Arterial hypertension What we need to know

28.03.2024

High blood pressure or arterial hypertension develops when the blood flow from the heart exerts a strong pressure on the walls of the arteries. This process has a damaging effect on blood vessels and eventually leads to complications such as ischemic heart disease and stroke.

Table of Contents

Blood pressure is the effect of blood flow on the walls of arteries. It consists of two indicators:

Systolic (high reading) pressure is the pressure that the left ventricle of the heart develops when blood flow is stopped.
Diastolic (low reading) pressure – the pressure developed in the period between heart contractions.

Normal blood pressure is no more than 120/80 mmHg

Increased blood pressure - 120-129/80 mmHg

1st stage of hypertension - 130-139/80-89 mmHg

2nd stage of hypertension – 140/90 mmHg and more

When is blood pressure high?

In order to know our blood pressure, it is necessary to measure it. Even with high blood pressure, a person may not feel weak. Therefore, regular blood pressure checks are critically important.

Blood pressure is measured with a silver water column. The following indicators of systolic and diatolic pressure are considered arterial hypertension:

The systolic pressure indicator is 140 mmHg.Hg
Diastolic pressure indicator is 90 mmHg

Arterial hypertension is very common. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 30 billion people between the ages of 79 and 1,2 globally have hypertension.

Symptoms

High blood pressure is often not accompanied by any symptoms. That is why it is called the "silent killer", because for years almost 46% of people with hypertension are unaware of their disease.

When the blood pressure is 180/120 mmHg or higher, headaches, palpitations, nosebleeds and other symptoms may occur. This condition is called hypertensive crisis and requires urgent medical intervention.

Arterial hypertension is classified into: primary and secondary hypertension.

Primary (essential) hypertension - It accounts for almost 90% of arterial hypertension and its development is influenced by age and unhealthy lifestyle.
Secondary (symptomatic) hypertension - It develops against the background of taking this or that disease or medicine.

Primary (essential) and secondary (symptomatic) hypertension may exist simultaneously.

What causes arterial hypertension?

essential, so Primary Hypertension is a multifactorial pathology, which is characterized by a solid increase in arterial numbers and irreversibly damages blood vessels and over time gives us such complications as:

Brain aneurysm
dementia
Heart attack/failure
Kidney diseases/insufficiency
Malignant hypertension
stroke
loss of sight

Factors such as: unhealthy lifestyle, lack of physical activity, alcohol consumption and others contribute to the development of essential hypertension. At the initial stage, essential hypertension is asymptomatic, however, as the degree of damage to blood vessels increases, it manifests itself:

Hematuria (blood in the urine)
Deterioration of vision
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Dizziness and lightheadedness
Weakness
Bleeding from the nose

Secondary hypertension It develops against the background of this or that disease or side effect of medication. Diseases causing secondary hypertension are:

Medications (immunosuppressants, oral contraceptives)
Kidney diseases
Sleep apnea
Primary aldosteronism (Conn's syndrome)
Drug use (amphetamines, cocaine)
Renal artery stenosis
Pheochromocytoma
Adrenal gland diseases
Diseases of the thyroid gland
Pregnancy

Risk factors

Family history of arterial hypertension and diabetes
Age over 55 years
Chronic kidney diseases, metabolic disorders, thyroid gland pathologies
Overweight and obesity
Insufficient physical activity
Unhealthy diet
Tobacco consumption
Excessive consumption of alcohol

Untreated arterial hypertension causes a number of life-threatening complications:

Coronary artery disease
stroke
heart attack
Diseases of peripheral arteries
Kidney diseases and failure
Complications of pregnancy
eye damage
Vascular dementia

Regular blood pressure measurement is important to suspect the presence of arterial hypertension. When diagnosing arterial hypertension, regular monitoring of various indicators is also necessary:

Fasting and postprandial glycemia

lipid spectrum

Thyroid hormones

General analysis of urine

General blood test

Creatinine

Microelements: Na, K

Ultrasound and ECG studies of the heart are also necessary to evaluate the functional-anatomical condition of the left ventricle.

Diagnosis

Blood pressure should be measured with a manometer on both arms to determine if there is a difference.

When detecting high blood pressure, regardless of whether Adayan has pronounced symptoms, it is necessary to control a number of indicators in the laboratory, such as:

General blood test
Lipid profile (low and high density lipoproteins, cholesterol)
Glucose in the blood (fasting and after eating)
Kidney function tests (creatinine, uric acid, urea)
Thyroid hormones (TSH, FT4, FT3)
General analysis of urine

It is also necessary to perform an electrocardiographic and ultrasound examination of the heart to assess the functional state of the heart.

Treatment of arterial hypertension

In addition to drug therapy, the treatment of arterial hypertension necessarily includes lifestyle changes.

Medicines:

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors – block the production of angiotensin II hormone, which is physiologically involved in the regulation of blood pressure.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers - block the contact of the angiotensin II hormone with its receptors in blood vessels.
Calcium channel blockers - block calcium channels in the muscles of the heart and blood vessels, thereby promoting their relaxation.
Diuretics - ensure the removal of excess fluid and sodium from the body, which reduces blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels.

Non-drug means:

weight control
A healthy diet
Salt restriction
Getting enough potassium
physical activity
Limitation of alcohol intake

Complications

When high blood pressure causes complications, symptoms develop:

Angina (chest pain)
Shortness of breath
Pain in the limbs
Deterioration of vision
headache
Dizziness
Anxiety
Vomiting
Bleeding from the nose

How to measure blood pressure correctly

Sit quietly in a chair for 5 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. Do not cross your legs.
Place the arm on a horizontal surface, along the chest
Release your hand from the garment. The cuff must be placed on the bare arm.
Maintain silence during the measurement process.
Measure the pressure several times with an interval of 2-3 minutes. It is possible to measure on the other hand as well.

Blood pressure changes during the day, therefore, to diagnose arterial hypertension, you need to measure it 2-3 times a day, for several days, and record the data.

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