In the body of every person there is a huge number of cells, each of which must be supplied with nutrients and oxygen. Such nutrition is carried out using the smallest blood vessels - capillaries. They are found in every organ of the human body.
In the case of vasodilation, low blood pressure is provoked, the symptoms and signs of which can occur at different ages, regardless of the person's gender. Therefore, it is very important to understand how to cope with this condition and what signs are worth paying attention to.
What is low blood pressure?
Each person has individual norms of indicators. They are set by a doctor. If a person feels absolutely healthy at elevated rates, then this is the norm for him.
Nevertheless, there are standard numerical intervals, in violation of which one can judge the presence of problems in the body. For example, if a person’s blood pressure is below 100/60 millimeters of mercury, then arterial hypotension (low blood pressure) is diagnosed.
How to measure blood pressure?
Standard symptoms of low blood pressure do not always appear in their entirety. Therefore, it is important to learn how to determine the performance of your body yourself. In order to perform this procedure at home, you must purchase a specialized device called a tonometer.
There are some general tips that will help you quickly master the technique of measuring blood pressure:
- Measurements should be taken only if the person is in a calm state. After eating, emotional stress or heavy exercise, the indicators may not be accurate.
- In the process of measuring pressure, a person should sit on a solid surface.
- It is necessary to place the hand on which the tonometer is located at chest level. In this case, measurements are best done at the table, sitting on a chair.
- During the procedure, do not talk or move. It is necessary to freeze for several minutes until the unit can determine the upper pressure readings.
- To get the most accurate result, 10-15 minutes after the measurement on one arm, it is necessary to perform the same procedure on the other.
If the indicators differ significantly from the norm, then this means that a person needs to contact a specialist as soon as possible and undergo an examination.
Causes of hypotension
It’s good for people to know which symptoms of low blood pressure appear first. However, in order to get rid of the pathology, it is important to understand what caused its appearance.
As you know, blood moves through the body of a person due to the fact that the heart pumps fluid. Thus, the supply of nutrients to all organs and systems of the body. If in one of the departments of the brain this process failed, then this can contribute to the development of hypotension. There are 2 types of this pathology:
- Hypertonic disease. In this case, we are talking about a chronic ailment. Today, the exact reasons for which this disease of the cardiovascular system appears in certain people are unknown.
- Symptomatic arterial hypertension. In this case, there are a huge number of factors that can lead to a similar state. For example, a person could eat a food saturated with fats for a long time.
If we talk about the causes of lowering pressure in adults, then among them it is worth highlighting the following:
- Stress. Today, many people work in a "frantic" mode and are constantly in a state of stress.
- Intoxication. In some cases, when a person consumes a large amount of alcohol or smokes a lot of tobacco products, such a malaise occurs. If the patient is a smoker, then this indicates that his blood vessels are constantly in tension. Vessels weaken and narrow. This provokes high blood pressure. Alcohol consumption also negatively affects human health. If the patient is abusing alcohol, this leads to vasodilation and heart palpitations.
- Improper nutrition. Due to an unbalanced diet, many people experience a significant increase in body weight. Because of this, additional loads are placed on the heart, and vital organs begin to malfunction. This leads to a decrease in vascular elasticity. Therefore, it is worth abandoning the use of salty foods, as this negatively affects the vessels.
- Age. With age, human blood begins to thicken, which prevents its movement through the vessels. However, with regular preventive measures, negative consequences can be avoided and pressure can be maintained at the right level.
- Heredity. It is worth considering that those people whose parents suffered from hypertension have a predisposition to the same ailment.
Causes of low blood pressure in women
It should be borne in mind that the female body is most prone to meditative disorders. This means that symptoms of low blood pressure in women are manifested much more often than in the stronger sex.
If we talk about the characteristics of the attacks, then in this case many patients complain of severe weakness and low pulse. In this case, medical assistance is required. If we talk about the causes that lead to low blood pressure in the fair sex, then most often they suffer from this disease against the background of:
- Anemia (for example, due to the fact that severe blood loss occurs during menstruation).
- Nervous Disorders.
- Acceptance of certain medical devices.
- Presence of bad habits and malnutrition.
- Too exhausting diets.
- Hormonal disorders.
- Pathology of the endocrine system.
Causes of low blood pressure in men
Considering the causes and symptoms of low blood pressure, it is worth paying attention to the factors affecting the appearance of this pathology in the stronger sex. Men have the most bad habits. Many of them smoke and drink a lot of alcohol. Thus, they automatically become the main contenders for lowering blood pressure.
As a rule, exclusively medical methods are used to treat this ailment in men. However, it is not enough to identify the symptoms of low blood pressure, in the first place it is important to eliminate pathogenic factors.
If we talk about the causes of this pathology in men, then, as a rule, this is most often associated with:
- Circulatory disorders.
- Severe bleeding.
- Taking some strong medicines.
- Dehydration.
- Extensive damage to the vessels of the brain.
- Pathologies of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract or heart muscle.
- Seasonal vitamin deficiency.
The cause of low blood pressure in adolescents
Considering the symptoms and treatment of low blood pressure in adults, it is also fair to consider the likelihood of a similar pathology in a younger population.
Everyone knows that the growing body needs vitamins, which it does not always have enough. As a result, vitamin deficiency occurs, against which low blood pressure develops. In this case, hypotonic begins to feel much worse. Many boys and girls become depressed and are in a state of spleen. Some note a tendency to fainting.
It is also worth considering that there are other causes of hypotension, which may be temporary. Low blood pressure can be the cause of hormonal changes that occur in the body of every person at a certain age. With the onset of the menstrual cycle, girls also often experience a decrease in blood pressure. Also, sharp changes in the temperature conditions of the environment can lead to a similar state. Many teens suffer from weather dependence.
Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure
Experts divide hypotension into chronic and temporary. However, regardless of the type of pathology, the symptoms are very similar. The only difference is that in a chronic illness, a person can live in peace, knowing about his illness. However, they do not experience significant inconvenience. If the disorders are temporary, then in this case the patient will experience extreme discomfort.
If we talk about the symptoms of low blood pressure, then most often patients complain of:
- Headaches and dizziness.
- Increased sweating of the extremities.
- General weakness throughout the body.
- Fatigue
- Deterioration of memory and ability to concentrate.
- Lack of air.
- Decreased blood sugar.
- Hypersensitivity to sounds and light.
Almost all hypotensives begin to sleep too long. Some require more than 12 hours of rest. Even if they wake up before the required time, then in this case they feel not enough sleep and are very tired.
Also, when considering the symptoms of low blood pressure, it is worth paying attention to the condition during awakening from sleep. If, getting up in the morning, a person suffers from darkening in his eyes or faints, then in this case there is a high probability that he has hypotension. This is because in the morning hours people from this pathology significantly decrease their body temperature (about 36 ° C).
Hypotensives almost always suffer from shortness of breath and lack of air. Patients constantly complain that they are stuffy, they cannot stay in stores for long, stand in lines or move on buses where all the windows are closed.
Signs and symptoms of low blood pressure in women
The fair sex are considered more meteo-dependent than men. This means that in women, attacks of reduced pressure can significantly increase if there is a change in ambient temperature. In this case, many women note a sharp jump in blood pressure.
Ladies also note standard signs of hypotension, only more noticeable in the morning. However, unlike men, women are more likely to suffer from dizziness and weakness throughout the day, and not just after waking up.
There are also several more symptoms of low blood pressure in women. Ladies with this diagnosis may suffer from:
- Bifurcation in the eyes.
- Pain in the temples.
- Migraine attacks.
- Too painful premenstrual syndrome.
- Loss of performance and general weakness.
Possible complications
Symptoms of low blood pressure in men and women indicate that you need to see a doctor. If treatment is not done in a timely manner, then there is a high probability that a person will suffer from rather serious consequences:
- Heart failure.
- Hemorrhage.
- Atherosclerosis.
- Blindness.
- Shortness of breath.
- Swelling of the extremities.
- Hypertensive crises.
In the latter case, we are talking about the most severe form of this pathology. In this case, there is a sharp increase in pressure indicators, which reach a maximum. If during such an attack you do not promptly call an ambulance in time, this can lead to sad consequences.
What to do at low pressure?
Some people prefer to drink coffee in order to stabilize their blood pressure. However, this is not the best way to deal with pathology. It is much better to contact a qualified specialist and establish the etiology of this process.
But there are several expert recommendations that will help temporarily “calm” the symptoms of low blood pressure. What to do to normalize the condition? First of all, it is recommended to use bitter chocolate. It is also necessary to monitor the state of your body, not to overwork, it is not recommended to eat a lot of sugar. You need to include more protein foods in your diet. Do not choose medications yourself, as they are selected solely on an individual basis on the basis of contraindications and the characteristics of the body of a particular person.
What medications can increase blood pressure?
Speaking of low blood pressure and symptoms, treatment of this pathology also requires attention. To normalize blood pressure, doctors prescribe a course of vasoconstrictor drugs. However, a longer period than prescribed by a specialist is not recommended to take these funds, as they are very addictive.
Medications must be alternated. In addition, specialists most often select complex therapy. With the help of analgesics, an increase in pressure is carried out. Thanks to plant adaptogens, the nervous and cardiovascular systems are stimulated. Alpha-adrenergic agonist administration is also required. They increase the permeability of the walls of blood vessels and prevent blood stasis.
Proper nutrition
Sweet coffee and dark chocolate really help temporarily stabilize your blood pressure. However, if a person wants to reduce the number of relapses, then in this case you need to completely review your diet.
It is necessary to abandon smoked meats, spirits, convenience foods and preservatives. It is recommended to monitor the daily dose of salt and spices. You should also abandon fatty and fried foods. Instead, it is worth consuming as many fresh vegetables and fruits as possible, red meat, liver, dried apricots, raisins, buckwheat rice, garlic, horseradish and onions.