Almost everyone has experienced an increase in blood pressure at least once in their life and knows how much trouble hypertension can cause.However, hypertension is not as harmless as it seems at first glance.
Serious pressure fluctuations negatively affect the body, and chronic disease, if left untreated, leads to even the most disastrous consequences.Today we're going to talk about the difference between each stage of hypertension and the risks they carry.
Stages of headache
Stage I
The pressure at stage 1 of hypertension does not exceed 159/99 mm.Hg Art.Blood pressure may remain high for several days.Even ordinary rest and exclusion from stressful situations significantly contribute to reducing its indicators.In more severe stages, it is no longer possible to normalize blood pressure as easily.
This stage of development of hypertension is characterized by the absence of any signs indicating that the target organs are affected by high blood pressure.Therefore, in many cases the course of the disease is practically asymptomatic.Sleep disturbances, head or heart pain appear only occasionally.Clinical examinations may reveal a slight increase in tone at the bottom of the arteries.
Hypertensive crises of form 1 of the disease are very rare and occur mainly under the influence of external circumstances, for example, weather conditions or severe stress.This also often occurs during menopause in women.The stage of the disease is initial, so it is highly treatable and lifestyle changes are often sufficient;drug treatment may not be necessary.With the timely initiation of treatment and conscious implementation of each recommendation, the prognosis is very favorable.
Stage II
The pressure level in stage 2 of hypertension can be 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, sleep disturbances, dizziness and angina.
The group is distinguished by the appearance of the first signs coming from 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 occurs in the retina;
- Proteins are found in urine.
Hypertensive crises are not uncommon in stage 2 hypertension, leading to the risk of developing very serious complications, including stroke.In this case, it will no longer be possible to do without constant drug treatment.
Stage III
The last stage of hypertension has the most severe course and presents the most extensive group of disorders in the functioning of a whole group of target organs.It is the kidneys, eyes, brain, blood vessels and heart that 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 up 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, serious 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 numerous 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 lightest, in which periodic increases 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.
IInd degree
Moderate hypertension is characterized not only by the impossibility of independent stabilization of blood pressure, but also by the fact that the 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 develop quickly.
IIIrd degree
With grade 3 hypertension, the pressure always remains in a high and stable state.If blood pressure decreases, the person suffers from weakness, as well as a number of other symptoms originating 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 degrees and stages 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4 risks, which we will talk about later.
Risks
Weak, insignificant
The lowest risk of complications is found in women under 65 and men under 55 who have developed “mild” stage 1 high blood pressure. Over the next 10 years, only about 15% will develop vascular or cardiac pathologies resulting from the disease.These patients are often cared for by general practitioners, because serious treatment by a cardiologist is of no use.
If a minor risk persists, patients should try to make significant lifestyle changes in the near future (no more than 6 months).It can be observed by a doctor for a while if the dynamics are positive.If such treatment does not bring results and a reduction in blood pressure cannot be achieved, doctors may recommend a change in treatment tactics, which will lead to the prescription of medications.However, doctors often insist on a healthy lifestyle, since such therapy will not have any negative consequences.
AVERAGE
This group includes patients suffering from hypertension of the second and first type.Their 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 level,
- 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 therapeutic measures.For 3-6 months, no medications can be prescribed to give the patient a chance to normalize their condition through changes in their life.
Pupil
Patients with 1 and 2 forms 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 target organ damage, 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 are already observed by a cardiologist, because hypertension is generally long lasting.The probability of complications reaches 30%.Lifestyle changes can be used as an adjuvant strategy, but the main part of treatment is medication.The selection of drugs should be carried out within a short period of time.
We will then talk about a serious diagnosis: stage 3 hypertension, risk 4.
Very large
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 target organ disorders.This group is one of the smallest.The main treatment is carried out in a hospital.Drug treatment is carried out actively and often includes several groups of drugs.
The probability of developing complications is more than 30%.