Arterial hypertension diagnostic methods

Timely diagnosis of hypertension can prevent serious complications. Arterial hypertension is one of the most common diseases in the world. According to statistics, almost half of the people have a problem with high blood pressure, but hypertension is stated only when high blood pressure is constantly observed at rest.

Basic diagnostic methods

This pathology is often referred to as the "silent killer". This name was given to her for a reason. Very often, people do not even suspect that they have this disease. A sick person is able to have high blood pressure, and at the same time feel completely healthy.

But even with the absolute absence of symptoms, in this condition, changes occur in the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, brain, kidneys, which can lead to stroke, myocardial infarction, and kidney failure. Therefore, it is very important to measure pressure indicators from time to time. This is especially true for those who have crossed the forty-year milestone, since at this age the risk of such a disease increases significantly.

There are three main ways to detect arterial hypertension:

• pressure measurement with a tonometer;
• electrocardiogram;
• physical examination.

Diagnosis of arterial hypertension is carried out with a special device - a tonometer.

A cuff is applied to the forearm, the membrane amplifier of the stethoscope is applied to the elbow bend, and the auditory part is inserted into the ears. The air valve on the pear closes and by repeatedly pressing this element, air is pumped into the cuff. The process continues until the arrow on the dial rises a few divisions above the expected indicators. After that, the valve on the pear slowly opens. During the descent of air, the first and last knock is recorded. These are the systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings.

During a physical examination, hypertension is established, first of all, based on the results of listening to cardiac activity with a stethoscope. If noises, uncharacteristic sounds or changes in tones (amplification, weakening) are detected, a suspicion of arterial hypertension is established, since such manifestations indicate pathological processes taking place in the muscle tissues of the organ caused by high blood pressure.

In addition, the doctor asks the patient about risk factors: former or existing diseases, smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, hereditary predisposition (hypertension in parents or other relatives).

An electrocardiogram records changes in the electrical impulses of the heart over time. This diagnostic method is most often used to detect abnormalities in the heart rhythm, but this study also determines the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy, which is a consequence of hypertension.

In addition to the above procedures, it is possible to identify hypertension in stationary conditions using the following examinations:

1. Echocardiography. The presence of consistently high blood pressure is indicated by defects in the structure of the heart, changes in the state of the valves and walls of the organ.
2. Arteriography. With hypertension, such a study will show the existence of atheromatous plaques in the walls of the coronary vessels, coarctation of the aorta, and so on.
3. Dopplerography. This method of ultrasound diagnostics determines the state of blood flow in the vessels. With hypertension, the carotid arteries and cerebral circulation are examined in a similar way.
4. Biochemical study of blood. Such analyzes are carried out in order to determine the amount of cholesterol, low and high density lipoproteins, and the presence of sugar in the blood. It is these indicators that are factors indicating the possibility of hypertension.

Symptoms of arterial hypertension

The clinic of hypertensive pathology has no specific symptoms. Very often, the disease is detected by chance, during the differential diagnosis of any other disease. Patients often report that they occasionally experience "lightheadedness", weakness, or dizziness.

But such manifestations are not considered something serious and are attributed to simple fatigue. But it is they who are the "first bell" that speaks of high pressure. The symptoms that occur when the target organs (the most susceptible to changes in blood pressure) are already affected make you see a doctor.

Among others, the following manifestations indicate arterial hypertension:

• dizziness;
• head pain, reminiscent of "squeezing with a hoop";
• noise;
• bad memory;
• double vision;
• general weakness;
• difficulties with speech;
• "flies" before the eyes;
• chest pain;
• arrhythmia.

This indicates brain damage, pathological disorders of the heart.

As a result of the fact that the wall of the left ventricle is compacted and the subsequent expansion of the cardiac chamber, progressive dystrophy of the left ventricle very often leads to shortness of breath (especially with a significant load), with complex forms, pulmonary edema and heart failure are detected. The consequence may be a heart attack of the myocardial muscle, ventricular fibrillation.

But still, the main symptom in differential diagnosis, which allows to identify hypertension, is a headache. These unpleasant symptoms occur at any time of the day or night. They are complemented by heaviness or bursting in the back of the head. The pain causes a sensation of squeezing with a hoop, it can intensify with any tilt of the head or straining. In parallel, swelling of the eyelids or face, nausea, dizziness may appear. If the headache does not go away for a long time, the person becomes quick-tempered and irritable.

You can also identify hypertension by pain in the chest area. They differ from angina attacks and have a characteristic manifestation only for this pathology.

Pain in hypertension

• appears in the region of the upper part of the heart or on the left side of the chest;
• occurs both at rest and during emotional stress;

• has a long duration;
• not removed by nitroglycerin;
• does not occur during exercise.

With severe damage to the heart muscle and the appearance of insufficiency of this organ, hypertensive patients experience shortness of breath during exercise. In addition, if the consequence of high pressure is damage to the heart or kidneys, it is possible to determine hypertension in a patient due to the appearance of swelling of the legs. This may be due to both the occurrence of heart failure and an acute violation of the excretory function of the urinary system.

Also, for people suffering from arterial hypertension, visual impairment is characteristic. Most often this is manifested by "flies", fog or a continuous veil before the eyes. Such symptoms are detected due to pathologies of blood circulation in the retina of the visual organs. In the case of thrombosis, detachment or hemorrhage, diplopia occurs, visual capabilities can significantly decrease, up to complete blindness.

Reasons for the appearance

Factors leading to the development of this disease can be different. Much depends on lifestyle, age, ecology, social status. An interesting fact is that in economically developed countries the number of people who are diagnosed with arterial hypertension is much greater than in poor countries.

Many attribute this to the poor development of medicine in the Third World, and some argue that this feature is based on the amount of complex and simple carbohydrates consumed. In any case, hypertension does not appear "just like that." Its occurrence is provoked by certain factors.

• Stress. One of the reasons that causes high blood pressure is frequent stressful situations. During this state, a large amount of adrenaline is released into the blood. Not all people can cope with this. And regular emotional stress constantly leads to increased blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels.
• Nutrition. In modern society, few people adhere to a balanced diet. The abuse of high-calorie foods leads to the fact that the hepatic function of the breakdown of carbohydrates and fats is disrupted. As a result, cholesterol is deposited on the walls of blood vessels, which leads to a narrowing of their lumen and, as a result, an increase in blood pressure.
• Water. Today, more and more people are replacing water with carbonated drinks. But they can be one of the reasons for high blood pressure. Normally, blood contains about 80% water and about 20% other elements. In the case of constant use of drinks containing citric acid and gas, erythrocytes (one of the components of blood) stick together, which makes it difficult for blood to move through the channels and, as a result, leads to an increase in pressure. Therefore, it is always important to remember that there is no substitute for ordinary clean water.
• Sedentary lifestyle. Very often, when identifying the causes of hypertension, the doctor states that the patient does not attach importance to physical activity or his work is inactive. As a result, metabolic processes in the body are disturbed, overweight, obesity appear, and atherosclerotic plaques form on the walls of the blood channels. And this leads to high blood pressure.

• Diabetes. This disease is also one of the causes of high blood pressure. The hormone insulin promotes the natural expansion of blood vessels. But in a person who suffers from diabetes, it is not enough or not at all. This leads to spasm of the arteries, which causes an increase in pressure.
• Genetics. Hereditary predisposition plays an important role in finding out the causes of hypertension. If parents, grandparents had a similar illness, it is highly likely that this pathology will manifest itself in subsequent generations.
• Diselementosis. This reason is based on the fact that the use of dishes with a large amount of salt leads to the retention of water in the intercellular space. But at the same time, magnesium and potassium, which are necessary for the cardiovascular system to function properly, are washed out.

Methods of treatment of arterial hypertension are based on the identification and elimination of the causes that led to its occurrence. That is, the therapy of the disease will have to begin with a change in the very way of life. First of all, you will need to learn how to cope with stressful situations, review the diet.