High blood pressure (hypertension) is a disease that still, despite all attempts to study it, still holds many secrets. Deterioration in this pathology can occur at any time, and delay in this often entails the most serious consequences. Therefore, people who are prone to increased pressure (and every fifth inhabitant of the Earth can now rank themselves among such people) should know what measures should be taken if high pressure does not subside. There are many proven ways to do this, which this article will be devoted to.
Behind the numbers
Blood pressure (BP), or rather its level, is an indicator of the volume of blood flowing to the organs of our body. And the numbers of blood pressure demonstrate the effectiveness of the functioning of the cardiovascular system and help determine the presence of disorders in it. And before talking about what to do if high pressure does not decrease, does not go astray by conventional means, it is worthunderstand the components of this indicator in more detail.
The work of the heart is a cyclically alternating contraction and relaxation (in medicine - systole and diastole). With contraction, the volume of cavities in the heart muscle becomes smaller, and blood is ejected from them into the vessels, and during relaxation, on the contrary, it increases, and the cavities are filled with blood.
In the phase of diastole (i.e., relaxation), the valve that separates the heart from the vascular system (called the aortic valve) closes. This prevents blood from returning back to the heart and forces it to move through the vessels.
How blood moves in our body
In the human body there are several ways of moving blood - these are arteries, veins and capillaries. And often the reason that high blood pressure does not decrease is the characteristics of the blood circulation of a particular person. But how should this normally happen?
For the blood supplied with oxygen, arteries coming from the heart serve as conductors. She moves along them at high speed, passing several meters in a second. The walls of the arteries are equipped with muscle fibers, allowing them to change their diameter (increase or decrease the lumen of the vessels).
The veins, on the other hand, allow blood with a low oxygen content to pass through, and through them it returns back to the heart. At the same time, it moves slowly, overcoming only a few centimeters per second. The volume of the veins varies depending on the amount of blood accumulated in them.
The smallest vessels of our body are capillaries. Their diametersometimes measured in microns, which corresponds to the diameter of human blood cells. Through the walls of the capillaries, nutrients and gases are exchanged between the organs of the body and the blood - this is how you can primitively describe the circle of blood circulation in the body.
What affects blood pressure?
The way the heart and the entire cardiovascular system works is primarily reflected in the indicators of heart rate and blood pressure. After all, it is not in vain that in a situation where high blood pressure does not decrease, the doctor pays attention to the patient's pulse.
Pulse is a push of blood, felt at the place where the artery is close to the human skin. It occurs when the heart contracts (systole). Moreover, at this moment, in the initial section of the aorta (the main artery of the body), a so-called shock wave is formed, which is transmitted along the walls of all arteries and which can be detected in the form of oscillations. The pulse rate and its rhythm depend on the number of heart contractions.
And now about what affects the numbers of blood pressure.
- Blood pressure depends on the amount of blood circulating in the arteries. The fact is that its total volume is approximately 5 liters, and about 2/3 of its volume flows through the vessels at the same time. When it decreases, blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels decreases, and when it increases, an increase in pressure can be observed.
- In addition, it is directly dependent on the diameter of the vessels through which the blood moves. The smaller their diameter, the more they resist the movement of blood, which means that itthe pressure on the walls increases.
- Another factor that affects the amount of blood pressure is the intensity of heart contractions. The more often the muscle contracts, the more blood pumps, the greater the pressure on the walls of the arteries. By the way, often in such cases, a patient with high blood pressure does not have enough air, which can be considered a clear sign of an increase in heart rate (tachycardia).
Systolic and diastolic pressure
In medicine, it is customary to talk about two types of blood pressure: systolic (upper) and diastolic (lower). Systolic is the pressure in the artery at the moment of contraction of the heart muscle, and diastolic, respectively, at the moment of its relaxation. That is, at a pressure that is considered normal for a he althy adult - 120/80 mm Hg. Art., the upper pressure (120) is systolic, and the lower one is (80) diastolic.
High pressure is not reduced? The reasons may lie in the effect on the body of tonic drinks (tea, coffee) or alcohol, as well as physical activity and emotional stress, especially if a person is already over 40 and has a tendency to hypertension. But, for your information, such an increase in pressure is not yet considered pathological, since it is a compensatory, that is, a forced, adaptive reaction of the body to specific stimuli, and, as a rule, normalizes on its own.
What causes hypertension
And hypertension, unlike the situation described above, is a persistent increase in blood pressure. As already mentioned, it can provokeboth an increase in the volume of blood that the heart pumps, and a narrowing of the diameter of the vessels. And the latter can be caused by thickening of their walls, and clogging with cholesterol plaques. But this is only a small part of the causes of hypertension.
This disease can accompany age-related or hormonal changes in the human body, as well as pathologies of internal organs, such as kidney failure. By the way, in these cases, high blood pressure is not reduced by drugs or reacts weakly to their intake. And therefore, doctors with persistent blood pressure indicators, as a rule, refer the patient for an additional examination to determine the true causes of hypertension.
Based on this, it is customary to distinguish between primary hypertension, it is called essential, and secondary - symptomatic. The first type of disease, unfortunately, does not have a single cause of occurrence, by eliminating which, one can achieve a stable decrease or normalization of pressure. And secondary hypertension depends entirely on the specific cause (that is, on an existing disease), its elimination is necessary not only to reduce blood pressure, but also to avoid possible complications.
And if I don't feel high blood pressure?
This question is sometimes asked by patients. As a rule, an increase in pressure is accompanied by certain symptoms: headache, nausea, a feeling of heat in the neck and head, palpitations, lack of air, the appearance of black flies before the eyes. At the same time, each patient has his own set of true signs that the pressure has increased.
Butthere is also a small percentage of hypertensive patients who (especially in the early stages of the disease) do not feel a change in their condition. That's why they ask, "What if I don't feel high blood pressure?"
In this case, doctors insist on regular monitoring of blood pressure with a tonometer. By the way, every person who has reached the age of 40 should have it. It is necessary to measure the pressure regularly, even if you feel well.
Finding out that the blood pressure is increased, and the state of he alth has not changed, it is worth taking a measurement every day. Preferably at the same time, having previously relaxed, not immediately after eating and following the instructions for using the tonometer. If a regular increase in pressure is detected, you should immediately contact a therapist for examination and prescribing drugs to control blood pressure.
Drugs that lower blood pressure
Of course, if high blood pressure does not decrease for several days, this is a serious reason to urgently consult a doctor and start treatment. After all, when diagnosing primary hypertension, you will now have to take medicines regularly, as this is still the only sure way to maintain good he alth.
Drugs that control blood pressure are divided into several types. And pay attention - the doctor prescribes them, based on the specific situation. You should not check on yourself the medicine that helped your neighbor! It may be dangerous for you.
- Among the drugs that lower blood pressure, oftendiuretics (diuretics) are used: Furosemide, Veroshpiron, Hydrochlorothiozide, etc. But nowadays they are most often prescribed as additional drugs.
- ACE inhibitors: Enap, Kaptopres, Lisinopril, etc. They block the enzyme that causes vasoconstriction and are usually used once a day.
- Beta-blockers: Anaprilin, Bisoprolol, Carvedilol, etc. They calm the pulse, even out the heart rate and reduce pressure, but are contraindicated in bronchial asthma and diabetes.
- Alpha-blockers: Droxazoline and others. They are used to urgently lower blood pressure.
In a situation where high blood pressure is not reduced by pills, intramuscular and intravenous drugs are used. Their action, as a rule, has a more pronounced effect. However, such medicines are used only in special cases and under medical supervision.
Act on acupuncture points to reduce pressure
With already existing hypertension, as with a sudden increase in blood pressure, a situation may arise when it steadfastly rests on frightening numbers and does not want to fall. High blood pressure does not decrease, what to do?
The effect on acupuncture points will help. In this case, we are talking about a point under the ear, or rather, under the lobe. Find a recess under it and, gently pressing on the skin, draw a vertical line with your finger from top to bottom, to the middle of the collarbone. This should be done 8-10 times on each side of the neck, and the pressure will decrease.
A onat the level of the earlobe, half a centimeter from it towards the nose, find a point that you massage strongly (but not painfully) for 1 minute.
Treatments to help lower high blood pressure
If the increase in blood pressure was preceded by stress or nervous tension, you should lie down comfortably (preferably on a high pillow), unbutton tight clothes and drink 20 drops of valerian, motherwort or peony tincture, which will help calm down. In case of painful sensations in the heart, it is best to take a Corvalmenta capsule or a Validol tablet.
Unfortunately, now it is already quite common that high pressure does not decrease. What to do if you can not immediately seek medical help?
- Doctors advise putting mustard plasters on the calves or dipping your feet in hot water - this will help redistribute the blood to the lower extremities, which will slightly reduce blood pressure (but note that this advice does not apply to people suffering from varicose veins in the legs).
- Helps to cope with a jump in blood pressure and a saline compress applied to the lower back and back of the head. The heated s alt is placed on a folded towel or napkin.
Effective means to lower blood pressure
If high blood pressure does not decrease for a long time, a vinegar foot compress helps well. You should take half a liter of apple cider vinegar and dilute it in an equal amount of water. After that, a towel is dipped into the mixture, wrung out and wrapped around the legs.
Please notethat both wrapped feet should be on the floor. After 10 minutes, the compress can be removed and the feet rinsed with cool water. Apple cider vinegar has an irritating effect that helps to cause blood flow and thus lower blood pressure. This method is considered very effective.
In addition, to reduce pressure, prepare a composition of tincture of valerian, hawthorn, motherwort and Valocordin. These funds are poured into one bottle (in equal proportions) and, if necessary, take a teaspoon of this mixture, but first dilute it in 50 ml of drinking water.
What if high blood pressure doesn't go down?
What to do with a persistent increase in blood pressure, of course, everyone is free to decide for himself. The tips above have been tested in similar situations and will help you, but do not forget that hypertension is a very insidious disease. It causes not only malaise at the time of increased pressure, but can also have a negative effect on vision, hearing, the condition of the heart and other organs. Not to mention the fact that high blood pressure is also a constant risk of stroke, usually ending in disability. Therefore, in a situation where high pressure does not decrease, what to do? Be sure to consult a doctor! This will save you a lot of trouble. Stay he althy!
