Treatment of essential hypertension

Before the appointment of treatment, patients with hypertension undergo daily monitoring of blood pressure. This is necessary in order to establish a profile of hypertension. When determining the diurnal changes in blood pressure, an adequate drug therapy is selected.

Treatment of essential hypertension includes non-drug products and pharmaceuticals. Non-drug therapy of this disease consists, first of all, in observance of a healthy way of life. Of great importance is the normalization of night sleep, the restriction of the use of table salt, the complete withdrawal from smoking and drinking alcohol, weight loss and regular exercise.

Drug treatment of essential hypertension consists in prescribing pharmaceutical preparations of the following groups:

- Diuretics

- beta-blockers

- inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme

- calcium antagonists

Diuretics are one of the most popular drugs for lowering blood pressure. Reduction of pressure occurs as a result of a decrease in the volume of the liquid. The undesirable effect of their use is reduced sexual activity, photosensitivity, pancreatitis, increased total cholesterol, muscle weakness, dizziness, decreased appetite, hypokalemia. On the contrary, the development of hyperkalemia is characteristic for potassium-sparing diuretics, which can lead to the development of endocrine disorders, intrahepatic cholestasis, and rheology of the blood.

Beta-adrenoblockers reduce blood pressure by reducing cardiac output and inhibiting renin synthesis. They are well combined with diuretics and calcium antagonists. When treating beta-blockers, it is necessary to adhere exactly to the prescribed dose of the drug. Overdose is manifested by the development of severe bradycardia, hypotension, cardiac conduction disorder. In patients with concomitant bronchial obstruction, progressive bronchospasm may develop. These drugs should not be prescribed to patients with bronchial asthma, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease. Treatment of hypertensive disease with beta-adrenoblockers begins with small doses, controlling heart rate and blood pressure, in the absence of complications, the dose of the drug is increased.

ACE inhibitors are potent vasodilators that help to block the influence of the main pressor factor, angiotensin , for a long time. These drugs prevent the disintegration of bradykinin, promote an increase in the content of vasodilating prostaglandins in the blood, help with heart failure. The undesirable effects of these drugs are cough, angioedema, hyperkalemia, skin rash, dizziness, decreased appetite and a taste disorder. The main contraindication for the administration of ACE inhibitors is the bilateral narrowing of the renal arteries, since in this case the arterial pressure increases due to the increase in renin of the blood to which these drugs do not act.

Calcium antagonists decrease heart rate, decrease blood pressure, but have some negative qualities, including severe headache, red face. Currently, these drugs are mainly used to treat hypertensive crises.

Treatment of hypertension depends on the degree of the disease. At 1 degree, non-drug treatment is predominantly used. Hypertensive disease of the 2d degree requires the appointment of course treatment with medications. With a disease of grade 3, drug treatment should be permanent.

To prevent the development of any disease is not so difficult as treating it. Prevention of hypertension is the exclusion of the etiological factors of the disease, the observance of a healthy lifestyle.