Arterial hypotension - symptoms of development, treatment

Content:

• What is hypotension?
• Low blood pressure - causes
• Low blood pressure - symptoms?

Arterial pressure

– the main indicator of hemodynamics, which determines the speed and volume of blood flow in all tissues. The condition refers to polyetiological pathological processes. This means that it develops due to the influence of several causes. Clinical symptoms include manifestations of hemodynamic disturbances with oxygen starvation of tissues.

Diagnostic measures

To diagnose the disease, it is important not only to establish the fact of hypotension using a tonometer, but also to find out the reasons for its development. Diagnosis of arterial hypotension is always complex. Typically it includes:

• daily blood pressure monitoring - the patient’s blood pressure is measured after a certain period of time and its fluctuations are determined;
• blood sampling for biochemical research in the laboratory - diseases of the heart and blood vessels, endocrine system, etc. are confirmed or excluded;
• electrocardiogram - performed both at rest and, for comparison, with loads.

Diagnosis begins with questioning the patient and examining him with a cardiologist. In some cases, for a full diagnosis, additional consultation with an ophthalmologist, nephrologist, endocrinologist and neurologist may be necessary.

What is hypotension?

The term arterial hypotension (hypotension) defines a decrease in blood pressure. This is not a separate disease, but a syndrome that develops as a result of exposure to various provoking factors or against the background of diseases. A decrease in the indicator leads to a decrease in the volume and speed of blood flow in peripheral tissues. First of all, the cells of the nervous system, which are very sensitive to energy and oxygen starvation, are affected.

Low blood pressure - causes

Arterial hypotension develops due to exposure to a large number of pathological or physiological causes. The most common ones include:

• Poisoning of the body

  – ingestion of various toxins from the outside with food, inhaled air, or intoxication due to the development of an infectious process.

• Violation of the regulatory influence of nervous system structures

  on arterial vessels, leading to a sharp decrease in the tone of their walls - cerebral stroke, organic changes, infectious processes in the structures of the central nervous system, previous traumatic brain injuries, functional disorders of various origins.

• Dilatation of arteries against the background of decreased tone of the whole body

  , which occurs against the background of physical and mental fatigue, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, hypovitaminosis (hypovitaminosis is an insufficient supply of one or more vitamins to the body).

• Decrease in circulating blood volume due to blood loss

  (internal or external hemorrhage) or dehydration (loss of fluid due to uncontrollable diarrhea, vomiting, insufficient water intake).

• Severe allergic reactions

  , accompanied by a pronounced decrease in arterial tone - anaphylactic shock.

• Changes in hormone levels in the blood

  , which have a regulating effect on arterial tone, heart rate, blood pressure and other hemodynamic indicators - adrenaline, hormones of the adrenal cortex, pituitary gland influence the course of a large number of physiological processes in the body.

• Redistribution of fluid in the body

  with a transition from the vascular bed to the intercellular substance of tissues, which leads to a decrease in the volume of circulating blood with arterial hypotension.

• Weakening of the contractile function of the heart

  , provoked by pathological processes in the myocardium - infarction, myocardiopathy, myocarditis.

• Violation of the rhythm and frequency of heart contractions

  , caused by various pathological factors and leading to a decrease in blood pressure.

A decrease in the level of systemic blood pressure is a consequence of pathological processes in other organs, in particular with diabetes mellitus, hepatitis, and anemia. Physiological arterial hypotension develops during the period of adaptation of the human body to a reduced concentration of oxygen in the inhaled air (stay in high mountain areas). Causes of low blood pressure in women include the effects of hormonal changes during menstruation, early pregnancy, and menopause (age-related decline in reproductive function).

Low blood pressure - symptoms?

Arterial hypotension is accompanied by a violation of the functional state of various organs and systems, which develops against the background of energy and oxygen starvation. Symptoms of low blood pressure include the following:

• General weakness

  – a constant symptom of hypotension, the severity of which depends on the degree of decrease in blood pressure.

• Dizziness

  – the result of oxygen starvation of neurocytes.

• Memory impairment, decreased mental performance

  – low blood pressure affects a person’s higher nervous activity; signs usually appear with prolonged moderate hypotension, as well as against the background of the development of anemia.

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• Paleness of the skin and visible mucous membranes

  – the sign appears in cases where arterial hypotension develops sharply and is accompanied by a decrease in circulating blood volume (after bleeding).

• Headache

  , which is predominantly localized in the temples, crown and can have varying severity.

With severe hypotension, a person loses consciousness, which is associated with oxygen starvation of the cerebral cortex. If systolic pressure is below 70 mm Hg. Art. acute renal failure develops, decompensation of the functions of all organs, which becomes the cause of death.

To understand why a particular patient has low blood pressure, a doctor (general practitioner, family doctor, cardiologist) must prescribe an additional objective examination. It includes various techniques, namely clinical blood tests, urine tests, ECG, X-rays, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging. Based on a thorough and reliable diagnosis, the correct treatment is prescribed.

How does hypotension manifest?

Doctors note that physiological hypotension almost never causes discomfort to a person; even the most characteristic symptoms are absent. Acute arterial hypotension occurs in a completely different way:

• a person may complain of dizziness, weakness and increased drowsiness;
• the skin becomes pale;
• Pre-fainting and loss of consciousness are possible.

The chronic form of pathological hypotension also has characteristic symptoms:

• constant headaches, fatigue, drowsiness;
• increased sweating;
• memory impairment;
• constant feeling of cold, chilliness;
• the heartbeat becomes rapid.

Secondary pathological hypotension is manifested by all of the above symptoms, but along with them there are also signs of the underlying disease.

There are 6 types of headaches:

1. Muscle tension
2. Vascular
3. Neuralgic
4. Liquorodynamic
5. Functional or psychalgia
6. Mixed

Here is an interesting plate based on statistical data from outpatient visits to a pediatric neurologist at our clinic.

Please note that complaints of headaches appear in children in preschool age, with a subsequent increase.

Tension type headaches

(psycho-emotional or muscle pain) occur when the child’s psycho-emotional load does not match his capabilities (emotional-volitional or cognitive), which in turn increases the tone of the “emotional” muscles that are attached to the periosteum of the skull. This muscle pain is considered a headache. Now it becomes clear why this type of headache is characteristic of the age at which preparation for school begins, and increases exponentially by the time of passing the Unified State Exam.

Vascular headache

This is pain in response to stretching or inflammation of the vascular wall. There can be many reasons, from vascular abnormalities to banal vascular dystonia. Migraine is also a type of vascular headache, has characteristic clinical manifestations, and its cause is aseptic inflammation of the vascular wall.

Neuralgic headache

occurs when there is pressure on the nerve trunk, its branch or node, and after compression there is ischemia and pain. The reason for this may be post-traumatic or inflammatory swelling along the nerve, as well as any space-occupying formation. Neuralgic headache can also be of central origin, as a result of dysfunction of the nociceptive and antinociceptive systems of the brain.

In the occurrence of liquorodynamic headache

the main role is played by increased intracranial pressure. Intracranial pressure may increase with the appearance of additional formations, both liquid and solid, in the cranial cavity, which in turn compresses and/or displaces the meninges, blood vessels and nerves, causing pain. This may be a tumor, inflammation of the meninges of the brain (meningitis). Intracranial hypertension can also occur as a result of the appearance of any neoplasm that obstructs the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid from the cranial cavity.

Functional headache

most often has a psychogenic mechanism.

Mixed form, has mixed origin.

We have analyzed six types of headaches, which, in turn, have different causes.

To figure out what exactly is causing your child’s headaches, you need to contact a pediatric neurologist, who, after a neurological examination, will decide whether you need consultation with a related specialist and may prescribe additional examination methods.

In the children's building of the clinic

You will be able to get advice from experienced specialists, as well as conduct all the necessary examinations to identify the causes of headaches in your child.

Information prepared for you by:

Razina Elena Evgenievna – pediatric neurologist, epileptologist, functional diagnostics doctor, leading specialist of the clinic. Conducts a reception in the Children's building on Usachev.

Treatment rules

Treatment of arterial hypotension can begin only after the real reasons for the decrease in pressure have been established. If a patient is diagnosed with primary pathological arterial hypotension, then he will be prescribed symptomatic therapy to normalize/stabilize the vegetative-vascular system. In case of secondary pathological hypotension, the main thing is the treatment of the underlying disease, and if it is carried out correctly, then the patient’s blood pressure will quickly normalize/stabilize.

Drug therapy for this condition necessarily includes the following drugs:

• nootropic drugs;
• of plant origin - tinctures of ginseng or lemongrass root;
• tranquilizers or antidepressants;
• anticholinergics;
• cerebroprotectors;
• vitamin complexes, antioxidants.

Once the patient’s condition has stabilized and there is no risk of complications due to low blood pressure, a course of non-drug therapy can be carried out. As part of this treatment, doctors prescribe:

• massage;
• various water procedures - for example, contrast showers, hydromassage, baths;
• aromatherapy;
• electrophoresis on the collar area;
• electrosleep;
• acupuncture;
• reflexology;
• physical therapy.

Such non-drug treatment, as a rule, is carried out in specialized sanatoriums and dispensaries, and chronic hypotension requires regular repeated courses of such therapy.

Please note: acute hypotension is a fairly dangerous situation and requires immediate medical attention! Treatment can be prescribed and carried out only by a specialist doctor.