High top pressure: causes of high top pressure, symptoms and treatment
The content of the article:
- What is blood pressure and what is its normal value
- Causes of high top pressure
- How to understand that the upper pressure is increased
- High upper pressure treatment
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Frequently asked questions
- If only the upper pressure rises and the lower pressure is low, will the drugs lower it even more?
- With a decrease in pressure, the heart rate increases. What if it is 100 or more?
- Why can't I take medications that have been prescribed to a loved one with the same disease?
- What to do if the pressure rises suddenly? How to reduce it at home?
- Video
High upper pressure with normal or slightly increased lower pressure is called isolated systolic hypertension. Previously, the diagnosis was made when the systolic blood pressure was more than 160 mm Hg. Art., and diastolic - 90 mm Hg. Art. or less. At present, the World Health Organization recommends that an increase in systolic blood pressure above 140 with diastolic values not exceeding 90 mm Hg be considered isolated hypertension. Art.
Elevated upper blood pressure is more common in women
What is blood pressure and what is its normal value
The term blood pressure (BP) denotes the force in millimeters of mercury with which the blood presses against the artery wall from the inside. Systolic pressure is called the pressure that is recorded at the time of contraction of the heart (systole), and diastolic pressure is that which is noted in the relaxation phase (diastole).
Since, by contracting, the heart pushes a sufficiently large volume of blood into the bloodstream, the systolic blood pressure figure will be higher and when recording the measurement results, it is recorded first. Diastolic pressure (second digit in the record) is always lower than systolic.
Normal blood pressure is considered to be up to 140/90 mm Hg. Art. If the numbers do not exceed 110 and 70, they speak of optimal pressure, 120 and 80 - about normal, 130 and 85 - about normal high.
What do the indicators of systolic pressure mean, which are in the range of 131-139, and diastolic - in the range of 86-89 mm Hg. Art.? They are regarded as prehypertension.
In most cases, with the development of primary or secondary arterial hypertension, the numbers of systolic and diastolic blood pressure increase synchronously. But in some situations, there is an increased upper pressure, while the lower one is normal. This condition is called isolated systolic hypertension.
Causes of high top pressure
If the pressure is increased, or rather, the reasons are seen by the researchers in age-related changes:
- decreased elasticity of the arterial walls;
- the appearance of cholesterol deposits, an increase in the phenomena of atherosclerosis;
- changes in the nervous regulation of vascular tone (increase in peripheral vascular resistance);
- a decrease in the activity of regulatory mechanisms responsible for the stability of blood pressure (renin-angiotensin system, natriuretic hormone, endothelial relaxing factor, etc.);
- dysfunction of receptors that control the level of pressure in the bloodstream.
This does not mean that all patients who have reached old age necessarily fall ill with essential hypertension. Many older people have normal blood pressure. Nevertheless, if at the age of 18-30, high blood pressure is noted in 3-4% of people, then after 60 - already in almost 55%. The fact of an isolated increase in upper pressure is also confirmed: in people of 60 years old, isolated systolic hypertension occurs in 6% of cases, and in patients over 80 - already in 25%. Moreover, if a uniform increase in blood pressure is more often recorded in men, then a high upper one is more often observed in women.
Risk factors, in the presence of which blood pressure rises:
- unrealized chronic stress or sudden psycho-emotional shock;
- excessive physical activity;
- smoking;
- alcohol abuse;
- systematic intake of certain drugs, the side effect of which is an increase in blood pressure;
- a diet rich in animal fats and spices, preference for spicy, fried foods;
- excessive consumption of table salt;
- large body weight;
- low physical activity.
How to understand that the upper pressure is increased
If the patient does not systematically monitor blood pressure, an increase in systolic pressure can be suspected by some of the symptoms:
- Headache. More often in the occipital or parietal regions, in some cases - of a girdle character, a feeling of squeezing the head like a hoop. The pain may be throbbing, worse with tilting the head, moving the eyeballs, loud noises or bright light, or a constant aching character.
- Pain in the projection of the apex of the heart (left half of the chest, along the areola line).
- Unsteadiness of gait.
- Dizziness.
- Feeling stale, especially in the early morning hours or when the weather changes.
- Sleep disturbance: sleepiness during the day and difficulty falling asleep or sleeplessness at night.
- Squeak, tinnitus.
- Visual impairment. Most patients complain of flickering of luminous points, a veil, darkening before the eyes.
- Redness of the face, neck and décolleté, accompanied by a feeling of heat, a rush of sweat.
- Unmotivated general weakness, decreased performance.
- Meteosensitivity.
- Decreased memory, difficulty in memorizing new information, irritability, tearfulness, emotional instability.
When the listed signs appear systematically and are pronounced, it is necessary to systematically monitor the pressure for several days. It is recommended to do this twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, at approximately the same time.
High upper pressure treatment
Treatment of hypertension should begin with lifestyle changes and the maximum elimination of existing risk factors:
- weight loss;
- the introduction of systematic metered cardiovascular exercises;
- minimizing the proportion of spicy, spicy, salty, fatty and fried foods in the diet;
- refusal to abuse alcohol, smoking;
- elimination of stress factors and excessive physical exertion.
After the elimination of provocateurs, drug treatment is prescribed.
Any medications in case of an increase in upper blood pressure should be prescribed by a doctor.
Most often, drugs of the following groups are used to reduce high upper blood pressure:
- beta-blockers;
- calcium channel blockers;
- angiotensin-converting enzyme antagonists (ACE inhibitors);
- angiotensin receptor blockers (ARAII);
- thiazide-like or thiazide diuretics.
Preference is given to long-acting drugs, the selection of pharmacotherapy is carried out individually for each specific patient.
Frequently asked questions
If only the upper pressure rises and the lower pressure is low, will the drugs lower it even more?
If the treatment is prescribed by a doctor taking into account all the existing restrictions, contraindications and individual characteristics, and the combination of drugs is selected optimally, such a possibility is unlikely.
With a decrease in pressure, the heart rate increases. What if it is 100 or more?
An increase in heart rate can be a compensatory reaction to taking medications or to a sharp decrease in blood pressure. If tachycardia attacks occur, it is necessary to monitor the heart rate for some days. If possible, it is necessary to assess the connection of episodes of heartbeat with previous events, and then consult a treating doctor.
Why can't I take medications that have been prescribed to a loved one with the same disease?
To carry out treatment with drugs that were prescribed to another person, albeit with the same pathology, is not only ineffective, but also very dangerous. Medicines used to lower blood pressure have a wide range of contraindications and limitations. Some combinations that include these drugs can cause side effects or worsen the course of concomitant diseases.
What to do if the pressure rises suddenly? How to reduce it at home?
To lower blood pressure in everyday life, you can use any sedative (tincture of valerian, motherwort, peony), apply mustard plasters on the back of the head and collar zone, take a hot foot bath. You can also drink an extra dose of the usual antihypertensive drug. If the doctor recommended a certain therapy, follow the recommendations, if ineffective, repeat the medication after half an hour, if that did not work, call an ambulance.
Video
We offer for viewing a video on the topic of the article.
Olesya Smolnyakova Therapy, clinical pharmacology and pharmacotherapy About the author
Education: higher, 2004 (GOU VPO "Kursk State Medical University"), specialty "General Medicine", qualification "Doctor". 2008-2012 - Postgraduate student of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, KSMU, Candidate of Medical Sciences (2013, specialty "Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology"). 2014-2015 - professional retraining, specialty "Management in education", FSBEI HPE "KSU".
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