Low blood pressure is a condition experienced by patients suffering from hypotension. In addition, this violation occurs in patients with pathologies of the myocardium and blood vessels. It is observed in people prone to physical and psychological overload. This article discusses the causes of the sharp drop in pressure and methods of treating pathology.
Norm or deviation?
A sudden decrease in blood pressure occurs in both advanced and young adulthood. This phenomenon is often observed in young men and women who lead an active lifestyle. The cause of a sharp drop in pressure can be a chronic pathology, the impact on the body of certain substances, adverse environmental conditions. If a sudden attack occurs, the victim must be given first aid. He must consult a doctor to undergo an examination and begin therapy.
Blood pressure is one of the main indicators of the patient’s health.
It is never stable for a long time. Small changes are not considered pathology. This happens periodically in every person. Moreover, blood pressure indicators stabilize on their own. This condition is not a pathology.
What pressure should be considered normal? Blood pressure indicators are divided into 2 types - systolic and diastolic, measured in millimeters of mercury. These data largely depend on the age group and gender. For men, the norm is 100/60. For women, it is 90/60. For elderly patients - 110/70.
Regardless of the cause of the sharp drop in pressure, this condition causes a deterioration in well-being. Particular attention should be paid to the situation when hypotension attacks occur in people from 20 to 40 years old. In this age group, sharp changes in blood pressure, as a rule, are a signal of serious violations in the body.
What factors contribute to the development of the disease?
A sudden attack of this pathology is called acute hypotension. With a sharp decrease in blood pressure, the process of stopping the myocardium may occur. In such situations, a person needs urgent medical attention.
What factors can trigger an attack? The following are the most common circumstances that lead to its development:
- Loss of a significant amount of blood (about 800 milliliters) due to surgery or mechanical damage. In such cases, blood pressure drops to the level of 90 millimeters of mercury and even lower. The patient’s skin becomes pale, lips turn blue, hands and feet become cold, heart rate accelerates.
- Myocardial and vascular ailments (cardiosclerosis, severe arrhythmias, heart attack). With these pathologies, blood pressure significantly decreases, pressure in the pulmonary arteries increases. In this case, the patient's skin acquires a bluish tint, an acceleration of the heart rhythm, respiratory failure is observed.
- Infections that are accompanied by intoxication.
- Pulmonary edema is one of the common causes of a sharp drop in pressure in a person. The patient has a debilitating cough, bleeding foam from the mouth, swelling of the veins in the neck, heart rate acceleration to 120 beats per minute or more.
- Cardiac asthma. Accompanied by a strong heartbeat. Patients complain of a decrease in blood pressure, a debilitating dry cough.
Other circumstances
In addition to the factors discussed in the previous chapter, the causes of a sharp drop in pressure can be:
- Long exposure to the open sun.
- High temperature and humid air (public transport in the summer season, beach, bathhouse).
- Heat in the working room (in the kitchen, office, factory).
- Excessive physical exertion, exhausting workouts.
- The period of gestation (a common cause of a sharp drop in pressure in women).
- Earlier traumatic brain injuries.
- Vegetovascular dystonia.
Pathological conditions not associated with the activity of the myocardium and blood vessels
The causes of a sharp drop in blood pressure can be explained by the following ailments:
- Tuberculosis.
- Cancerous pathology.
- Anemia.
- Inflammation of the urinary system.
- Severe violations of the kidneys, liver.
- Gastric and intestinal ulcers.
- Cirrhosis.
- Pancreatic inflammation.
- Endocrine pathology.
- Osteochondrosis.
- Rheumatism.
- Diabetes.
Drug use
In medical practice, there are often cases of a sharp drop in pressure in hypertensive patients due to exceeding the dosage of drugs to reduce blood pressure. In addition, the development of an attack is facilitated by the use of drugs such as:
- Alpha, beta-blockers.
- Sildenafil in combination with Nitroglycerin.
- Medications that promote increased urine output.
- Remedies for depression.
Characteristic manifestations of an attack
People suffering from hypotension get used to the fact that their blood pressure indicators are almost always reduced. Therefore, they do not pay attention to their decline. Such patients are not able to recognize the symptoms of an attack. You can determine it by the presence of the following signs:
- Pale shade of the skin.
- Bluish lip color.
- Excessive sweat.
- Cold arms and legs, chills.
- Reducing the volume of veins.
- A feeling of numbness in the area of the fingers, skin.
- Darkening in the eyes.
- Tinnitus, hearing impairment.
- Strong sense of overwhelming.
- Unsteady gait.
- Impairment of consciousness, disorder of coordination of movements.
- Fainting state.
Likely Consequences
The causes of a sharp drop in pressure are in chronic pathologies or characteristics of the body. This condition is not as dangerous as hypertension. However, do not ignore it.
This violation leads to the appearance of weakness, weakness, worsens intellectual functions, coordination of movements, the quality of life of the patient. In addition, the result of fainting due to a sudden decrease in blood pressure can be mechanical damage. Against the background of hypotension, problems with the work of the heart muscle and the visual apparatus often appear.
How to make the victim feel better?
During the attack, the patient has a disorder of coordination of movements, uneven gait, disorientation in space. Such patients resemble people under the influence of alcoholic beverages. People try to avoid contact with people experiencing this condition. In this case, few people consider a sharp drop in pressure as the cause. First aid for these patients is extremely important. Its timely delivery can prevent dangerous consequences. This is especially true of expectant mothers and elderly people. If an attack occurs, call an ambulance. Only a doctor can determine the cause of its development. Do not give the patient any medication. It should be placed on a horizontal surface, covered with a warm blanket. Under the legs you need to put a pillow so that they are raised above the level of the head. You can rub a person’s ears, arms and legs, unfasten tight clothes, remove shoes. If the cause of the attack is the outflow of blood from the stomach or intestines, the patient should place a heating pad with cold water or an ice pack on the peritoneum. Be sure to ensure the flow of fresh air (open the window or window). In case of loss of consciousness, it is necessary to turn the patient's head on its side. If the patient does not have diabetes, you can offer him a strongly brewed tea with sugar.
Therapy
The causes of a sharp drop in pressure and fainting can only be determined by a specialist. If the attacks are associated with a chronic illness, it is necessary to carry out the treatment of the underlying disease. At the same time, drugs are prescribed that contribute to increasing blood pressure.
The most common medicines include:
- Citramon This drug also eliminates pain in the head.
- Ortho-Taurine. It is prescribed to combat cardiac muscle rhythm disturbances, disorders of the myocardium, chronic fatigue, muscle cramps.
- Nootropil is recommended for improving metabolic processes in nerve cells, increasing activity, and normalizing blood flow in the brain.
- "Glycine" helps to cope with anxiety, insomnia, poor mood and vegetovascular dystonia.
- Midodrin stabilizes receptor activity in small vessels.
- Fludrocortisone is used for any form of hypotension, regardless of its cause.
Alternative methods of therapy
With a decrease in blood pressure, plant-based stimulants are often prescribed. These include decoctions and tinctures of lemongrass, hawthorn, rosemary, ginseng, aralia, eleutherococcus. However, these funds can not be used for individual intolerance to the components that make up their composition. To cope with headache and nausea, which is caused by hypotension, juice from cranberries helps.
It is consumed half a glass before meals. Another folk remedy is a mixture of lemon and dried apricots. The fruits are ground in a meat grinder or in a blender. Pour with warmed honey. Take two tablespoons of the product three times a day, before meals, for one month.
All drugs that help lower blood pressure (including folk remedies of plant origin) should be used only after consulting a specialist. In some cases, medications are not required and the problem can be solved by changing lifestyle.
Preventive actions
The following recommendations help to avoid hypotension attacks:
- A sufficient amount of liquid should be consumed (up to eight glasses per day). In the event of an acute respiratory illness, drink even more water to prevent dehydration.
- Exclude alcohol-containing products, caffeine from the diet.
- Avoid abrupt lifting from bed, hot bath or shower, lifting heavy objects.
- Go in for sports, take regular walks.
- Increase the amount of salt in the diet.
- Stop smoking.
- Avoid overload, sleep at least eight hours a day.
- Pay attention to diet. Often there is a sharp drop in blood pressure in women due to a lack of iron on critical days. Then the specialist recommends a diet with a high content of this substance. In such cases, vitamin supplements are also prescribed.
- Do not take medicines uncontrollably to lower blood pressure. The cause of a sharp drop in blood pressure in hypertensive patients is often the wrong medication. Pills should be drunk strictly according to the scheme.