How to recover from a hypertensive crisis

A hypertensive crisis (or a sharp rise in blood pressure) is one of those dangerous conditions that require urgent intervention by a cardiologist. There is no need to hope that you can cope with the disease and its consequences on your own at home.

The disease requires inpatient treatment. If you do not seek urgent medical help in time, the complications can be the saddest. Recovery after a hypertensive crisis should also take place under strict medical supervision.

What it is

A hypertensive crisis is a sudden increase in blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic). The condition is accompanied not only by a violation of cardiac activity, but also by a deterioration in the function of the brain and internal organs.

Each person is individual and has indicators of normal pressure peculiar only to him. To say exactly which blood pressure numbers can be life-threatening and which are not - only a doctor can say after a thorough examination.

A crisis is considered an increase in blood pressure in a short period of time to high numbers. With an increase, there is a severe headache, heart failure and symptoms of damage to the nervous system.

Provocateurs of a hypertensive crisis can be completely different reasons. They may be associated with changes in weather conditions, alcohol intake, stress, untimely intake of antihypertensive drugs.

Causes

The most common triggers for the development of complications of arterial hypertension are the following factors:

• not taking medications on time or refusing to take them prescribed by a doctor;
• replacement of recommended medicines with other less effective ones;
• unauthorized change in dosage and medication regimen;
• taking drugs at your discretion, weakening the effect of antihypertensive drugs.

Other significant reasons include:

• nervous tension;
• addiction to coffee;
• the presence of bad habits;
• excessive salt intake;
• insufficient sleep;
• menopause in women;
• diseases accompanied by arterial hypertension (kidney disease, diabetes mellitus).

In accordance with the ICD (International Classification of Diseases), hypertension is a primary disease, but the disease can also manifest itself against the background of another disease, i.e. be secondary. In a crisis, due to a violation of the regulation of the work of blood vessels, a spasm of the arteries occurs. Many organs begin to suffer from hypoxia, but, above all, the brain.

State types

A sharp jump in pressure can manifest itself in different ways. Depending on the symptoms, the types of crisis are distinguished:

• Eukinetic. There is a rapid increase in systolic and diastolic pressure. Possible complication in the form of pulmonary edema, tk. the condition is accompanied by left ventricular failure.
• Hyperkinetic. It is characterized by a sharp rise in systolic pressure. Accompanied by a headache of a pulsating nature, flashing "flies" before the eyes. There is weakness and heat in the body. The patient may complain of nausea and vomiting.
• Hypokinetic. There is a slow rise in diastolic pressure and a gradual increase in headache with dizziness. Nausea and vomiting are often associated.

Depending on the type, a hypertensive crisis can be accompanied by various complications.

Symptoms of a hypertensive crisis

Increasing headache, dizziness and tinnitus, nausea are the main signs on the basis of which a sharp increase in blood pressure should be suspected.

Pulsating or pressing pain can be localized in the frontal, temporal or occipital region. When moving the head, sensations intensify, pain in the eyes may join.

Symptoms of complications of the disease, which should not be discounted:

• the appearance of anxiety and fear for one's life;
• redness and swelling of the face;
• chills;
• cold sweat;
• tachycardia (fast pulse);
• lack of air.

First aid measures

Often when signs of a crisis appear, people are lost and do not know how to behave.

The first thing to do is urgently call an ambulance.

Before the doctors arrive:

• take a horizontal position and place a high pillow under your head;
• unbutton the collar of the clothes so as not to squeeze the throat;
• measure blood pressure, if it is higher than normal, take a drug that lowers blood pressure;
• with a severe headache, you can drink a diuretic prescribed by a doctor;
• try to calm down. You can take Corvalol;
• when your feet get cold, put on warm socks or warm with a blanket.

If, after the arrival of the ambulance, the doctor insists on hospitalization, then you should not refuse it.

How to reduce blood pressure at home

It may happen that a person's blood pressure rises sharply, but there is no way to call an ambulance. What to do in such a situation?

If the patient is undergoing treatment prescribed by a doctor, most likely, the cardiologist prescribed him a drug that he recommended taking with a sharp increase in pressure.

If the patient has not consulted a doctor, then intramuscular injections, for example, furosemide, no-shpa, dibazol with papaverine, magnesium sulfate (magnesium) can help alleviate the condition. In the absence of ampoules at hand, tablets should be given to the patient. As an ambulance, Captopril is suitable, which smoothly reduces pressure.

Possible Complications

If it so happened that time was lost and qualified assistance was not provided on time, then the condition can have serious consequences. Complications that can cause a sudden increase in blood pressure can pose a danger not only to health, but also threaten human life.

Among them:

• violation of the brain, expressed in the loss or confusion of consciousness, memory loss;
• acute heart failure;
• disorders of the nervous system;
• myocardial infarction;
• aortic aneurysm;
• convulsions;
• bleeding in the brain (stroke).

Treatment after a hypertensive crisis

Treatment of a hypertensive crisis in a hospital is aimed at lowering blood pressure and alleviating symptoms.

Typically, the relief of the crisis is carried out by intravenous administration of the following drugs:

• Captopril, Clonidine, Lasix - which have a slow lowering of blood pressure;
• Eufillina - to facilitate breathing;
• Papaverine, Relanium - to relieve muscle spasm.

How to recover from a hypertensive crisis

People suffering from arterial hypertension, even in the early stages of the disease, are strongly advised by doctors to give up bad habits. Recovery after a hypertensive crisis comes down not only to prescribing drugs to prevent relapse, but also to maintaining a healthy lifestyle (healthy lifestyle).

The rehabilitation of the organism of patients in the recovery period will be positively influenced by:

• compliance with the daily routine;
• lack of factors that provoke stress;
• proper nutrition, with the introduction into the diet of products that reduce cholesterol;
• light physical activity: swimming, cycling, skiing, etc., but will have to be abandoned.

The primary task for the prevention of recurrent complications should be regular monitoring of blood pressure, taking medications prescribed by a doctor.

Rehab with diet

Rehabilitation of hypertension in the post-crisis period is also aimed at diet, which is an important factor in the prevention of relapse. Therefore, doctors recommend paying attention to the nutrition of patients after a hypertensive crisis:

• food should be fractional with restriction of fluid intake to a liter per day.
• the use of animal fats must be minimized by increasing vegetable fats.
• reduce the amount of salt and carbohydrates;
• in the menu, introduce foods with a high content of potassium, magnesium, vitamins, fiber;
• food is better to cook or stew;
• carrying out unloading days in order to remove excess fluid from the body.

Physiotherapy

Restoration of the body after inpatient treatment, provided that blood pressure is stabilized and there is no risk of relapse, it is useful to supplement with physiotherapy exercises. This is one of the effective methods of rehabilitation of patients with hypertension, because. physical exercises have a beneficial effect on the heart muscle and normalize vascular tone.

In order not to harm the body, the introduction of physical activity should be gradual. This is the only way to get the most positive effect:

• increases the endurance of the body;
• metabolism is stabilized;
• decrease in sugar levels to normal levels.

But, we must not forget that physiotherapy exercises, like any intervention, may have contraindications:

• stability of high blood pressure over a long period of time;
• after a hypertensive crisis, when the patient is still undergoing drug therapy;
• increased thrombus formation;
• violation of cardiac activity.

Spa treatment

After suffering complications, it is useful to undergo rehabilitation in a sanatorium. In the sanatorium, the diet that will help him recover faster is selected individually for each patient. Additionally, drug therapy may be prescribed. And without fail - physiotherapy.

Favorable effect on recovery is provided by air and sunbathing, swimming.

Life after any disease suffered with complications is always changing. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly visit a doctor in order to receive timely preventive treatment. Do not be afraid of the thought that you will periodically have to undergo recovery in a hospital. After all, only competent rehabilitation will help maintain health and prevent the path to disability.