is an acute cardiovascular disease characterized by the death (necrosis) of cellular structures in one or more areas of the heart muscle as a result of impaired coronary circulation.

Over the past century, there has been a very rapid increase in the incidence and mortality of myocardial infarction. Like coronary heart disease, heart attack is sometimes called the “scourge of civilization,” but this is not entirely true. It's all about not following the rules healthy image life and in bad habits, which are developed largely thanks to the same civilization.

The risk factors for myocardial infarction are the same as for atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and angina: nervous tension, negative emotions, excess animal fats in the diet and insufficient physical activity (hypodynamia).

Main symptom acute heart attack myocardium is sharply increasing, very strong pain behind the sternum, which does not disappear after stopping physical activity and taking nitroglycerin. IN in some cases pain may be practically absent or very mild. Often the pain is accompanied by general weakness, nausea, fear of death, and disorders often occur heart rate. The duration of a painful attack is from 20–30 minutes to several hours.

Myocardial infarction – dangerous disease threatening the patient's life. Treatment in each specific case requires individual approach according to the patient’s condition and the characteristics of the course of the disease.

Heart failure

Heart failure is considered to be an independent heart disease, but this is not entirely true. Rather, it is a condition in which the pumping function of the heart is impaired and it cannot cope with the load placed on it, not being able to provide normal blood circulation.

Heart failure may be caused by weakening contractility the heart muscle itself due to inflammatory processes in the myocardium or coronary heart disease. On the other hand, heart failure can also be caused by overload.

One of the most characteristic symptoms of heart failure is shortness of breath, which sometimes occurs even at rest. Another important symptom is swelling - areas of tissue “soaked” with excess water. In addition, there may be increased heart rate, increased fatigue and severe weakness.

Attention! The condition of chronic heart failure poses a direct threat human life! At the slightest suspicion of the development of this disease, you should immediately consult a cardiologist!

Treatment of heart failure should be aimed at eliminating the underlying cause of the heart failure.