Age-related characteristics of different periods of human life, external and internal causes, changes in hormonal levels, bad habits, as well as psycho-emotional factors can affect blood pressure and increase it. People do not always go to the doctor on time, so hypertension takes a permanent form. The article will provide information on the symptoms of hypertension, as well as the differences with hypotension.
The first manifestations
High blood pressure is characterized by morphological changes in the blood vessels that affect a person's overall well-being. To understand if a person has hypertension and what symptoms are characteristic of this pathology, you need to know the simplest self-diagnosis methods that will help you respond correctly to a jump in indicators and prevent complications.
Hypertension is one of the most common diseases. Hypertension occurs in every third person and is characterized by high mortality rates in severe stages. Only a complex treatment that combines medications and maintains a healthy lifestyle can be successful.
Hypertension is characterized by a gradual, long, slow course and is initially characterized by the absence of severe symptoms. The presence of the disease in high blood pressure can be indicated by occasional visible symptoms, including:
- pain in the occipital or temporal region;
- dizziness;
- hearing loss, ringing in the ears;
- blurred vision;
- tachycardia and chest pain;
- nausea and congestion reflex;
- feeling short of breath;
- anxiety;
- irritation;
- sweating or shivering;
- recurrent nosebleeds.
The presence of at least one of the above symptoms of hypertension in a person may be the first, a reason to consult a family doctor or therapist for diagnosis and prophylaxis, because the disease can lead to an advanced, untreated condition. Giant complications such as myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke.
Characteristics of symptoms
Arterial hypertension is always accompanied by a headache in the back of the head or in the temples, which is well stopped at the beginning of the pathology, with analgesic drugs. Its formation is associated with a change in the direction of narrowing of the lumen of cerebral vessels. People with high blood pressure describe it as dull or cramping in the back of the head, and in the temporal region as a sharp, stabbing, throbbing.
In hypertension, tinnitus and hearing loss can be caused by a malfunction of the vessels of the hearing aid.
It is important! Sudden onset of pain is a direct indicator of blood pressure.
Double vision in hypertension, deterioration in the form of flashing dots (flies) in the eyes are associated with a lack of blood supply to the retina and dysfunction of the optic nerve.
Nausea and congestion reflex occur in response to the onset of headache and dizziness, and often the onset of palpitations and pain behind the sternum is due to a disturbance in the function of the pulmonary arteries. Shortness of breath (shortness of breath) is characterized by high blood pressure and occurs more often in patients with obesity at any age.
Frequent symptoms of high blood pressure can lead to hypertension. And then, hyperemia of the skin on the face, anxiety, heart pain will join the symptoms of the above pathology. This condition will not go away on its own and will require urgent treatment.
It is important! Occasional symptoms of high blood pressure will prompt the patient to see a doctor and start treatment. Asymptomatic course of the disease steals valuable time from a person.
Tonometer readings
To understand whether there is an increase in pressure, it is necessary to periodically measure the indicators with a tonometer in different conditions (welfare, poor), as well as to know their norms.
The default values are 120/80 mm Hg. Art. A deviation of 10 units from these figures is not a deviation. Signs of an increase of more than 140/90 mm Hg. Art. , headache, nausea, accompanied by heart pain are considered symptoms of arterial hypertension.
It is important! Pressure in a person always depends on the individual, the body and external factors. The "work" tone is the number of blood pressure the patient is feeling well. Hypertensive patients know their normal values and are monitored by taking the antihypertensive drugs selected by the attending physician in a timely manner.
Features of pathological degrees
Symptoms of high blood pressure are directly related to the degree of height of the indicators, of which 3 are in hypertension. They can be presented in tabular form:
| Hypertension rates | Systolic index (mm Hg) | Diastolic numbers (mm Hg) | The main symptoms of hypertension |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 degree | 140-160 | 90-100 | They pass without a clear clinic, are characterized by periodic rises, quickly normalize. Rarely, dizziness, insomnia, heaviness in the head are noted with localization behind the head. |
| 2 degrees | 160-180 | 100-110 | Pain in the occipital or temporal region is strongly expressed, accompanied by nausea, dizziness, weakness, insomnia. |
| 3 degrees | 182 and up | Above 110 | Unbearable headache (especially in the morning), nausea, vomiting, tinnitus, visual disturbances, shortness of breath, sweating, tachycardia, swelling of the lower extremities, thirst, urinary incontinence. |
The clinical manifestations of hypertension in the early stages may be mild. A person may be unaware of the increased pressure for a long time and the processes that develop in the arteries. Early and early signs of hypertension are irritability and increased fatigue for no apparent reason.
Symptoms of hypertension 2 and 3 degrees of hypertension with systolic values above 160 mm. Causes hypertensive crisis, characterized by a variety of obvious pain in the head, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision (fog, shroud) or blinking of small dots, as well as: tremors in the limbs, rapid pulse, shortness of breath, heart pain, arrhythmia, loss of consciousness.
What is arterial hypertension - all hypertensive patients know. Before an ambulance arrives, it is helpful to know how you can help yourself or your loved ones in the event of an emergency for the first time:
- Put 1 tablet of validol or nitroglycerin under the tongue.
- Arrange for air intake, open tight clothing, and give the patient a high position in bed (lift on pillows).
- Apply mustard plasters to the calf muscles.
- Give 30 drops (1 tablespoon) of valerian, motherwort alcohol solution.
- Take any analgesic for headaches and lubricate it with whiskey, forehead, neck and behind the ears with menthol oil.
- You can keep your feet in boiling water for 15 minutes.
In addition, doctors recommend a simple exercise to restore breathing. To do this, it is recommended to take a deep breath, hold your breath and then breathe very slowly. This should be done 3-5 times. In this case, the position of the body should be stretched.
It is important! When a patient with a hypertensive crisis is not treated in time, a stroke or myocardial infarction can develop. Since grade 2 and 3 cannot be treated, the patient must constantly monitor the increase in blood pressure.
Age characteristics
Increased blood pressure in people over the age of 50 is often associated with problems with the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, atherosclerosis, anemia, hyperthyroidism and impaired renal function. There may be shortness of breath, obvious swelling in the legs, cardiac arrhythmia. Women get sick more often than men.
Symptoms of high blood pressure are always associated with age-related changes in the arteries, losing their elasticity. In addition to the typical clinical features of high blood pressure, it is possible to add symptoms of intermittent claudication, frequent fainting, dizziness when changing body position, sounds in the head and squeezing pain behind the sternum. There are also general disorders, decreased performance, and weakness.
As the increase in indicators can occur in people of different ages, the symptoms of hypertension in adolescents can manifest themselves from the age of 12 (adolescence) and can last up to 17 years. This is due to the reconstruction of the body and changes in hormonal metabolism. . Characteristic symptoms of increased blood pressure in a teenager are increased sweating, severe heart attacks, tinnitus, dizziness, headache at any time of the day, insomnia, hot flashes on the skin of the face, epigastric discomfort. .
It is important! To make sure that possible vascular pathology occurs in this condition, a person should have their blood pressure measured several times in a row, preferably every 15 minutes. These indications should be noted and be sure to inform your doctor to prescribe adequate treatment. The doctor will decide which medication to take.
If you find several symptoms that are accompanied by an increase in blood pressure, you should consult a doctor, be examined and determine the true cause of such pathology: neoplasms, kidney, endocrine, vascular diseases. The therapist, neurologist and family doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment based on diagnostic data, functional characteristics of the body, age group, concomitant diseases and allergies.
With hypertension, adrenoblockers, diuretics, ACE inhibitors, slow calcium channel blockers are prescribed.
Apply physiotherapy - electrosleep; magnetotherapy; UHF therapy; infrared laser therapy, as well as traditional medicine. Patients with hypertension are advised to follow a diet and consume enough fruits and vegetables.
It is important! Preventive measures to prevent the development of vascular pathology and hypertension include timely medical examinations, normalization of work and rest, diet, weight gain, prevention of stressful situations, adequate water and vegetable intake. , fruits, as well as elimination of nicotine and alcohol dependence (if any).
Differences between high and low pressure
In addition to the symptoms of hypertension, which may increase in frequency, there are manifestations of low blood pressure, called hypotension.
Periodic pressure drop is characterized by values below 101/66 mm Hg. Art. It all depends on the age group, so the numbers may vary.
Although the presence of an intolerable paroxysmal headache occurs with both hypotension and hypertension, the following symptoms will be present, distinguishing high blood pressure from low blood pressure:
- Poor health and weakness. From the morning the patient feels weakness and exhaustion.
- Cold extremities. Hands and feet are always cold.
- Noise in the ears (periodic presence).
- Unpleasant sensations in the heart, tachycardia. Each patient has their own feelings.
- Dizziness and frequent darkening of the eyes (sometimes double vision). Such symptoms are characteristic not only in the morning, but also during the day.
- Drowsiness during the day, sleep disorders at night. During the day, patients constantly feel the need to sleep. The peak of activity begins in the evening. The night is restless, sleep is shallow.
- Digestive problems. Patients with hypotension often have gastritis, liver problems, constipation, dyspepsia and dysbacteriosis.
The above symptoms are most common in young people, most of whom are women. The reasons for lowering blood pressure are stress, lack of sleep, poor lifestyle, vitamin deficiency, use of strict diets, hormonal disorders, severe physical and mental stress, the presence of some somatic diseases (endocrine, cervical osteochondrosis, liver, kidney). , VVD, sedentary lifestyle). Prolonged depression can be a major cause of low blood pressure.
The first "calls" for the onset of hypotension occur in the morning when a person gets out of bed heavily, overworked, irritable and not getting enough sleep. After a while (everyone is purely individual), a headache appears that does not last until lunch.
Common symptoms with hypertension here are nausea, vomiting, meteorological dependence and fainting, the appearance of a long asymptomatic course. You can raise your blood pressure by taking special medications, diet therapy, herbal medicines and leading a healthy lifestyle.
Therapy
Medications that increase blood pressure include Eleutherococcus or Ginseng tinctures, special medications. Caffeine has the same effect.
Herbal medicine includes taking decoctions and infusions of herbs from plants such as St. John's wort, lemongrass, ginseng, immortelle, tartar, ginger.
For patients with hypotension, it is advisable to take alcohol in small doses. A glass of red wine or 25 g of cognac a week will benefit the body: it will dilate blood vessels and improve blood circulation. A cup of coffee in the morning will bring a good mood.
Hypotensive patients should get enough sleep (more than 8 hours a day), get enough exercise, eat a balanced diet, as well as moderate exercise (morning exercises, swimming, aerobics, yoga, outdoor games), take a contrast shower. alternate them with shower, massage.
It is important! After the age of 40, untreated hypotension can turn into hypertension.
Everyone is advised to monitor blood pressure levels carefully. The tonometer should be used in a calm state, in good and bad health, after sleep and at night. It is desirable to record all indicators, to compare and determine "your" pressure, which is marked by the best performance and vital activity.
If the increase continues for a long time, you must see a doctor to prevent fatal complications in the future. Bless you!