3 degrees of hypertension on the ECG

Hypertension is a fairly common disease of the cardiovascular system. The pathology is characterized by high blood pressure, and the possible consequences depend on the severity of hypertension. In the initial stages, the deviation causes only slight inconvenience, but the more the disease progresses, the more serious the consequences can be. Because of this disease, heart attacks and strokes often occur, and the worst outcome of hypertension is death. The easiest way to diagnose arterial hypertension is an ECG (electrocardiography). This procedure is quite informative, and its implementation does not cause any particular difficulties.

Features of the ECG

With the help of electrocardiography, it becomes possible to analyze the electrical fields of the heart that appear as a result of the work of the myocardium. Although the procedure is simple, it has its own characteristics, without which it is impossible to achieve results that reflect the main indicators of the work of the heart. Adequate electrocardiography will allow not only to assess the condition of the organ, but also to understand what treatment should be prescribed to the patient. As a result, the ECG provides a specific graph that reflects the work of the myocardium.

• the procedure is carried out with the help of special equipment, which is called an electrocardiograph (consists of a device that records data, an input element, a device that increases the bioelectric cardiac potential);
• electrocardiography is carried out both in a medical institution or an ambulance, and at home;
• if electrocardiography is performed in an office, the room should be isolated from electrical interference.

During electrocardiography, the patient lies with his back on the couch and exposes the upper half of the body. The doctor prepares the person for the procedure. Preparation involves degreasing the skin areas to which the electrodes will be attached. After that, the doctor sets up the equipment.

Electrodes are fixed on such parts of the body:

• lower leg (bottom from the inside);
• forearm;
• sternum.

• before the procedure, you can not eat, smoke and drink coffee or energy drinks;
• a person comes to the procedure cheerful and calm;
• it is forbidden to drink a lot of water the day before the ECG;
• you can not play sports before the procedure;
• when coming to the ECG, the patient takes with him medical records related to his health.

Electrocardiography is carried out only by a qualified doctor who can carry out the procedure in accordance with all the rules and adequately interpret the results. The indications are affected not only by the work of the heart, but also by the conditions in which the ECG took place, and the mood of the person being examined.

ECG results for hypertension of varying degrees

A curved line appears on the electrocardiogram, and the doctor analyzes the length of certain segments and the amplitude of the fluctuations of the peaks. The length of the segments from one peak to another reflects the rhythm of heart contractions. A stable rhythm is a pattern in which these segments are of the same length or do not differ by more than a tenth. If the segments are very different from each other, then the heart rate is unstable, although an accurate diagnosis can only be made by a qualified specialist.

• overloaded or enlarged left ventricle;
• manifestations of ischemia of the heart or ischemia of individual parts of the heart muscle.

1. The first stage is not characterized by any particularly serious manifestations. Usually, the symptoms of the disease appear unexpectedly, and also suddenly disappear. In most cases, an increase in pressure is detected by chance, for example, during a routine examination. The pressure may rise due to physical exertion or stress. Since the initial stage of the disease does not cause severe damage to internal organs, examinations do not reveal any special deviations. Thus, neither an ECG, nor an EchoCG (echocardiogram), nor an X-ray examination will reveal serious problems. The best method for diagnosing the first stage of hypertension is to measure pressure.
2. The second stage already has a number of manifestations that can be noticed. A person often overtakes hypertensive crises, during which the pressure rises to a dangerously high level. On the results of electrocardiography, a number of changes are observed, indicating an increase in the left ventricle. The same changes are visible on echocardiography and x-rays. With the further development of hypertension of the 2nd degree, disturbances in the heart rhythm, conduction and blood circulation through the blood vessels of the myocardium become visible on the ECG. To diagnose hypertension of the second stage, it is enough to fix increased pressure, on the ECG - to identify an increase in the left ventricle, and also to notice changes in the fundus.
3. The third stage of hypertension is the last stage of the disease. This stage is characterized by constant high pressure, as well as complications on other body systems. There is an outflow of blood from bursting vessels into the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe cerebral cortex or cerebellum, and when looking at the eyes, there is an outflow of blood into the retina. Hypertension affects the work of the heart, causing left ventricular failure and heart attack. The patient also has kidney failure. On the ECG, disturbances of the coronary circulation and an increase in the left ventricle become noticeable. In addition, the patient's pressure rises on an ongoing basis, and many internal organs also suffer.

The more severe the stage of hypertension, the more difficult it becomes to cure. That is why it is better to identify the disease at an early stage in order to spend less time and effort on treatment and avoid serious complications.

Helpful Tips

In order for hypertension not to develop and bring even more problems, it is enough just to follow a few tips for preventing the disease.

• exercise daily to maintain the elasticity of blood vessels (just do morning exercises);
• monitor your weight, avoid obesity, as extra pounds provoke not only arterial hypertension, but also ischemia;
• give up smoking, because nicotine clogs blood vessels (not only active, but also passive smoking harms blood vessels);
• a person should have a good rest and alternate intellectual and physical activity;
• blood sugar should be measured more often and not allowed to deviate from the norm;
• constantly and at regular intervals to measure pressure;
• perform electrocardiography in a timely manner (perform the procedure at the time prescribed by the doctor).