Blood circulates through the vessels of the human body at a certain speed and, importantly, with pressure. It is created by the heart muscle. When it contracts, systolic blood pressure occurs - the upper peak value. When the heart relaxes, diastolic blood pressure occurs. There should be a difference of 30-50 mm Hg between the upper and lower values.
It should be noted that each person has his own working pressure, but there is an average value from which doctors repel, making a diagnosis to the patient - 110 per 70 mmHg. If a person has indicators below the specified limit, then he is hypotensive, if higher, then, respectively, hypertonic. Both conditions lead to various complications, so you need to strive to control blood pressure (BP) throughout life.
During the day, blood pressure changes many times, drops and rises depending on the life situation and human condition. However, if there is a sharp drop in blood pressure, urgent measures must be taken to normalize it. When a person's blood pressure drops sharply, the reasons will be determined by doctors, the main thing is to quickly deliver the victim to a hospital or emergency room.
Types of Hypotension
In order to know what to do if pressure drops sharply, you need to understand the types of hypotension.
- Acute hypotension. It can be caused by trauma, shock, collapse. If the pressure and pulse dropped sharply, a person’s life depends on the right actions.
- Chronic hypotension. Not so dangerous, it can be a consequence of strong physical exertion or the individuality of the human body, when a person’s pressure is low from birth.
Chronic hypotension can be primary or secondary, that is, a separate disease or a consequence of any pathology in the body.
Low pressure reasons
As mentioned above, hypotension can be acute and chronic. Each type of pathology has a number of specific causes. Acute hypotension (if blood pressure drops sharply) can be caused by anaphylactic shock, caused, for example, by an allergic reaction that occurs in the body.
Another reason is acute heart failure, myocardial infarction, internal heart block. In this situation, you need to know firmly what to do if the pressure drops sharply, otherwise a person may die within a few minutes.
Another reason is heavy bleeding. If with a rupture of a vessel in a limb everything is more or less clear - it is visible and you can quickly stop the blood, then with bleeding in the abdominal cavity, for example, everything is not so simple. It is not visible, the person does not feel it, but quickly loses strength and dies. This can happen from a fall from a height, a car accident or other injuries.
In a situation where pressure has fallen sharply, only a specialist can determine the reasons and what to do. Chronic hypotension is not so dangerous and does not require immediate medical attention. It is usually the result of systemic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, anemia, gastric ulcer, cirrhosis, bronchitis and other dangerous conditions. In this case, it is not necessary to decide what to do if the pressure drops sharply, but you must first focus on the treatment of the pathology that caused blood pressure and the normalization of the general condition of a person.
Causes of hypotension in women
In medicine, hypotension is studied in sufficient detail. A separate topic is the study of the causes of low blood pressure in the female body. This mainly occurs in pregnant women. It is during this period that any deviation from the norm can lead not only to a deterioration in the condition of the future mother, but also to the child.
For example, in the first trimester, the cause of low blood pressure is a change in the level of progesterone, and in the last months its decrease causes a large abdomen, compressing the veins that supply blood from the legs to the heart.
Deficiency of iron or other essential microelements, a woman’s passion for mono-diets and vegetarianism leads to low pressure.
We must not forget that the blood pressure in the body of a woman can obey the menstrual cycle, and a sharp deterioration in the condition indicates failures in this process.
In this case, what to do if the pressure drops sharply, the gynecologist decides.
Signs of low blood pressure
Usually, people who are prone to pressure surges or who suffer from hypotension always have a tonometer at their fingertips - the simplest device that allows you to quickly measure pressure.
But those who are not familiar with such a problem, you just need to know the symptoms of a sharp drop in pressure. This will help you quickly decide on what to do next.
The first manifestation of fallen pressure is a sudden weakness in the arms and legs. It can become chronic and lead to distracted attention, apathy, neurosis, and so on.
A person with low pressure cannot sleep, because his sleep is restless and shallow. Therefore, he is always in a state of lack of sleep.
During physical exertion, a person suffering from hypotension experiences shortness of breath, sweating, vomiting and even vomiting increase.
With a sharp rise to his feet from a sitting or lying position, a person is dizzy and darkens in his eyes.
All these signs indicate that it is necessary to undergo a full examination by a doctor - an independent treatment will not give an effect.
What is the danger of hypotension?
It would seem that it can be dangerous in that the pressure in a hypertonic or in an ordinary person drops sharply? As already noted, a sharp decrease in the rate may mean a heart attack or internal bleeding.
But chronic hypotension is no less dangerous. A constant lack of oxygen, which is a companion of hypotension, leads to brain diseases, for example, ischemic stroke.
If a person with chronic hypotension has reached advanced years, that part of the brain that is responsible for hearing or vision may be disconnected.
With low pressure, a person develops angina pectoris or cardiosclerosis very quickly, because weak blood flow poorly supplies the heart muscle with oxygen and minerals.
Hypotension is extremely dangerous for pregnant women. In conditions of low blood pressure, a child can develop a variety of pathologies or pregnancy can be terminated altogether.
First aid for a sharp drop in blood pressure
What to do - the pressure has dropped sharply in hypertensive patients, ordinary people, pregnant women? First call a doctor. And while he is traveling, a number of measures can be taken to normalize the pressure.
It is necessary to give a person a glass of water with 1 teaspoon of salt diluted in it. Salt retains water in the body, and there will be more water - pressure will rise.
Strong coffee helps some people. One cup should be enough.
In order for the brain to continue to be supplied with oxygen, you need to put the patient so that his legs are above the head.
You do not need to give a person valerian or another sedative, especially glycine. They activate the brain, but have a side effect - lowering blood pressure.
Diagnosis of hypotension
If a person was hospitalized in serious condition, his pressure dropped sharply, first doctors find out the cause. For this, an ultrasound of the brachiocephalic vessels, an electrocardiogram, magnetic resonance imaging of the vessels of the brain are performed. It is urgent to determine whether there is bleeding in the body.
If the patient complains of chronic low blood pressure and arrives for an examination not as a result of an attack, but in order to search for the causes of his condition, the doctor collects an anamnesis and sends the patient for a blood test. It determines its biochemical composition and the presence of inflammation.
After this, the patient undergoes an instrumental study using ultrasound, ECG, echocardiography and, if necessary, MRI.
Hypotension Treatment
Pressure dropped sharply - what to do urgently? The treatment of hypotension is aimed at eliminating its causes. To normalize the pressure, the patient may be prescribed intravenous drugs such as Mexidol, Actovegin, Cerebrolysin, or Vinpocetine. They are also used in the event of a sharp drop in pressure.
In the future, the patient begins to take pills "Mildronate", "Cinnarizine" or "Cavinton".
All drugs are prescribed only by a doctor. He also calculates the dosage and regimen, based on the results of diagnosis and individual indicators of the patient. Self-medication is unacceptable and dangerous.
Physiotherapy for hypotension
A major role in normalizing blood pressure is played by physiotherapy. The treatment complex includes therapeutic exercises, swimming, massage.
To normalize sleep and the nervous system, the patient may be prescribed drugs containing only natural components - from medicinal herbs. Tinctures of ginseng, leuzea and rhodiola help well.
Prevention
When a person is diagnosed with hypotension, he undergoes a long course of treatment, which, as a rule, has only a temporary effect. Especially if the predisposition to the pathology was inherited from the parents.
But there are a number of preventive actions in which pressure will be normal for many years, even if a person has a predisposition to this condition.
First of all, you need to change the sleep mode - to go to bed and get up at the same time. Even if only 5-6 hours are allotted for sleep, under such a regime, this person will have enough of this time to completely relax and recover. But it is better, of course, to sleep 7-8 hours.
It is imperative to play sports, especially if a person is forced to lead a sedentary lifestyle related to his professional activity. A healthy lifestyle will help prevent a number of dangerous conditions.
You need to walk more, do not use transport for short distances, elevators and escalators. You can not abuse alcohol and smoking, but it is better to completely abandon addictions. Everyone knows that they will not lead to anything good. You need to understand what is more important for you - life or an imaginary illusion of pleasure.
It is recommended to undergo a full medical examination at least 1 time per year. This will allow you to diagnose a developing pathology in the initial stages and cure it.
Conclusion
It is important to note that a sharp drop in pressure is a very bad sign. If this happened once, then such attacks will only become more frequent over the years and eventually lead to a deadly condition. Therefore, it is necessary to control blood pressure from youth and try to normalize it immediately, as soon as it begins to fall or rise.