How to treat hypertension 1 degree?
Content
Hypertension of the 1st degree (the symptoms and treatment will be determined by the doctor) is easier to treat at the beginning of development than in the later stages. Treatment of the disease is complex and it is very important to start it on time to prevent further development of the pathology.
Hypertension is a serious problem of the XXI century. Due to the frantic pace of life, stress and malnutrition, more and more people suffer from jumps in blood pressure. Regular increase in pressure indicates the development of hypertension.
Causes and symptoms of hypertension
It is possible to prevent the development and avoid complications by starting treatment at an early stage of the progression of the pathology.
There are three stages in the development of the disease:
- The first stage is characterized by the absence of lesions of internal organs.
- In the second stage, pathological changes may occur in several organs.
- At the last stage, the heart, kidneys and brain suffer. Significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and other diseases.
Hypertension of the 1st degree is characterized by a frequent increase in blood pressure, not associated with stress or physical exertion. It is very important to learn to recognize the symptoms of this stage of the disease in order to start treatment on time.
The initial stage of hypertension can occur under the influence of several factors:
- Age. Pressure problems can appear at any age, but older people most often suffer from this.
- Floor. According to studies, hypertension affects men more often than women. This is due to the peculiarities of the hormonal background. But after menopause, when hormonal changes occur in the body, the chances of hypertension increase in women.
- High blood cholesterol.
- hereditary predisposition.
- Bad habits. Especially smoking contributes to the development of hypertension. Substances that are contained in cigarettes constrict blood vessels and reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood. At the same time, the heart is forced to work in constant tension.
- Overweight.
- Uneven physical activity or hypodynamia.
- Climatic features. Many people suffer from high blood pressure during sudden changes in temperature.
- Abuse of salty foods.
- Stress and emotional stress. The risk of developing the disease especially increases if the professional activity of a person is associated with constant stress and mental stress.
Factors such as lifestyle, bad habits and cholesterol levels can be influenced by the patient, eliminating them and thereby reducing the risk of developing hypertension. But hereditary predisposition and age cannot be corrected in any way.
The initial stage of hypertension does not cause serious damage to internal organs, but if treatment is not started on time, then the first stage of hypertension will pass into the second and third. If the problem is not corrected, a hypertensive crisis may develop, which is often fatal.
Most often, the problem is diagnosed during a preventive examination.
Therefore, at this stage, the disease can not always be detected:
- A person may periodically feel tired, which he associates with overwork.
- You may also get headaches from time to time. This is considered the main sign of incipient hypertension. Painful sensations in this case occur in the occipital region.
- There are no symptoms that would indicate a violation of the heart or urinary system.
- Some people may complain of dizziness or feeling overwhelmed.
- As the disease progresses, symptoms such as tinnitus or nosebleeds appear.
- Headaches can be accompanied by symptoms such as palpitations and general weakness.
- With the development of hypertension, the state of health worsens, as pathological processes begin in the heart, brain, and kidneys.
You can eliminate the symptoms only by starting treatment.
How is the diagnosis made?
To understand that a person has grade 1 hypertension, it is necessary to find out that blood pressure is in a consistently elevated state.
It is necessary to find out not only what the stage of development of the disease is, but also its type:
- primary hypertension;
- secondary hypertension is a consequence of another disease, so it can be cured only by eliminating the underlying pathology.
The diagnostic process consists of the following activities:
- Measurement of pressure on both hands and examination of the patient.
- General analysis of blood and urine.
- Cholesterol tests, blood analysis for lipid composition.
- ECG (Electrocardiography).
- Chest x-ray.
- Checking the condition of the fundus.
- Ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity.
With the help of these studies, an early degree of hypertension can be determined. If other diseases that caused an increase in blood pressure are detected, additional diagnostic procedures may be prescribed.
Pathology treatment methods
Most often, non-pharmacological methods are used.
These include:
- Correction of nutrition and lifestyle. Nutrition should include substances necessary for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. Animal fats, fried and spicy foods should be avoided. The diet should be dominated by fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
- Weight loss. If you are overweight, you need a low-calorie diet.
- Quitting smoking and drinking alcohol. Cigarettes, alcohol, even in small doses, have a destructive effect on the body.
- Normalization of the level of physical activity. Moderate exercise is very beneficial for health. You can improve your well-being by:
- run;
- swimming;
- sports walking;
- breathing exercises;
- cardio training.
But the load should be moderate. Increase the duration of classes should be gradually.
- Decreased salt intake. Doctors consider table salt to be the main enemy of the health of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce its amount in the diet, as it retains fluid in the body, contributes to the development of edema and increased pressure.
- Exclusion of stress and emotional stress. Stress is the cause of many diseases, including hypertension. In order to prevent the development of the 1st degree of the disease and prevent further progression, it is necessary to strengthen the nervous system. For this, auto-training, meditation, self-hypnosis are used.
At the initial stage of development, the treatment of hypertension may include auxiliary techniques:
- Physiotherapy. Assign procedures aimed at improving the well-being of the patient.
- Special medical gymnastics.
- Visiting chiropractors and massage therapists.
- Psychotherapy and autotraining.
- The use of medicinal fees and herbs to reduce pressure. These are the so-called folk remedies.
Folk remedies
It is possible to treat hypertension of the first degree with the help of folk methods. Such therapy consists in the use of medicinal plants. With hypertension, decoctions and infusions should be prepared from them.
Folk remedies can be used by people who cannot take medications.
For the treatment of the initial stage of hypertension, the following herbs are used:
- Motherwort. It calms the nervous system and relaxes the walls of blood vessels. You can eliminate the manifestations of high blood pressure, thanks to motherwort tincture. Or you can brew the herb and drink it as a tea.
- Mint contains a large amount of menthol. This helps to relieve nervous excitability and get rid of jumps in blood pressure. This plant is used even by pregnant women to calm the nervous system.
- Chicory. It can lower high blood pressure.
- Cranberry, rowan, currant. These berries have medicinal properties. They can be dried or eaten fresh, brew tea. Berries can be ground with sugar and drunk a teaspoon a day. Useful for the whole body.
- It is necessary to mix linden honey with half a glass of beetroot and lemon juice. The third part of a glass of this medicine should be drunk after a meal.
- Add a tablespoon of honey and the juice of half a lemon to a glass of mineral water. The remedy should be drunk in the morning before meals. The course of treatment should last at least a week. This medicine will also help with insomnia.
Medication treatment
If non-drug remedies did not give the desired effect, then the treatment of the first degree of hypertension is continued with the help of drugs.
The following means are used:
- Sedative drugs. These are antidepressants, sedatives, tranquilizers. Plant-based sedatives such as valerian or motherwort are often prescribed.
- Beta blockers. They affect the nerve receptors of the cardiovascular system.
- Diuretics. Necessary to eliminate excess fluid. This reduces blood volume and lowers blood pressure.
- Vasodilators. They contribute to the expansion of arterioles.
The doctor calculates the dosage for each patient individually, so you can not engage in self-medication.
Therapy can begin even with half a tablet, if necessary, increase the dose. If one drug does not help, then several drugs are prescribed to achieve the desired result.
How to eat with hypertension
Treatment for first-degree hypertension will not be fully effective if the patient does not eat properly. Diet is an important part of disease therapy. The patient should limit the intake of salt, fluids and animal fats.
Too fatty food contributes to the development of atherosclerosis, so it should be avoided. The diet should be dominated by meat and fish of low-fat varieties, vegetables and fruits. It is useful to consume dairy products (milk, kefir, cottage cheese).
Proper nutrition allows you to:
- Reduce cholesterol levels.
- Reduce the amount of blood.
- Avoid swelling.
With hypertension of the first degree, it is forbidden to consume fatty meat, coffee, lard, pastries, chocolate and cocoa, alcoholic beverages, spicy, fried and salty foods.
It is advisable to eat more foods that help strengthen the cardiovascular system:
- Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. They can be obtained from seafood. Low-fat sea fish is especially useful. It also contains iodine, which improves heart function.
- Vitamins and minerals. They can be obtained from fruits, vegetables, cereals and nuts. The use of these products will help strengthen the heart and blood vessels.
Fried foods are prohibited. Products can be steamed, boiled or stewed. It is better to eat in small portions at least five times a day. To properly make a diet, you need the help of a doctor.
If you follow all the rules of nutrition for hypertension of the first degree, then you can saturate the body with the substances necessary for normal functioning. This will positively affect the level of blood pressure.
It is useful to arrange fasting days once a week or two. On such a day, a person eats exclusively vegetables or drinks dairy products throughout the day. But before spending such days, you need to consult a doctor.
Disease prevention
To avoid the need for treatment, it is necessary to follow some recommendations. They will help prevent the development of hypertension.
Prevention of the disease is:
- in proper nutrition;
- in the absence of bad habits;
- in full relaxation and stress-free.
It is also necessary to avoid stressful situations, as they contribute to an increase in pressure. Particular attention should be paid to physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle and excessive exercise are equally harmful to the body, so it is advisable to find a middle ground.
Doctors advise such methods to prevent hypertension:
- Regular exercise to strengthen blood vessels.
- Pay attention to your weight, as excess body weight causes not only hypertension, but also many heart diseases.
- Periodic blood sugar checks.
- Regular measurement of blood pressure. This can be done at home with the help of a special device - a tonometer. It can be purchased at a pharmacy.
- Preventive visits to a cardiologist and an electrocardiogram.
It is impossible to get rid of arterial hypertension forever. But timely treatment will avoid damage to the heart, brain and kidneys.