Almost everyone has experienced an increase in blood pressure at least once in their life and knows how much trouble hypertension causes.But hypertension is not as harmless as it seems at first glance.
Serious fluctuations in pressure have a negative effect on the body, and a chronic disease, if not treated, can lead to even the most catastrophic consequences.Today we will talk about how each stage of hypertension differs and what risks it carries.
Stages of headache
Stage I
In the 1st stage of hypertension, the pressure does not exceed 159/99 mm.Hg Art.Blood pressure can remain in this high state for several days.Even ordinary rest and exclusion of stressful situations help to significantly reduce its indicators.In more severe stages, it is no longer possible to normalize blood pressure so easily.
This stage of the development of hypertension is characterized by the absence of any signs that the target organs are affected by high blood pressure, so in many cases the disease has a practically asymptomatic course.Only sometimes sleep disturbance, headache or heartache appear.Clinical examinations may reveal a slight increase in the tone of the vessels at the bottom of the eye.
Hypertensive crises in the 1st form of the disease are very rare and occur mainly under the influence of external conditions, for example, weather or severe stress.It is also common in women during menopause.The stage of the disease is early, so it is highly treatable and lifestyle changes are often enough;drug treatment may not be required.With the timely initiation of treatment and the conscious implementation of each recommendation, the prognosis is very favorable.
Stage II
In the 2nd stage of hypertension, the pressure level is up to 179 mm.Hg Art.(diastolic) and up to 109 mm.Hg Art.(systolic).Rest can no longer normalize blood pressure.The patient often suffers from pain, shortness of breath, bad sleep, dizziness and angina.
The group differs from internal organs in the appearance of the first signs.Often this form of damage has practically no effect on their functions.There are also no obvious subjective symptoms that disturb the patient.The following are often detected in the 2nd stage of the development of hypertension:
- signs characteristic of left ventricular hypertrophy;
- the amount of creatinine in the blood increases;
- vasoconstriction occurs in the retina;
- Protein is found in urine.
Hypertensive crises are not rare in stage 2 hypertension, which results in the risk of developing very serious complications, including stroke.In this case, it will no longer be possible to manage without constant drug treatment.
III stage
The final stage of hypertension has the most severe course and has the widest group of disorders in the activity of the entire group of target organs.Kidneys, eyes, brain, blood vessels and heart suffer the most.Blood pressure is persistent and it is quite difficult to normalize its level even if you take pills.An increase in blood pressure up to 180/110 mm is not uncommon.Hg Art.and higher.
The symptoms of the 3rd stage of the disease are in many ways similar to those listed above, but they are also accompanied by very dangerous symptoms from the affected organs (for example, kidney failure).Memory often deteriorates, serious heart rhythm disturbances occur, vision weakens.
The most dangerous thing is that hypertension constantly affects the heart.Muscle contractility and conduction are almost always impaired.Clinical studies reveal many disorders in other organs as well.
There are not only 1, 2, 3 stages of hypertension, but also 1, 2, 3 degrees, which we will talk about later.
Degrees
I degree
The first degree of severity refers to the mildest degree in which periodic increases in blood pressure are observed.Another feature of it is that the pressure level can stabilize by itself.The most common cause of stage 1 headache is constant stress.
II degree
Moderate hypertension is characterized not only by the impossibility of independent stabilization of blood pressure, but also by very short periods of normal pressure.The main symptom is severe headaches.
If the disease develops very quickly, we can talk about the malignant course of hypertension.This form is very dangerous because the disease can develop rapidly.
III degree
With hypertension of the 3rd degree, the pressure always remains in a stable elevated state.If the blood pressure decreases, the person suffers from weakness, as well as a number of other symptoms from the internal organs.The changes that occur at this stage of the disease are irreversible.
Also, in addition to 1, 2, 3 degrees and stages, the classification of hypertension also includes risks 1, 2, 3, 4, which we will talk about later.
Risks
Low, insignificant
The lowest risk of complications is in women under the age of 65 and in men under the age of 55 who have developed stage 1 "mild" arterial hypertension.Within the next 10 years, only about 15% will develop vascular or cardiac pathologies that develop as a result of the disease.Such patients are often managed by general practitioners, as there is no need for intensive treatment by a cardiologist.
If a small risk still exists, patients should try to significantly change their lifestyle in the near future (no more than 6 months).If the dynamics is positive, it can be observed by the doctor for some time.If such treatment does not work and it is not possible to achieve a reduction in blood pressure, doctors may recommend a change in treatment tactics, which will lead to the prescription of drugs.However, doctors often insist on leading a healthy lifestyle, because such therapy will not produce any negative results.
Medium
This group includes both type 2 and type 1 hypertension patients.Their blood pressure usually does not exceed 179/110 mm.Hg Art.A patient in this category may have 1-2 risk factors:
- heredity,
- cigarettes,
- obesity,
- little physical activity,
- high cholesterol,
- impaired glucose tolerance.
During 10 years of observation, the development of cardiovascular pathologies is possible in 20% of cases.Changing the normal lifestyle is definitely included in the list of treatment measures.Medicines may not be prescribed to give the patient a chance to normalize his condition with life changes for 3-6 months.
High
Patients with hypertension types 1 and 2 should also be included in the risk group with a high probability of complications, but if they have several predisposing factors described above.These also include any target organ damage, diabetes mellitus, changes in retinal vessels, high creatinine levels, and atherosclerosis.
There may be no risk factors, but a patient with stage 3 arterial hypertension also belongs to this group of patients.All of them are already observed by a cardiologist, because hypertension is mainly long-term.The probability of complications reaches 30%.Lifestyle changes can be used as a supportive strategy, but the mainstay of therapy is medication.The selection of drugs should be done in a short time.
Then we will talk about a serious diagnosis: 3rd stage hypertension, 4th risk.
Very tall
Patients with the highest risk of complications in the functioning of the heart and blood vessels are the group of patients with hypertension stage 3 or, if the latter have any disorders in the target organs, the group of patients with stages 1 and 2.This group is one of the smallest groups.The main treatment is carried out in the hospital.Drug therapy is actively carried out and often includes several drug groups.
The probability of developing complications is more than 30%.