Low blood pressure, hypotension, hypotension - what is it: a disease or a feature of the body? If the tonometer shows 90/60 every day, should I go to the doctor or, with a wave of my hand, get used to my drowsiness? How to behave and what medications for low pressure to take when it drops especially sharply?
This long but bad life
Why do people with low blood pressure have a long life? Blood circulates slowly through the vessels and does not press against the walls: the vessels are clean, a stroke with a heart attack is not threatened. But life hypotonic develops every day according to the scheme: in the morning - a sleepy fly, in the evening - squeezed lemon.
Not everyone would agree in the mornings with difficulty tearing his head off the pillow, feeling overwhelmed, and half asleep spending the first half of the day. To freeze from aching pain in the temples and constant dizziness, to suddenly faint at the most inopportune moment. Annoyed at any occasion and suffer from bright light and loud laughter. And also changes in the weather, which can even fall into bed, causing sharp headaches, nausea and vomiting. Add pallor and circles under the eyes, constantly freezing arms and legs. Upon learning that all these are manifestations of hypotension, will any of us rush to find out which medicine to drink at low pressure? And what should be treated in this case?
Let's deal with the terms
- Blood pressure is the force with which the flow of blood presses on the walls of blood vessels. When the heart intensively pushes blood into the arteries, systolic pressure occurs : the upper, measured at the time of contraction of the heart muscle. It depends on the strength of this contraction.
- When the heart muscle is relaxed, inertia blood continues to flow through the vessels, fills the hollow veins. This pressure is called lower or diastolic, it depends on the elasticity of the vessels, their ability to expand and contract to push blood.
- Normal pressure - “like astronauts” - is 120-115 / 80-75 mm Hg. Art. Deviation of indicators from normal by 20 units in many cases is considered a pathology and requires treatment. Thus, pressure is considered low, starting from 90/60, mm Hg. st .; with such indicators of the tonometer, it is necessary to establish the reasons and choose drugs for low pressure.
Weak blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels is called hypotension - this is the strict medical name for low blood pressure. It can have many reasons. Hypotension is a decreased vascular tone - one of the causes of hypotension.
The terms mean different phenomena, but in everyday life they are considered to be synonyms.
Physiological hypotension: no danger
Deviations of blood pressure from normal can have different reasons, so the decision on which medicine to take at low pressure depends on the diagnosis. Physiological hypotension is a normal reaction of the body to external conditions, it is not a disease, although it has unpleasant symptoms. The reasons for this condition are different.
- Heredity. From birth, a person lives with low pressure and does not notice this, this is his normal state. The working capacity of such people is low, and they themselves do not make the impression of being full of health. In such cases, hardening, physical activity, necessarily interesting work and an exciting hobby help to improve well-being.
- “Hypotension of fitness” - pressure of athletes and ballerinas. In people experiencing physical exertion, the body has adapted to take care of the heart, use oxygen economically and not wear out, driving blood through the veins. But even trained athletes pass out from overvoltage and suffer from low pressure under stress and adverse weather conditions. The best cures for low blood pressure for them are rest and sedatives.
- Adaptation. Getting used to terrain with a different climate, short-term stress, overwork can lead to hypotension for a short time. In such cases, sleep and good nutrition will quickly restore normal pressure.
When hypotension is a disease
Three forms of hypotension as a pathology are distinguished.
- Acute - shock, fainting against the background of a sharp drop in pressure; requires immediate medical attention.
- Primary arterial hypotension is an independent disease of low blood pressure; its main causes are heart failure and decreased vascular tone.
- Secondary hypotension is associated with a major serious illness. Such diseases include thyroid disease; respiratory tract and gastrointestinal infections; heart disease, liver, acute poisoning. In these cases, the main disease is treated, and the pressure normalizes during recovery.
Actually, the disease of low pressure is primary arterial hypotension - a disease with dangerous consequences, which has several modifications.
Neurocirculatory dystonia - a nerve disease
Neurocirculatory dystonia - most hypotonics receive this diagnosis after examination. In this case, low blood pressure is associated with a "cardiac neurosis", which means low systolic pressure. The reason for this is a violation of the activity of the centers of the brain, especially the hypothalamus as a result of such negative phenomena as:
- stresses causing neurosis;
- lack of sleep, emotional, intellectual or physical strain;
- chronic fatigue or depression.
A prolonged suppressed state drives a person into a vicious circle: it provokes hypotension, which, in turn, causes depression. To break out of this circle will help drugs for low pressure in combination with other means that increase the tone of life.
Hypotension - a plague of the XXI century
About 80% of the population suffers from this disease, and doctors shrug: people feel bad, very bad, but all organs are relatively healthy and there is no danger to life.
Vegetative dystonia is another variant of hypotension. In this case, there is a disruption in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the coordinated functioning of the vessels. The interaction of the processes of contraction and relaxation occurs due to the hormones produced by the glands: the thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands. If they lack vitamins (especially E, C, group B), trace elements, iodine, or there is an intoxication of the body (alcohol, nicotine), then the harmonious work of all organs, including blood vessels, comes to an end: their tone decreases, blood vessels stretch, pressure in them goes down.
Caution: low pressure
Hypotension can have very unpleasant consequences.
- Ischemic stroke: sluggish blood does not adequately feed brain cells, and they die.
- The development of deafness and a sharp decrease in vision.
- With reduced pressure during pregnancy, congenital malformations in the fetus develop; there is a risk of miscarriage. The attending physician must determine which drugs at low pressure can be drunk during this period. Most likely, it will be "Cordiamin" and tinctures of Leuzea, Schisandra chinensis, ginseng, etc.
- Low blood pressure tachycardia is a hypotonic crisis. The pulse rises to 100 beats per minute and higher, the heart is ready to break out of the chest; a headache and a feeling of fear. High pulse, low pressure - which medicine to use? They treat this condition by calming the heart with “Valocordin”, “Motherwort” or “Valerian” (tinctures). The pressure must be raised with proper breathing (inhalation - breath holding - exhalation); make acupressure: press firmly on the roller near the nail on the little finger, and then - the cavity between the nose and upper lip. And, of course, do everything so that this condition no longer repeats.
Kings can do everything
Mode and nutrition treat low heart pressure. Medicines play a secondary role here. Kings of products for hypotension are considered coffee, cheese nuts.
Caffeine tones the heart, cheese has an optimal fat and salt balance, nuts are a source of vitamin B, pantothenic acid, necessary for the glands to work. In addition, hypotensives are shown:
- delicious smoked meats, eggs;
- fish and meat;
- Cakes
- tea, stronger coffee;
- chocolate;
- alcohol.
In a word, everything that is otherwise strictly forbidden for other diseases is recommended for hypotension. Now that it’s found out which “cure” for low blood pressure is most effective, it's time to talk about medicines. They can be divided into three groups.
1. Drugs for rapid pressure increase. Accepted only on prescription and courses of several days, otherwise you can completely upset the nervous system.
- "Caffeine" and preparations containing it: "Pentalgin-N", "Citramon", etc.
- Cordiamine.
- "Ephedrine".
- Norepinephrine.
- "Fludrocortisone".
2. Adaptogens - tinctures from plants that increase the tone of the body:
- "Tincture of Schisandra chinensis".
- "Ginseng tincture."
- "Tincture of Leuzea".
- "Tincture of Eleutherococcus".
They are effective in a severe breakdown; they must also be drunk in courses so as not to get a nervous breakdown.
3. Medicinal herbs:
- Sagebrush.
- Tansy.
- Nettle.
- Yarrow and others.
Herbal-based tonic teas have a milder effect and can be taken for a long time.
Run, but not to the doctor
No medicine and food will radically change the life of hypotension for the better, if he himself does not adapt it to the needs of his body.
- Normal sleep mode for at least 8 hours.
- Hardening, contrast shower - vascular training.
- Therapeutic gymnastics, walking at a pace, running, bike, swimming, skiing.
- And the peak of victory over oneself is hypotension - “medical health path” - climbing a mountain.
Clever hypotonic, contrary to all the sayings, will go uphill!