From this article you will learn: what kind of health problems can a small difference between upper and lower pressure speak. What symptoms are present, the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
Contents of the article:
- Causes of small difference between pressure indicators
- Characteristic symptoms
- Diagnosis
- Treatment methods
- Prevention measures
The difference between systolic and diastolic pressure is called pulse pressure. This is a very important diagnostic criterion, which allows you to assess the condition of the heart and blood vessels.
Normally, the pulse pressure should be 30-40 mm Hg. Art. However, the upper pressure tends to increase with age, and therefore the upper limit of the norm of pulse pressure increases. For people 40-50 years old, the norm is 30-50 mm Hg. Art.
At a low pulse pressure( less than 30 mm Hg), consult a cardiologist, since this condition is accompanied by a high risk of cardiovascular complications( heart attacks, strokes).
Graphic representation of pulse pressure Causes of small difference between pressure values
The upper pressure is the arterial pressure( abbreviated BP) in systole( during heart contraction).This is an indicator of heart health. Lower - AD in the diastole( during the relaxation of the heart).This is an indicator of vascular health.
The pulse pressure decreases when the lower pressure increases, which indicates the diseases of the vessels or internal organs, or when the upper pressure decreases, indicating that the heart is broken. Sometimes the upper one goes down simultaneously, and the lower one goes up.
diseases, which are characterized by a small difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure:
| vascular diseases | Heart disease | Other diseases and causes |
|---|---|---|
| Atherosclerosis of the aorta | constrictive pericarditis | Chronic kidney |
| disease Atherosclerosis of renal vessels | aortic stenosis | tumors of the kidneys or adrenal |
| Atherosclerosiscoronary vessels | Tachycardia, ventricular arrhythmias | Iron deficiency in the body |
| Aortic aneurysm | Acute andchronic heart failure | Severe body stress( hypothermia, starvation, dehydration, intense emotional experience) |
| Renal artery aneurysm | Left ventricular infarction | |
| Cardiogenic shock |
Symptoms of
If the abnormality of pulse pressure from the norm was caused by chronic diseases, the patient is troubled by such manifestations:
- Sleepiness, which does not go away even after a long sleep.
- Weakness.
- Apathy.
- Rapid fatigue.
- Irritability, mood swings.
- Violation of short-term and long-term memory( absent-mindedness, difficulties in memorization).
- Difficulties in concentration of attention.
- Pale or blue shade of the skin.
- Dizziness, pre-occlusive conditions, less often - fainting.
All these symptoms persist the patient constantly, which can significantly affect his performance, especially if he is engaged in mental work.
If the small difference between the upper and lower pressure indices is caused by shock conditions, for example, cardiogenic shock, it is accompanied by:
- with strong pallor or cyanosis of the skin;
- cold sweat;
- by confusion or loss of consciousness;
- shortness of breath.
Cardiogenic shock Diagnostics
The lowest difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure can be detected by measuring the pressure with a tonometer and taking the lower value from the upper value. If the difference is less than 30 mm Hg.v., consult a cardiologist for further examination.
- First of all, he will assign you an ECG with which you can evaluate the electrical activity of the heart, and EchoCG( ultrasound of the heart), which allows you to evaluate the structure of the heart and the adjacent part of the aorta.
- You can also be sent to a kidney ultrasound, a general blood test, a biochemical blood test( for creatinine, urea).
- For the diagnosis of vascular diseases may need magnetic resonance angiography of the aorta, MR angiography of the kidneys.
Conduction of echocardiogram Methods of treatment
Therapy consists in the elimination of the underlying disease.
Both medical and surgical methods are used for atherosclerosis:
| atherosclerosis medications | |
|---|---|
| surgical methods Statins( Rosuvastatin, Lovastatin), fibrates( Clofibrate, Fenofibrate) - to lower blood cholesterol level | Laser angioplasty |
| Unsaturated fatty acids( lipoic acid, Linetol) - accelerate the excretion of harmful fats from the body | Stenting of a narrowed vessel with a plaque( installation of a special stent that dilates the vessel) |
| Endothelial drugs( PolyVitamin C, Vitamin E) - nourish the inner layer of the walls of the vessels and prevent the deposition of atherosclerotic plaques | Endarterectomy( removal of an area of the inner layer of the artery where a lot of cholesterol is accumulated) |
| Shunting - if the vessel is completely clogged, create a bypass path for blood flow |
Aneurysms is mainly used for surgical treatment.
With constrictive pericarditis, surgery is also necessary - pericardectomy. Complete recovery occurs in 60% of cases.
With stenosis of the aortic valve, it is changed to an artificial one, which will last from 8 to 25 years, depending on the species.
Tablets Rosuvastatin 20 mg - a drug from the statin group Severe arrhythmias are stopped with strong antiarrhythmic drugs or with the help of a defibrillator-cardioverter. For the prevention of a second attack, it is possible to install a pacemaker.
For chronic inflammatory diseases of the kidneys, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs, anticoagulants, physiotherapy procedures are prescribed.
For tumors of the adrenal glands, it is possible both for drug treatment( antitumor agents) and for surgical treatment.
Chronic left ventricular failure involves symptomatic drug therapy - admission:
- ACE inhibitors to lower the lower blood pressure.
- Glycosides to improve the performance of left ventricular muscle.
- Nitrates for vasodilatation and better oxygen supply to the myocardium.
- Diuretics for the correction of edema.
It is also possible to eliminate the cause, which causes chronic left ventricular failure.
In acute left ventricular failure as an emergency, spasmolytics, diuretics, ganglion blockers, glycosides are shown.
Treatment of a heart attack depends on its shape and the symptoms present. In most cases, it is necessary to use thrombolytics, anticoagulants, antiaggregants - agents that dilute blood and prevent the formation of thrombi, as well as oxygen inhalations. In severe pain syndrome, narcotic and non-narcotic analgesics, neuroleptics can be used. If a heart attack is accompanied by arrhythmia, inject antiarrhythmic drugs or conduct defibrillation.
Also, to restore normal blood circulation during an infarction, surgery, for example, coronary artery bypass grafting, may be necessary.
Prevention measures
To ensure that your pulse pressure is not less than necessary, lead a correct lifestyle that will provide vascular and heart health:
- Be engaged in physical culture, more often go on fresh air.
- Take a contrast shower, refrain from hot baths and saunas.
- Drink 1,5-2 liters of water per day.
- Eat more vegetables, fruits, greens, lean meat and fish.
- Avoid greasy, salty, sharp foods.
- Get rid of bad habits.
- Eat more foods rich in iron: buckwheat, tomato, apples, fish, liver.
Especially these rules apply to those who are over 40 years old, as well as those who are predisposed to diseases of the cardiovascular system.
