How to protect your blood vessels in winter at the risk of high blood pressure

In the mountains the pressure is high or low

To begin with, let's remember the high school physics course, which explains why and how atmospheric pressure changes depending on altitude. The higher the area is above sea level, the lower the pressure there.

It is very simple to explain: atmospheric pressure indicates the force with which a column of air presses on everything that is on the surface of the Earth.

Naturally, the higher you rise, the lower the height of the air column, its mass and the pressure exerted will be.

In addition, at altitude the air is rarefied, it contains a much smaller number of gas molecules, which also immediately affects the mass. And we must not forget that with increasing altitude, the air is cleared of toxic impurities, exhaust gases and other “delights”, as a result of which its density decreases and atmospheric pressure drops.

Studies have shown that the dependence of atmospheric pressure on altitude differs as follows: an increase of ten meters causes a decrease in the parameter by one unit.

As long as the altitude of the area does not exceed five hundred meters above sea level, changes in the pressure of the air column are practically not felt, but if you rise five kilometers, the values ​​​​will be half the optimal ones.

The strength of the pressure exerted by the air also depends on the temperature, which decreases greatly when rising to a higher altitude.

For the level of blood pressure and the general condition of the human body, the value of not only atmospheric pressure, but also partial pressure, which depends on the concentration of oxygen in the air, is very important.

In proportion to the decrease in air pressure, the partial pressure of oxygen also decreases, which leads to an insufficient supply of this essential element to the cells and tissues of the body and the development of hypoxia.

This is explained by the fact that the diffusion of oxygen into the blood and its subsequent transportation to the internal organs occurs due to the difference in the partial pressure of the blood and the pulmonary alveoli, and when rising to a high altitude, the difference in these readings becomes significantly smaller.

How does altitude affect a person's well-being?

The main negative factor affecting the human body at altitude is the lack of oxygen. It is as a result of hypoxia that acute disorders of the heart and blood vessels, increased blood pressure, digestive disorders and a number of other pathologies develop.

Hypertensive patients and people prone to pressure surges should not climb high into the mountains and it is advisable not to take long flights. They will also have to forget about professional mountaineering and mountain tourism.

The severity of the changes occurring in the body made it possible to distinguish several altitude zones:

• Up to one and a half to two kilometers above sea level is a relatively safe zone in which no special changes are observed in the functioning of the body and the state of vital systems. Deterioration in well-being, decreased activity and endurance are observed very rarely.
• From two to four kilometers - the body tries to cope with the oxygen deficiency on its own, thanks to increased breathing and taking deep breaths. Heavy physical work, which requires the consumption of large amounts of oxygen, is difficult to perform, but light exercise is well tolerated for several hours.
• From four to five and a half kilometers - the state of health noticeably worsens, and it is difficult to perform physical work. Psycho-emotional disorders appear in the form of high spirits, euphoria, and inappropriate actions. When staying at such a height for a long time, headaches, a feeling of heaviness in the head, problems with concentration, and lethargy occur.
• From five and a half to eight kilometers - it is impossible to do physical work, the condition worsens sharply, and the percentage of loss of consciousness is high.
• Above eight kilometers - at this altitude a person is able to maintain consciousness for a maximum of several minutes, after which deep fainting and death follows.

For metabolic processes to occur in the body, oxygen is necessary, the deficiency of which at altitude leads to the development of altitude sickness. The main symptoms of the disorder are:

• Headache.
• Increased breathing, shortness of breath, lack of air.
• Nose bleed.
• Nausea, attacks of vomiting.
• Joint and muscle pain.
• Sleep disorders.
• Psycho-emotional disorders.

At high altitudes, the body begins to experience a lack of oxygen, as a result of which the functioning of the heart and blood vessels is disrupted, arterial and intracranial pressure increases, and vital internal organs fail. To successfully overcome hypoxia, you need to include nuts, bananas, chocolate, cereals, and fruit juices in your diet.

Effect of altitude on blood pressure levels

When rising to a high altitude, a decrease in atmospheric pressure and thin air cause an increase in heart rate and an increase in blood pressure. However, with a further increase in altitude, blood pressure levels begin to decrease.

A decrease in the oxygen content in the air to critical values ​​causes depression of cardiac activity and a noticeable decrease in pressure in the arteries, while in the venous vessels the levels increase. As a result, a person develops arrhythmia and cyanosis.

Not long ago, a group of Italian researchers decided for the first time to study in detail how altitude affects blood pressure levels. To conduct research, an expedition to Everest was organized, during which the participants’ pressure levels were determined every twenty minutes.

During the hike, an increase in blood pressure during ascent was confirmed: the results showed that the systolic value increased by fifteen, and the diastolic value by ten units. It was noted that the maximum blood pressure values ​​were determined at night. The effect of antihypertensive drugs at different altitudes was also studied.

It turned out that the drug under study effectively helped at an altitude of up to three and a half kilometers, and when rising above five and a half it became absolutely useless.

When your head starts to hurt before a thunderstorm, and every cell of your body feels the approach of rain, you begin to think that this is old age. In fact, this is how millions of people around the globe react to changing weather.

This process is called weather dependence. The first factor that directly affects well-being is the close relationship between atmospheric and blood pressure.

What is atmospheric pressure

Atmospheric pressure is a physical quantity. It is characterized by the action of the force of air masses on a unit of surface.

Its magnitude is variable, depending on the altitude of the area above sea level, geographic latitude and is associated with the weather. An atmospheric pressure of 760 mm Hg is considered normal .

It is with this value that a person experiences the most comfortable state of health.

What does the change in atmospheric pressure depend on?

A deviation of the barometer needle by 10 mm in one direction or another is sensitive to humans. And pressure drops occur for several reasons.

Seasonality

In summer, when the air warms up, the pressure on the mainland drops to its minimum values. In winter, due to heavy and cold air, the barometer needle reaches its maximum value.

Times of Day

In the morning and in the evenings, the pressure usually rises slightly, and in the afternoon and midnight it becomes lower.

Zoning

Atmospheric pressure also has a pronounced zonal character. The globe is divided into areas with a predominance of high and low pressure. This happens because the Earth's surface warms up unevenly.

At the equator, where the land is very hot, warm air rises and areas of low pressure are formed . Closer to the poles, cold, heavy air descends to the ground and presses on the surface. Accordingly, a high pressure zone is formed here.

Does pressure increase or decrease in the mountains?

Let's remember the geography course for high school. As you gain altitude, the air becomes thinner and the pressure decreases. Every twelve meters of ascent reduces the barometer reading by 1 mmHg. But at high altitudes the patterns are different.

See the table for how air temperature and pressure change with altitude.

Altitude above sea level, m Air temperature, ° C Atmospheric pressure, mm Hg.

Source: https://sovterror.ru/v-gorah-davlenie-povyshennoe-ili-ponizhennoe/

Controllable factors for hypertension

The reasons leading to high blood pressure and which can be avoided are:

• obesity;
• bad habits (smoking and drinking alcohol);
• violation of the daily routine;
• insufficient sleep and rest;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• chronic stress;
• professional activities associated with nervous and mental overload;
• unhealthy diet (excess salt, fatty, smoked foods, unhealthy foods, etc.)

Attention!

Even in the absence of characteristic symptoms of high blood pressure (and a history of hypertensive crisis), it is necessary to have a tonometer at home to measure blood pressure. This is especially true for all persons over 40 years of age, regardless of gender and occupation.

What does the change in atmospheric pressure depend on?

A deviation of the barometer needle by 10 mm in one direction or another is sensitive to humans. And pressure drops occur for several reasons.

Seasonality

In summer, when the air warms up, the pressure on the mainland drops to its minimum values. In winter, due to heavy and cold air, the barometer needle reaches its maximum value.

Times of Day

In the morning and in the evenings, the pressure usually rises slightly, and in the afternoon and midnight it becomes lower.

Zoning

Atmospheric pressure also has a pronounced zonal character. The globe is divided into areas with a predominance of high and low pressure. This happens because the Earth's surface warms up unevenly.

At the equator, where the land is very hot, warm air rises and areas of low pressure are formed . Closer to the poles, cold, heavy air descends to the ground and presses on the surface. Accordingly, a high pressure zone is formed here.

How does an anticyclone affect the body?

When an anticyclone approaches, the barometer needles creep up to the level of 770-780 mm Hg. The weather changes: it becomes clear, sunny, and a light breeze blows. The amount of industrial pollutants harmful to health is increasing in the air.

High blood pressure is not dangerous for hypotensive patients.

But if it increases, then allergy sufferers, asthmatics, and hypertensives experience negative manifestations:

• Headaches and heartaches,
• Decreased performance,
• Increased heart rate,
• Redness of the face and skin,
• Flickering of flies before the eyes,
• Increased blood pressure.

Also, the number of leukocytes in the blood decreases, which means a person becomes vulnerable to disease. With blood pressure 220/120 mmHg. there is a high risk of developing hypertensive crisis, thrombosis, embolism, coma.

Atmosphere pressure

Since air has mass and weight, it exerts pressure on the surface in contact with it. It is calculated that a column of air with a height from sea level to the upper boundary of the atmosphere presses on a 1 cm area with the same force as a weight of 1 kg 33 g. Man and all other living organisms do not feel this pressure, since it is balanced by their internal air pressure. When climbing in the mountains, already at an altitude of 3000 m, a person begins to feel unwell: shortness of breath and dizziness appear. At an altitude of more than 4000 m, a nose may bleed, as blood vessels rupture, and sometimes a person even loses consciousness. All this happens because atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude, the air becomes rarefied, the amount of oxygen in it decreases, but a person’s internal pressure does not change. Therefore, in airplanes flying at high altitudes, the cabins are hermetically sealed, and they are artificially maintained at the same air pressure as at the surface of the Earth. Pressure is measured using a special device - a barometer - in mm of mercury.

It has been established that at sea level at parallel 45° with an air temperature of 0°C, atmospheric pressure is close to the pressure produced by a column of mercury 760 mm high. The air pressure under such conditions is called normal atmospheric pressure. If the pressure indicator is greater, then it is considered increased, if less, it is considered decreased. When climbing mountains, for every 10.5 m, the pressure decreases by approximately 1 mmHg. Knowing how pressure changes, you can use a barometer to calculate the altitude of a place.

Pressure changes not only with altitude. It depends on the air temperature and the influence of air masses. Cyclones lower atmospheric pressure, and anticyclones increase it.

Atmosphere pressure

Since air has mass and weight, it exerts pressure on the surface in contact with it. It is calculated that a column of air with a height from sea level to the upper boundary of the atmosphere presses on a 1 cm area with the same force as a weight of 1 kg 33 g. Man and all other living organisms do not feel this pressure, since it is balanced by their internal air pressure. When climbing in the mountains, already at an altitude of 3000 m, a person begins to feel unwell: shortness of breath and dizziness appear. At an altitude of more than 4000 m, a nose may bleed, as blood vessels rupture, and sometimes a person even loses consciousness. All this happens because atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude, the air becomes rarefied, the amount of oxygen in it decreases, but a person’s internal pressure does not change. Therefore, in airplanes flying at high altitudes, the cabins are hermetically sealed, and they are artificially maintained at the same air pressure as at the surface of the Earth. Pressure is measured using a special device - a barometer - in mm of mercury.

It has been established that at sea level at parallel 45° with an air temperature of 0°C, atmospheric pressure is close to the pressure produced by a column of mercury 760 mm high. The air pressure under such conditions is called normal atmospheric pressure. If the pressure indicator is greater, then it is considered increased, if less, it is considered decreased. When climbing mountains, for every 10.5 m, the pressure decreases by approximately 1 mmHg. Knowing how pressure changes, you can use a barometer to calculate the altitude of a place.

Pressure changes not only with altitude. It depends on the air temperature and the influence of air masses. Cyclones lower atmospheric pressure, and anticyclones increase it.

Diseases of the visual organs, ENT organs, infectious diseases

Diseases such as glaucoma, retinal diseases, a significant decrease in visual acuity in both eyes, diseases of the lens, cornea, as well as hearing loss, diseases of the vestibular system make staying in the mountains impossible.

The road to the mountains is closed for a period of one to twelve months to people who have suffered acute infectious diseases - influenza, sore throat, Botkin's disease (infectious hepatitis). Failure to comply with the last rule may lead to irreparable consequences. This list was not born in the silence of an office. Behind every line there are injured people, often complex rescue operations that required the maximum effort of many people.

It is very important to clearly define the limits of your capabilities. For a person with gray hair, this limit will be picking mushrooms or a walk in the park, and for another, who has climbed many high mountains behind him, this limit will be climbing one of the seven-thousanders along a difficult route.

In addition to doctors, simple self-control techniques will also help you determine your capabilities. The most reliable sign that you can handle the load is feeling great and in a good mood. The absence of a feeling of lack of air, chest pain and headaches indicates that the physical activity corresponds to the body’s capabilities. If you also master a simple method of counting your pulse, then this will be enough to assess whether the load is chosen correctly.

Nervous system diseases

Diseases of the central nervous system that make staying in the mountains dangerous include:

epilepsy (a disease characterized by the unpredictable development of seizures, convulsions, accompanied by loss of consciousness);

mental illness in forms that pose a danger to others;

encephalitis and their consequences;

diseases accompanied by seizures, a history of severe traumatic brain injury;

alcoholism and drug addiction.

Mild disorders of the nervous system, such as radiculitis, myositis, or previous traumatic brain injuries that left no consequences, only limit the possibility of staying in the mountains, without completely excluding it.

Atmosphere pressure

Since air has mass and weight, it exerts pressure on the surface in contact with it. It is calculated that a column of air with a height from sea level to the upper boundary of the atmosphere presses on a 1 cm area with the same force as a weight of 1 kg 33 g. Man and all other living organisms do not feel this pressure, since it is balanced by their internal air pressure. When climbing in the mountains, already at an altitude of 3000 m, a person begins to feel unwell: shortness of breath and dizziness appear. At an altitude of more than 4000 m, a nose may bleed, as blood vessels rupture, and sometimes a person even loses consciousness. All this happens because atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude, the air becomes rarefied, the amount of oxygen in it decreases, but a person’s internal pressure does not change. Therefore, in airplanes flying at high altitudes, the cabins are hermetically sealed, and they are artificially maintained at the same air pressure as at the surface of the Earth. Pressure is measured using a special device - a barometer - in mm of mercury.

It has been established that at sea level at parallel 45° with an air temperature of 0°C, atmospheric pressure is close to the pressure produced by a column of mercury 760 mm high. The air pressure under such conditions is called normal atmospheric pressure. If the pressure indicator is greater, then it is considered increased, if less, it is considered decreased. When climbing mountains, for every 10.5 m, the pressure decreases by approximately 1 mmHg. Knowing how pressure changes, you can use a barometer to calculate the altitude of a place.

Pressure changes not only with altitude. It depends on the air temperature and the influence of air masses. Cyclones lower atmospheric pressure, and anticyclones increase it.

Effect of altitude on blood pressure levels

When rising to a high altitude, a decrease in atmospheric pressure and thin air cause an increase in heart rate and an increase in blood pressure. However, with a further increase in altitude, blood pressure levels begin to decrease. A decrease in the oxygen content in the air to critical values ​​causes depression of cardiac activity and a noticeable decrease in pressure in the arteries, while in the venous vessels the levels increase. As a result, a person develops arrhythmia and cyanosis.

Not long ago, a group of Italian researchers decided for the first time to study in detail how altitude affects blood pressure levels. To conduct research, an expedition to Everest was organized, during which the participants’ pressure levels were determined every twenty minutes. During the hike, an increase in blood pressure during ascent was confirmed: the results showed that the systolic value increased by fifteen, and the diastolic value by ten units. It was noted that the maximum blood pressure values ​​were determined at night. The effect of antihypertensive drugs at different altitudes was also studied. It turned out that the drug under study effectively helped at an altitude of up to three and a half kilometers, and when rising above five and a half it became absolutely useless.

How does a cyclone affect the human body?

A cyclone is an area with low atmospheric pressure. The thermometer drops to 738-742 mm. rt. Art. The amount of oxygen in the air decreases.

In addition, low atmospheric pressure is distinguished by the following symptoms:

• Increased humidity and air temperature,
• Cloudiness,
• Precipitation in the form of rain or snow.

People with diseases of the respiratory system, cardiovascular system and hypotension suffer from such weather changes. Under the influence of a cyclone, they experience weakness, lack of oxygen, difficulty breathing, and shortness of breath.

Some weather-sensitive people experience increased intracranial pressure, headaches, and gastrointestinal disorders.

How are atmospheric and blood pressure related?

This means that if you climb Mount Belukha (4,506 m), from the foot to the top, the temperature will drop by 30°C and the pressure will drop by 330 mm Hg. This is why high-altitude hypoxia, oxygen starvation, or miner's disease occurs in the mountains!

A person is designed in such a way that over time he gets used to new conditions. Stable weather has established itself - all body systems work without failures, the dependence of blood pressure on atmospheric pressure is minimal, the condition is normalized. And during periods of change of cyclones and anticyclones, the body fails to quickly switch to a new mode of operation, health worsens, blood pressure may change, and blood pressure may jump.

Is it possible to reduce weather sensitivity?

It is possible to reduce weather dependence if you follow simple but effective recommendations from doctors.

1. The advice is banal, follow a daily routine . Go to bed early, sleep at least 9 hours. This is especially true on days when the weather changes.
2. Before bed, drink a glass of mint or chamomile tea . It's calming.
3. Do a light warm-up in the morning, stretch, massage your feet.
4. After gymnastics, take a contrast shower .
5. Get in a positive mood . Remember that a person cannot influence the increase or decrease in atmospheric pressure, but it is within our power to help the body cope with its fluctuations.

Summary : weather dependence is typical for patients with pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, as well as for older people suffering from a bunch of diseases. People with allergies, asthmatics, and hypertension are at risk. The most dangerous for weather-sensitive people are sudden changes in atmospheric pressure. Hardening the body and a healthy lifestyle saves you from unpleasant sensations.