Almost everyone has experienced increased blood pressure at least once in their life and knows how much trouble hypertension causes.However, hypertension is not as harmless as it might seem at first glance.
Serious fluctuations in pressure negatively affect the body, and a chronic disease, if left untreated, even leads to the most disastrous consequences.Today we will talk about how each stage of hypertension differs and what risks it carries.
Stages of headache
Stage I
The pressure at stage 1 of hypertension does not exceed 159/99 mm.HgArt.Blood pressure may remain in this elevated state for several days.Even ordinary rest and the exclusion of stressful situations significantly help to reduce its indicators.In more severe stages, it is no longer possible to normalize blood pressure so easily.
This stage of hypertension development is characterized by the absence of any signs that target organs are affected by high blood pressure, therefore, in many cases there is a practically asymptomatic course of the disease.Only occasionally do sleep disturbances, pain in the head or heart appear.Clinical examinations may reveal a slight increase in tone in the fundus of the arteries.
Hypertensive crises in form 1 of the disease are very rare and occur mostly under the influence of external circumstances, for example, weather or severe stress.This also often happens during menopause in women.The stage of the disease is initial, therefore it is highly treatable, and lifestyle changes are often sufficient; drug therapy may not be required.With timely initiation of treatment and conscious implementation of each recommendation, the prognosis is very favorable.
Stage II
The pressure level at stage 2 of hypertension is in the range of up to 179 mm.HgArt.(diastolic) and up to 109 mm.HgArt.(systolic).Rest is no longer able to normalize blood pressure.The patient often suffers from pain, shortness of breath on exertion, poor sleep, dizziness and angina.
The group is distinguished by the appearance of the first signs from the internal organs.Often this form of damage has virtually no effect on their functions.There are also no obvious subjective symptoms that bother the patient.Most often, at stage 2 of the development of hypertension, the following are detected:
- signs characteristic of left ventricular hypertrophy;
- the amount of creatine in the blood increases;
- narrowing of the arteries occurs in the retina;
- Protein is found in the urine.
Hypertensive crises are not uncommon in stage 2 hypertension, which entails the threat of developing very serious complications, including stroke.In this case, it will no longer be possible to manage without constant drug therapy.
Stage III
The last stage of hypertension has the most severe course and has the most extensive group of disorders in the functioning of a whole group of target organs.The 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.Increases in blood pressure to 180/110 mm are not uncommon.HgArt.and higher.
The symptoms of stage 3 of the disease are in many ways similar to those listed above, but they are also accompanied by quite dangerous signs from the affected organs (for example, kidney failure).Memory often deteriorates, severe heart rhythm disturbances occur, and vision decreases.
The most dangerous thing is that hypertension invariably affects the heart.The contractility and conductivity of the muscle is almost always impaired.Clinical studies also reveal many disorders in other organs.
Hypertension has not only stages 1, 2, 3, but also degrees 1, 2, 3, which we will talk about later.
Degrees
I degree
The first degree of severity refers to the mildest, in which periodic surges in blood pressure are observed.Another characteristic of it is that the pressure level is able to stabilize on its own.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 the fact that periods of normal pressure are very short.The main manifestation is severe headaches.
If the disease develops very quickly, we can talk about a malignant course of hypertension.This form is very dangerous, since the disease can develop rapidly.
III degree
With grade 3 hypertension, the pressure always remains in a stable elevated state.If blood pressure decreases, the person is plagued by weakness, as well as a number of other symptoms from the internal organs.The changes that occur at this stage of the disease are already irreversible.
Also, the classification of hypertension includes, in addition to 1, 2, 3 degrees and stages, 1, 2, 3, 4 risks, which we will talk about later.
Risks
Low, insignificant
The lowest risk of complications is found in women under 65 years of age and men under 55 years of age who have developed stage 1 “mild” arterial hypertension.Over 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, since there is no point in serious treatment by a cardiologist.
If a minor risk is still present, patients need to try to significantly change their lifestyle in the near future (no more than 6 months).He can be observed by a doctor for some more time if the dynamics are positive.If such treatment does not bring results, and a decrease in blood pressure cannot be achieved, doctors may recommend a change in treatment tactics, which will entail the prescription of medications.However, doctors often insist on leading a healthy lifestyle, because such therapy will not have any negative consequences.
Average
This group includes patients with hypertension of both the second and first types.Their blood pressure usually does not exceed 179/110 mm.HgArt.A patient in this category may have 1-2 risk factors:
- heredity,
- smoking,
- obesity,
- little physical activity,
- high cholesterol,
- impaired glucose tolerance.
Over 10 years of observation, the development of cardiovascular pathologies is possible in 20% of cases.Modification of normal lifestyle is necessarily included in the list of treatment measures.For 3-6 months, medications may not be prescribed to give the patient a chance to normalize their condition through life changes.
High
Patients with forms 1 and 2 of hypertension should also be included in the risk group with a high probability of detecting complications, but if they already have several predisposing factors described above.They also include any damage to target organs, 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 being observed by a cardiologist, since hypertension is mostly long-term.The probability of complications reaches 30%.Lifestyle changes can be used as an adjuvant strategy, but the main part of therapy is medication.The selection of medications must be carried out in a short time.
Next we will talk about a serious diagnosis: stage 3 hypertension, risk 4.
Very tall
Patients with the highest risk of complications in the functioning of the heart and blood vessels are a group of patients with stage 3 hypertension or stages 1 and 2 if the latter have any disorders of the target organs.This group is one of the smallest.The main treatment is carried out in a hospital.Drug therapy is carried out actively and often includes several groups of drugs.
The probability of developing complications is more than 30%.