Hypertensive disease (essential hypertension) accounts for up to 90% of all cases of chronic high blood pressure (BP). In economically developed countries, 18-20% of adults suffer from hypertension, that is, they have repeated increases in blood pressure to 160/95 mm Hg. art.. and higher. They focus on the values ??of the so-called "random" pressure, measured after a five-minute rest, in the sitting position, three times in a row (the lowest values ??are taken into account), on the first examination of the patients - necessarily on both hands, if necessary - on the legs. In healthy people in 20-40 years, "random" blood pressure is usually below 140/90 mm Hg. art.. , in 41-60 years - below 145/90 mm Hg. art.. , over 60 years old - not higher than 160/95 mm Hg. art..

Symptoms and course Hypertensive illness (hypertension) occurs usually at the age of 30-60 years, proceeds chronically with periods of deterioration and improvement. Stage I (mild) is characterized by elevations of blood pressure in the range 160-180 / 95-105 mm Hg. art.. This level is unstable, during the rest gradually normalizes. Disturb pain and noise in the head, poor sleep, decreased mental performance. Occasionally - dizziness, nosebleeds. Stage II (medium) - a higher and more stable level of blood pressure (180-200 / 105-115 mm Hg. art.. at rest). Headaches and in the field of heart, dizziness. Possible hypertensive crises (sudden and significant increases in blood pressure). There are signs of damage to the heart, central nervous system (transient disorders of cerebral circulation, strokes), changes in the fundus, decreased blood flow in the kidneys. Stage III (severe) - more frequent occurrence of vascular accidents (strokes, heart attacks). The blood pressure reaches 200-230 / 115-130 mm Hg. art.. , there is no independent normalization of it. Such a pressure on the vessels causes irreversible changes in the activity of the heart (angina, myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrhythmias), the brain (strokes, encephalopathies), the eye fundus (retinal vascular lesions - retinopathy), kidneys (decreased blood flow in the kidneys, chronic renal failure).

Recognition is carried out on the basis of data on systematic determination of blood pressure, identification of characteristic changes in the fundus, electrocardiogram. Hypertonic disease must be distinguished from secondary arterial hypertension (symptomatic) arising from diseases of the kidneys, kidney vessels, endocrine organs (Iletsko-Cushing's disease, acromegaly, primary aldosteropism, thyrotoxicosis), circulatory disorders (atherosclerosis of the aorta, aortic valve failure, full atrioventricular blockade, coarctation of the aorta).

health. sumy. ua.