Tests for arterial hypertension

Today, arterial hypertension is a fairly common disease. This disease provokes an increase in blood pressure beyond 140 millimeters of mercury, which can lead to a number of complications. There are many reasons why arterial hypertension occurs. Therefore, if such a disease is already observed, then it is necessary to contact specialists for an examination, during which proper treatment will be prescribed.

Features of the disease

If, during the examination, the causes of hypertension can be identified without any difficulty, then it is assigned a secondary classification. If, nevertheless, it is not possible to find the cause of the disease, it is considered to be the primary cause.

Statistics show that 30% of the adult population suffers from arterial hypertension. Starting from 40-45 years, the percentage of the disease increases sharply, in the male half of the sex it reaches 60%, and in the female 45-50%.

The main causes of arterial hypertension:

• Sedentary lifestyle.
• The use of alcoholic beverages.
• Smoking.
• Diabetic forms of the disease.
• Frequent stressful situations.
• Disease of the internal organs (often the kidneys).
• Disturbed metabolism in the human body.
• Constant coffee drinking.
• The use of large amounts of salt.
• Regular consumption of fatty foods.
• Hormonal disbalance.
• Genetic anomalies.

All these factors can greatly contribute to the development of hypertension. However, the level of blood pressure can be influenced by weather conditions, daily routine and other less significant factors. Such an increase in pressure is unstable and returns to normal on its own.

Signs of the disease "arterial hypertension":

• Severe headaches that regularly appear in the temples and the back of the head.
• Periodic dizziness.
• Loss of vision.
• Increased heart rate.
• Weakness and shortness of breath.
• Cold extremities of hands and feet.
• Unauthorized increase in pressure
• Nausea
• Loss of consciousness (rare and may be a sign of more serious complications).
• Bleeding from the nose.

Procedure for measuring blood pressure

Also, one hour before you need to measure the pressure, you should refrain from eating, coffee, and also not using tobacco or alcohol. In addition, it is also not recommended to perform any physical activity. Then, before the measurement itself, it is necessary to sit on a chair, lean on the back, the feet should be completely on the floor. Next, you need to put one hand on your leg or on the armrest of the chair, and the other on the table and roll up the sleeve to the shoulder, and actually proceed to the measurement itself.

Pressure measurement is carried out using a device called a tonometer. A tonometer cuff is put on the shoulder without clothes, then the acoustic head is applied to the elbow cavity. Next, you need to put a stethoscope in your ears and start inflating the cuff using the so-called "pear" tonometer. After the cuff is inflated, begin to release air little by little, opening the valve. The first strong shock will mean the systolic value, and when the beats are muffled or not heard at all, this will mean the diastolic pressure. Also, for a more accurate result, it is recommended to measure on two hands. It is worth remembering that the normal pressure of a person is 120\75 - 125\75 mm Hg.

Examination of a patient with hypertension

Carrying out a thorough diagnosis and examination of the patient is necessary in order to establish the cause of arterial hypertension, and prescribe an appropriate course of treatment for the disease.

Diagnosis and examination of the patient, as a rule, occurs in 4 stages:

• Constant monitoring of the pressure level for a certain time.
• The cumulative collection of information that is obtained in the process of talking with the patient.
• Collection of data on the acquisition of the disease.
• Collecting general analyzes and conducting a thorough diagnosis of the detection of the disease.

As a rule, examinations are carried out, starting from simple ones, and moving on to more serious ones. The first step is to collect information about all the circumstances that relate to the disease. If the data obtained was sufficient to determine the diagnosis, then the patient is not given a more complex diagnosis, but, as a rule, certain tests and appropriate treatment are prescribed.

If it is suspected that the cause may be hiding inside the body in the so-called "target organs", a more complex examination is prescribed. This is necessary in order to eliminate the risks of serious complications and to determine, if necessary, the degree of damage to organs that are closely related to pressure. During the diagnostic procedures, the cause of the disease will be identified, and special treatment will be prescribed to the patient.

Initial examination of the patient

First of all, an initial survey is carried out.

The survey form is as follows:

• Find out from the patient how long ago the pressure began to rise.
• Are there any diseases in relatives and in the patient himself.
• Which patient took medications to lower blood pressure.
• Whether there is an increase in pressure weakness and dizziness, whether there is blood from the nose.

• What are the symptoms associated with high blood pressure?
• Does the patient have bad habits and how he eats.
• What is the psycho-emotional state of a person in everyday life.

As a result of a conversation with the patient, the doctor determines what can serve as the causative agent of the disease for a particular person.

Also, the causative agent of the disease can be damaged "target organs", namely:

• Brain. When this organ is affected, symptoms such as severe headaches appear.
• Kidneys. Symptoms of kidney failure are profuse urination (sometimes urinary incontinence), constant thirst for water, urine with blood, etc.
• Heart. This organ practically does not show symptoms, but, nevertheless, they are present and this is pain in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bits location, frequent heartbeat.

In addition to the survey, the attending physician should look at the past treatment of the disease, if any. Also in the medical history, attention should be paid to what medications the patient was treated with in order to understand which medications he may have allergic reactions to.

After the interview, an initial examination takes place. Skin color, reflexes, body weight, palpation of places in the kidney area are examined, a visual examination of the eyes is performed. A primary examination of the heart is also performed using a stethoscope. At the same time, they listen to whether there is a suspicious murmur in the heart, and also what is the frequency of its rhythm.

After a visual inspection, the specialist prescribes a study and testing. Many people are concerned about the question of what tests should be taken.

For patients with hypertension, first of all, you need to do the following:

• Take a blood test.
• Submit a urine test.
• Analysis of the amount of plasma in the blood.
• Analysis of cholesterol levels.
• Analysis of potassium content.
• Analysis of the level of uric acid.
• Make an ECG (electrocardiogram).
• Check the fundus for signs of disease.

Also, if desired, you can do an ultrasound of the heart. Additionally, you can take a blood test to determine the level of cholesterol in it. After all, cholesterol also contributes to an increase in blood pressure, as it clogs the vessel, sticking to the walls, as a result of which the space for blood to pass decreases. In addition, it is recommended to do an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to check the brain for any pathologies.

Diagnosis of organs that may be related to high blood pressure is extremely important for hypertension, as the examination will help to detect various diseases, as well as monitor the patient's condition.

These diagnostic methods include:

• ECG - allows you to get detailed data about the work of the heart. The method helps to identify various failures in the heart rhythm.
• Ultrasound diagnosis of the heart (echocardiography), allows you to detect defects in the structure of the heart muscle itself, as well as changes in the thickness of the walls of the organ and the structure of the structure of the heart valves. The information obtained using this device may indicate an increase or decrease in the left ventricle of the organ. In addition, additional data on the thickness of the walls, as well as the dimensions of the hollow parts of the heart muscle, make it possible to determine the risk group, and, as a result, be taken into account by a specialist.
• Ultrasonic research method using Dopplerography. Diagnosis using dopplerography allows you to determine the state of arterial and venous circulation. In the case of arterial hypertension, diagnosis usually occurs in the cerebral and carotid arteries. The advantage of such diagnostics is that it is safe to use and there are no complications after its use.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Often for patients with hypertension, MRI is used to diagnose brain lesions. Brain tomography provides the necessary information for a specialist about the presence and some of the nuances associated with anomalies and changes.

Examination of a secondary form of hypertension

Quite often, arterial hypertension can be a manifestation of other diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the source of hypertension. And for this, various tests are prescribed, and diagnostics are carried out, which, in addition to confirming hypertension, can reveal other types of disease.

The most common cause of secondary hypertension and the occurrence of high blood pressure are pathological or inflammatory processes in the kidneys. In order to detect kidney disease, ultrasound (ultrasound) is performed, which helps to obtain information about the shape and size of the kidneys.

Ultrasound also examines inflammation in the kidneys, and will give an idea of ​​the condition of the organs. This diagnostic method, like ultrasound, has practically no effect on the internal organs of a person, so it can be considered safe. Also, an indicator of the disease may indicate a urine test, which may have a high content of creatine.

The next cause may be a disease of the renal arteries. It most often occurs in older people. In patients aged 20 to 45 years, such an ailment manifests itself in only 25% of cases. Damage to the renal arteries is diagnosed by ultrasound, but the probability of detection is 70%. In addition, MRI can detect damage to the renal artery.

An equally important cause of hypertension may be excessive production of aldosterone. It is produced by the adrenal glands as a result of renovascular hypertension. That is, due to the affected arteries, reduced pressure is created in the organ, it begins to seem to the kidneys that there is such pressure throughout the body, and, as a result, the release of aldosterone begins. You can identify such an ailment by taking a blood test, and checking it for the content of plasma and renin levels.

Also, the cause of the development of a disease such as hypertension can be caused by taking many drugs and other chemicals, such as steroids, hormonal contraceptives, drugs based on narcotic components, or potent substances. In order to avoid hypertension, it is worth protecting yourself from the use of such drugs.

Thus, timely diagnosis of the disease allows you to quickly diagnose and get rid of the main manifestations of the disease.

The correct determination of the diagnosis at an early stage of the development of the disease with high pressure in most cases helps to save the patient's life.