Almost everyone has experienced increased blood pressure at least once in their life and knows how many problems hypertension causes.However, hypertension is not as harmless as it might seem at first glance.
Severe pressure fluctuations negatively affect the body, and a chronic disease, if left untreated, leads to even the most disastrous consequences.Today we will talk about how each stage of hypertension differs and what risks it entails.
Headache stages
Stage I
Pressure in stage 1 hypertension does not exceed 159/99 mm.Hg Art.Blood pressure may remain in this elevated state for several days.Even normal rest and exclusion of stressful situations significantly help to reduce its indicators.In more serious 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 target organs are affected by hypertension, 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 deep within the arteries.
Hypertensive crises in form 1 of the disease are very rare and occur mainly 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 early, therefore it is highly treatable and lifestyle changes are often sufficient;drug therapy may not be necessary.With the timely start of treatment and conscious implementation of each recommendation, the prognosis is very favorable.
Stage II
The pressure level in stage 2 hypertension ranges up to 179 mm.Hg Art.(diastolic) and up to 109 mm.Hg Art.(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 differentiated by the appearance of the first signs of 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:
- characteristic signs of left ventricular hypertrophy;
- the amount of creatine in the blood increases;
- narrowing of the arteries in the retina occurs;
- Protein is found in urine.
Hypertensive crises are not uncommon in stage 2 hypertension, which carries the threat of developing very serious complications, including stroke.In this case, it will no longer be possible to live without constant drug therapy.
Stage III
The last stage of hypertension has the most severe course and presents the most extensive group of disturbances in the functioning of an entire group of target organs.The kidneys, eyes, brain, blood vessels and heart suffer most.Blood pressure is persistent and it is quite difficult to normalize its level, even by taking pills.Increases in blood pressure to 180/110 mm are not uncommon.Hg Art.and higher.
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.Muscle contractility and conductivity are 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 graduated
The first degree of severity refers to the mildest, in which periodic spikes in blood pressure are observed.Another feature is that the pressure level is able to stabilize on its own.The most common cause of stage 1 headaches 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 because the disease can progress quickly.
III degree
In grade 3 hypertension, the pressure always remains in a high and stable state.If blood pressure decreases, the person will be tormented by weakness, as well as a number of other symptoms from internal organs.The changes that occur at this stage of the disease are already irreversible.
In addition, 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 and men under 55 who have developed “mild” stage 1 arterial hypertension. Over the next 10 years, only about 15% will develop vascular or cardiac pathologies resulting from the disease.These patients are often seen by general practitioners, as serious treatment by a cardiologist does not make sense.
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 may be observed by a doctor for some more time if the dynamics are positive.If this treatment does not give results and it is not possible to reduce blood pressure, doctors may recommend changing treatment tactics, which will involve prescribing medication.However, doctors often insist on leading a healthy lifestyle, because such therapy will not have negative consequences.
Average
This group includes patients with hypertension of the second and first types.Blood pressure usually does not exceed 179/110 mm.Hg Art.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 the normal lifestyle is necessarily included in the list of treatment measures.For 3-6 months, medications cannot 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, elevated creatinine levels, and atherosclerosis.
There may be no risk factors, but a patient with stage 3 high blood pressure also belongs to this group of patients.All of them are already being observed by a cardiologist, as hypertension is mostly long-lasting.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 medicines must be done in a short time.
Next we will talk about a serious diagnosis: stage 3 hypertension, risk 4.
Very high
Patients at greatest 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 target organ disorders.This group is one of the smallest.The main treatment is carried out in a hospital setting.Drug therapy is carried out actively and often includes several groups of medications.
The probability of developing complications is more than 30%.