Hypertensive crisis: complications and their consequences

The hypertensive crisis is fraught with many serious dangers and severe consequences for the entire body. Complications of hypertensive crisis can affect a variety of organs.

How to determine the complications of this pathology? How to provide immediate assistance in detecting primary or secondary symptoms? And what is the best way to choose a method for treating complications of hypertensive crisis? Let's find out.

And in the beginning we will try to understand briefly what the hypertensive crisis is, what it provokes and how to avoid it.

Hypertensive crisis

Hypertensive crisis - a sharp increase in blood pressure, characterized by the severity of the patient's condition and affecting many internal organs. The cause of this ailment is the pathology of the cardiovascular system and chronic shortage of blood supply.

Causes of hypertension

The reason for the emergence of hypertensive crisis can be a stressful situation and intense physical stress, which provoke a heartbeat and increased pressure.

Usually, a hypertensive crisis occurs against a background of chronic hypertension, when a sick person irregularly takes medications to reduce blood pressure, personally changes their dosage or abuses coffee, alcohol and salt.

What can provoke hypertension?

1. Craniocerebral injury.
2. Chronic diseases (atherosclerosis of the aorta, diabetes, lupus, nodular periarteritis, kidney disease).

Of course, the crisis does not always arise because of the above reasons. Often, it contributes to stress or hypothermia, high physical activity or the use of hormonal drugs, sudden weather changes or hormonal failure.

According to observations, the hypertensive crisis is mainly influenced by elderly people, especially members of the stronger sex at the age of fifty-five.

Symptomatic of hypertensive crisis

It is generally accepted that the main criterion for recognizing the disease is a sharp jump in pressure to 200 or higher. However, this is not always a correct indicator.

For different people, there are different signs of a critical condition. Everything depends on the patient's working pressure. For example, if a person feels great at 90/60, then the 140/90 mark will be considered critical for him, which will mark the beginning of the hypertensive crisis.

Conversely, if the patient feels well at 140/90, raising the figure to 160/110 and even to 170/120 will not cause him negative consequences.

Therefore, in determining the hypertensive crisis, the combination of symptoms plays a decisive role. It can be:

- headache and dizziness;

- nausea and weakness;

- a sense of panic and fear;

- Faint vision;

- pain in the heart and tachycardia;

Sweating or chills;

- convulsions and limited movements;

- shortness of breath and partial loss of consciousness.

Not necessarily during the hypertensive crisis will be present all these symptoms. How then to diagnose this condition?

Definition of hypertensive crisis

For this, first of all, it is necessary to measure pressure regularly, every fifteen minutes. If a high pressure is kept for a long time (the parameters are taken into account in accordance with the working pressure of the patient), then the patient has a hypertensive crisis.

In addition, pulse check, body temperature measurement, listening to the heart and lungs, cardiogram will be considered important diagnostic measures.

Yes, the hypertensive crisis is a very dangerous condition. But no less dangerous are the complications of the hypertensive crisis. According to statistics, more than forty percent of patients who were diagnosed with hypertensive crisis died within the next three years from its consequences.

It is noteworthy that the types of hypertensive crisis are determined according to its complications. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Possible complications of the disease

Complications of hypertensive crisis are:

1. A cerebral infarction. The most common complication of the crisis, occurs mainly in 24% of patients.
2. Pulmonary edema. It is observed in 22% of patients.
3. Edema of the brain. It is noted in 17% of cases.
4. Acute left ventricular failure. It occurs in 14% of patients.
5. Myocardial infarction. It is observed in 12% of patients.
6. Eclampsia. It is noted in 4.6% of cases.

Possible complications of hypertensive crisis include:

- hemorrhages of different forms;

- angina pectoris;

Acute renal failure;

- hemiparesis;

Acute form of retinopathy;

- encephalopathy;

- stroke;

- com;

- death.

Let's discuss this in more detail.

Common complications

Serious complications after a hypertensive crisis often belong to the human brain. For example, a cerebral infarction, or ischemic stroke. This is an acute violation of blood circulation as a result of blockage of the arteries of the brain. Or cerebral edema, in which the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid is disturbed, and due to the increase in its volume, the pressure on the tissue is increased.

What are the signs of other common complications of hypertensive crisis? Pulmonary edema is another serious pathological consequence of this ailment. It is characterized by a violation of the amount and outflow of intercellular fluid, as well as its abundant accumulation in the lungs.

What negative influence on the human heart does the hypertensive crisis have? Complications of hypertension can cause such dangerous and severe pathologies as heart failure and myocardial infarction. The first of them is caused by the violation of the coronary blood flow, during which the blood, not entering the aorta, stagnates in the left ventricle, and the right is filled to unacceptable limits.

Myocardial infarction is accompanied by the necrosis of this site due to insufficient blood supply.

No less common and dangerous complication of hypertensive crisis is eclampsia, which develops suddenly. It manifests itself during pregnancy or childbirth, and is caused by extremely high blood pressure, so that there is a threat to the life of both mother and child.

Other complications

Possible complications of hypertensive crisis include hemorrhage under the arachnoid membrane of the brain and intracerebral haemorrhage. The first type of complication is the result of a disturbance of the cerebral circulation, during which the blood accumulates under the thin spiderweb of the brain.

Intracerebral hemorrhage is caused by the rupture of the walls of the cerebral vessels and the ingress of blood into the brain substance.

Also complications of hypertensive crisis are encephalopathy and hemiparesis. Encephalopathy is a non-inflammatory disease of the brain, in which dystrophic changes occur in the brain tissue, which violates its functionality. Hemiparesis is accompanied by damage to the neurons of the brain and is a partial paralysis of the muscles.

What other fatal ailments carries a hypertensive crisis? Complications of the kidneys cause a worsening of blood circulation due to hypertensive crisis. This state has a negative effect on the filtration process. Clots form clots and partially or completely stop urination. The body suffers from intoxication, which increases the likelihood of inflammation of other organs.

In addition, the consequence of the crisis may be acute renal failure, which also leads to a violation of the filtration and reabsorption process. Violated water, nitrogen, electrolyte and other types of metabolism.

Does the hypertensive crisis provoke complications on the eyes? Yes, because the result of acute hypertension can cause such complex and unpleasant diseases as retinopathy and amaurosis.

Retinopathy is an inflammatory process in the retina of the eye, which causes a violation of blood circulation in it, which can lead to retinal dystrophy and even blindness. Amavroz is also a serious lesion of the retina, as well as the optic nerve, which can cause partial or absolute blindness.

Apparently, complications of the hypertensive crisis affect very important organs of the human body, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys and eyes. They can lead to severe chronic ailments or irreparable fatal consequences.

However, it is not necessary to blame hypertension in all complex incurable diseases. It should be remembered that complications of hypertensive crisis do not include heart, kidney and other diseases provoked by inflammatory processes, since these types of diseases are a consequence of infectious and viral pathologies.

So, we found out what the hypertensive crisis and its complications are. The conclusion from the above is as follows: the methods of treatment of the hypertensive crisis depend on the type of its complications.

Hypertensive crisis: complications and treatment

Since the hypertensive crisis can adversely affect the various organs of the human body, it is necessary to begin treatment in accordance with what organs were affected and what is the severity of this lesion.

In these cases, reducing pressure is not a priority and a priority. However, in order for the treatment to have a quick effect, one should still try to bring down the arterial pressure by at least twenty units.

How are complications of hypertensive crisis treated? First of all, it is done on a stationary basis, not out-patient. Remember, only in a medical institution you will be under constant monitoring and supervision. And only there you will be given effective and effective treatment.

First of all, it can be intravenous infusions of nitroglycerin or sodium nitroprusside, which will need to be immediately canceled once the arterial pressure is normalized. The effect of these drugs begins in three to five minutes, but their administration to the body can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, convulsions and tachycardia and other adverse reactions. In addition, it should be remembered that these injections are prescribed at high risk of encephalopathy, acute left ventricular failure, aortic dissection. However, they are not prescribed for renal or hepatic insufficiency, glaucoma and other specific diseases.

Other medications for hypertensive crisis may be beta-blockers, which not only lower blood pressure, but also slow down the heartbeat. These drugs are prescribed for acute myocardial ischemia and aortic aneurysm dissection, but they should not be taken to those who have an acute history of heart failure, bronchial asthma and weakness of the sinus node.

The next group of drugs - alpha-adrenoblockers - are used only at a high level of catecholamines.

In case of complications of hypertensive crisis, "Methyldopa" and magnesium sulfate are prescribed to the brain. The first medicine positively influences the basic mechanisms of the brain. It can also be used in hypertensive seizures in pregnant women. However, it should be remembered that contraindications to the use of this drug are pheochromocytoma, infarction, cerebrovascular diseases, etc.

Magnesium sulfate is prescribed in case of threat of cerebral edema and convulsions. It should be administered very slowly, so as not to cause spasms of the lungs and attacks of suffocation. The drug starts to work 20 minutes after the injection and provides an effect within six hours.

Another drug for a hypertensive crisis may be hydralazine, which is used in eclampsia, to expand arterial vessels. The drug begins to act 10 minutes after administration and has a fairly long-lasting effect.

Enalaprilat is a very effective remedy for encephalopathy, heart failure, coronary syndromes. Since the medicine begins to act almost instantly, it should be administered extremely slowly and cautiously.

These medications, mentioned above, are specialized pharmacological agents that should be used only as directed by the doctor in charge.

Therapeutic methods

However, in addition to injections and pills, a doctor can prescribe a therapeutic treatment. First of all, it is an opportunity for the patient to relax and rest, whether it be a dream, a nap or a massage. Also, any stresses and experiences should be avoided, no matter what emotional tone they are saturated with.

In addition to peace and quiet, the patient will need a special diet, under which it will be necessary to avoid products that exert additional stress on the heart muscle. It is necessary to completely abandon salt and spices, eat small portions and only lean, low-fat food.

In addition, the body will need to be fed with useful micronutrients and vitamins, for which medications or vitamins rich in food (fruits and vegetables) can be prescribed.

First aid emergency help

And now let's briefly talk about what needs to be done when there are complications of hypertensive crisis. Emergency care for the patient is to provide him with peace and fresh air, calm and assure the imminent arrival of qualified assistance.

As a sedative, you can use any improvised medications - valerian, corvalol, motherwort. Also, you need to monitor to level the patient's breathing, for this you can help him take off his clothes and ventilate the room.

Which position is best to accept? The patient should be placed in a semi-sitting position. If he feels cold - it is necessary to try to warm him. However, it is still necessary to put a cold compress on the forehead.

In acute cases, you should call an ambulance. You can also take special medications to lower blood pressure.

However, here the main principle operates: do not hurt! Therefore, if you decide to help the patient reduce the pressure, it must be done slowly and carefully, preferably already known to you or to you drugs.

Often, the person who is ill has knowledge of how to block an attack. Usually he always has medicines with him, which can be taken if necessary. Here, the help of an outsider can also come in handy. It may be necessary to bring water to swallow the capsule. Or you will need to do an intramuscular injection.

Whatever it was, to help the patient - this is a very noble and worthy deed. Call an ambulance, help to come to, just stay close - such selfless good deeds will save the life of another and be sure to be rewarded.