How much pressure can a person withstand? At what depth is pressure lethal? Symptoms of a dying state with low blood pressure

Life expectancy depends on the quality of health. Any malfunction in the functioning of organs and systems can greatly undermine a person’s immunity. It is especially necessary to closely monitor the functioning of the cardiovascular system. To do this, you need to know at what pressure a person’s death occurs and how to avoid a critical condition.

Age norms for blood pressure

The state of the body directly depends on age, physical activity, habits, and psycho-emotional stress. Typically, by the age of 50, a person already has a number of chronic diseases. As you age, your blood pressure also changes.

To determine blood pressure (BP), a special device is used - a tonometer. It records the maximum blood ejection at the time of contraction of the heart muscle - systolic pressure, and the minimum level - diastolic pressure.

There are certain age standards for acceptable blood pressure levels:

In a healthy person, a blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal. Art., while the difference between systolic and diastolic indicators should vary within 30-55 mm Hg. Other values ​​indicate disturbances in the functioning of the body. Frequent decreases or increases in values ​​lead to pathological changes in the cardiovascular system and impaired cerebral circulation.

Fatal outcomes from sudden changes in blood pressure also occur in healthy people. At what pressure you can die will directly depend on a combination of negative factors, the condition of the blood vessels and the heart.

Critical indicators

Sudden pressure surges to certain standards can cause serious brain and heart complications and cause death. To prevent the loss of a loved one, it is necessary to remember under what pressure a person dies. Each organism has its own critical indicator. There is an opinion that an increase or decrease in blood pressure by 30 points from the usual state is life-threatening.

Experts cannot give an exact figure at what pressure death occurs. It is believed that the maximum the body can withstand is a blood pressure of 260/140 mmHg. Art., then the person dies. A decrease in diastolic blood pressure leads to worsening blood circulation. The result may be the development of heart failure, hypoxia, and loss of consciousness. It is necessary to understand at what pressure a person dies and when he needs emergency help. A sharp decrease in pressure by 30 mm Hg. Art. can also cause cardiogenic shock, which is accompanied by cardiac arrest. In most cases this leads to death.

Terminal condition and death

The decline of the functions of organs and tissues are harbingers of biological death. General signs of death:

• hypoxia of the brain and tissues;
• circulatory disorder;
• blood acidification;
• unclear breathing.

The lowest blood pressure in a person at death occurs in a state of pre-agony. The patient already looks like a corpse, although the duration of the terminal pause can vary from a few seconds to 5 minutes. Next comes agony, expressed in a deep sigh, increased blood pressure and heartbeat.

Only a doctor can tell what pressure is there when a person dies in agony, since it is difficult to detect faint heart murmurs with a regular stethoscope. Usually it is not pronounced, but can increase to 30 mm Hg. Art., while not ensuring normal brain activity.

Next comes a state of clinical death. At this stage, only individual organs are working. The ability to provide assistance in the first seconds of cardiac arrest increases the chance of bringing a person back to life. The time of clinical death is 3–6 minutes, then the organs are switched off and the person dies.

High and low blood pressure

In an absolutely healthy person, blood pressure (BP) may change throughout the day. The indicators are influenced by emotional mood, physical activity, and certain foods, disruption of work and rest. In chronic conditions of high or low blood pressure, hypertension and hypotension are diagnosed.

Hypertension

Hypertension is one of the most common illnesses in the world. It takes millions of lives. The pathology is expressed in the persistence of persistently high blood pressure.

Stages of disease development:

1. Early stage. It manifests itself as temporary jumps in indicators up to 140/90 and an independent decrease. Over time, this leads to further changes in the blood vessels.
2. Second stage. It is characterized by an increase in blood pressure to 180/110, and it can only be normalized with the help of special medications.
3. Serious condition. Constant blood pressure more than 180 mm Hg. Art. At the same time, the heart muscle and blood vessels are severely worn out. Against this background, there are concomitant diseases.

Note. A sharp increase in blood pressure during hypertension causes a crisis that can lead to death.

The blood pressure of a dying person with hypertensive collapse usually exceeds 200 mmHg. Art. Several cases of survival with blood pressure of 300 mm Hg have been recorded. Art., but this is an exception to the statistical data. A person who survives such cases becomes disabled. Vital organs stop functioning normally.

Blood pressure values ​​at which you can die

To provide emergency medical care, it is necessary to understand at what pressure people die. A dangerous indicator is a large difference between systolic and diastolic numbers.

Condition during hypertensive crisis:

• 180/140 – moderate-heavy;
• 240/140 – heavy;
• 200/100 – risk of death;
• 260/100 – especially difficult – a person dies.

Any critical increase in blood pressure can trigger the failure of vital organs, which leads to irreversible consequences or death.

Signs of death from hypertension

High blood pressure in a person at death is characterized by the appearance of the following symptoms:

• Strong headache;
• , goosebumps before the eyes;
• state of fear and panic;
• minor body spasms;
• lack of air;
• increased sweating when the skin is cold;
• loss of consciousness;
• scleral hemorrhage;
• pressure goes off scale by 30-50 points from the usual high levels.

All of the above signs indicate an extremely serious condition in which a person may die suddenly. Death occurs due to failure of internal organs: heart, brain, rupture of blood vessels. If signs of a hypertensive crisis are detected, first aid must be provided.

Hypotension

This is a pathological decrease in blood pressure. The main causes are chronic diseases of internal organs. Those suffering from this disease constantly experience:

• dizziness;
• chronic fatigue;
• fainting states;
• irritability;
• swelling;
• muscle pain.

Over time, dystrophic changes in blood vessels occur. A constant lack of oxygen and nutrients negatively affects the functional abilities of the brain. Tachycardia (irregular heart rhythm) is possible, and in severe cases, cardiogenic shock.

Symptoms of a dying state with low blood pressure

The dying state with low blood pressure is accompanied by:

• arrhythmia;
• cold sweat;
• severe malaise, weakness in the legs;
• panic attacks;
• lethargy;
• swelling of the venous arteries;
• marbling of the skin;
• cyanosis (blue discoloration of lips, mucous membranes).

The patient loses consciousness, lack of blood circulation provokes coma, cardiac arrest. Without adequate care, the patient will die.

The body's reaction to critically low levels

The severity of the condition can be determined by blood pressure, duration of shock, severity of body reactions, oliguria (a sharp decrease in the functioning of the urinary tract). Below are the figures at what low pressure a person dies and whether it is possible to avoid tragedy.

• Blood pressure within 90/50 mm Hg. Art. quickly relieved by drug therapy.
• 80/50 is accompanied by shock conditions from the cardiovascular system.
• A prolonged decrease in readings to 60/30 causes pronounced reactions and may be accompanied by brain hypoxia.
• When blood pressure decreases to 40 mm Hg. signs of a pre-mortem state are clearly expressed.
• Indicators are 20 mm Hg. Art. are not detected by a conventional device, the person falls into a coma and dies without help.

When readings are below 60 mmHg. The sense of reality is gradually lost, the earth floats under your feet, and the body goes into shock.

Important! At the first symptoms, it is necessary to call an ambulance, especially if there are no people nearby who can provide the necessary assistance.

To prevent a tragedy, it is necessary to monitor your health, periodically measure your blood pressure, and lead a healthy lifestyle. At the first sign of deviation from the norm, consult a specialist. Timely prevention and treatment with medications will allow you to live for many years.

Video

Blood pressure reflects the internal state of a person. Its indicators can change significantly under the influence of certain extraneous factors. High blood pressure can pose a serious risk to human health. It can increase in the presence of various diseases. That is why if your blood pressure regularly increases, you should immediately consult a doctor. If this recommendation is not followed, the condition may worsen significantly and result in serious deviations. Treatment should also be supervised by a medical professional.

High blood pressure is a symptom of many diseases

Highest blood pressure and its dangers

Not everyone thought about what the highest blood pressure was recorded in a person. To begin with, we note that blood pressure is the force with which blood moves through the vessels. Pressure is systolic and diastolic. The highest rates that have been recorded in the world are 310/220 mmHg. Art. Not every person can withstand this level of blood pressure.

If the norm is exceeded, appropriate measures must be taken immediately. It is necessary to provide first aid, which will help normalize the indicators.

Increased blood pressure levels can pose a huge danger to human health and life. If there is a risk of its increase, you must undergo a course of treatment prescribed by your doctor. Experts recommend measuring indicators throughout the day. This needs to be done at different times of the day. Thanks to this, you can get the most objective picture of the condition.

Measure your blood pressure at least 2 times a day: morning and evening

Due to a regular increase in blood pressure, a stagnation process may begin in the vessels. In the future, this can lead to their rupture. Blood pressure levels usually increase due to the following abnormalities:

• stressful situations;
• excessive physical activity;
• change in climate or weather conditions;
• overvoltage;
• wrong lifestyle;
• lack of sleep;
• emotional overstrain.

These are the main factors that lead to an increase in blood pressure levels. In this case, a person experiences a lot of unpleasant symptoms, and doing normal things becomes impossible.

An excessive increase in blood pressure can lead not only to complications, but also to death. If there is a sharp jump in indicators, it is advisable to call an ambulance.

If your blood pressure suddenly rises above 150, call an ambulance

A prolonged increase in pressure can lead to irreversible changes in the body. First of all, the so-called target organs suffer. These include:

• organs of vision;
• heart;
• excretory organs;
• brain.

Negative symptoms can become chronic. In some cases, the patient may experience a hypertensive crisis. This condition is characterized by a spontaneous increase in blood pressure. It can result in myocardial infarction, stroke or heart failure.

To prevent the condition from worsening, the patient must undergo regular medical therapy. It should be carried out using the medications prescribed by the specialist.

Pressure norms and systolic indicators

Experts distinguish between systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Each of them has its own characteristics and norms. Systolic pressure is the indicator that is observed during peak compression of the heart. It is also called the top one. It demonstrates the force with which biological fluid presses on the walls of the arteries at the moment the heart contracts.

Upper pressure is systolic, lower pressure is diastolic

120/80 is the blood pressure that is considered normal. If it regularly increases, a person may be diagnosed with hypertension. In this case, there is a need for special treatment. Experts say that high or low blood pressure is not always a deviation. Some people's blood pressure may be different. It will be considered normal if the person does not have any negative symptoms and feels great.

With a pathological increase in indicators, the following symptoms may be observed:

• difficulty breathing;
• sleep disturbance;
• refusal to eat;
• change in skin color;
• paroxysmal pain in the head;
• loss of sensation;
• disturbances in the functioning of the organs of vision and hearing;
• severe dizziness;
• loss of consciousness.

With a pathological deviation from the norm, it is difficult for a person to perform even the easiest and most everyday tasks. He has a marked deterioration in his condition. It is customary for specialists to diagnose a pathological increase in blood pressure when its levels exceed 140/90.

Ideal pressure 120/80

With a slight deviation in most cases, a person does not have cardiovascular disorders, and the increase in pressure is due to extraneous factors. After a short period of time, it is restored without outside help, and the patient does not need special treatment. However, first of all, doctors pay attention to the individual characteristics of the patient. This is because for some, normal blood pressure is less than 120/80.

For any abnormalities, especially if they occur on a regular basis, it is advisable to visit a doctor. This is necessary in order to make sure that the indicators present are normal and do not indicate the presence of any pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

Typically, with a pathological deviation from the norm, both upper and lower blood pressure increases. Only in some cases only one indicator increases.

What is the maximum blood pressure that can be withstood?

Any deviation of blood pressure from the norm can result in significant complications. It is important to know how much pressure a person can withstand. It is impossible to answer this question accurately. All people have certain characteristics of the body. They react differently to blood pressure deviations. Experts say that an increase of 25-30 units can already be regarded as a potential danger.

Hypertension can be diagnosed in a person whose blood pressure level exceeds 140/95. When blood pressure increases by 20 units, the patient experiences a whole range of unpleasant symptoms. The greatest danger is posed by a spontaneous and rapid increase in blood pressure, but small changes are usually short-lived.

Headache and high blood pressure are the main symptoms of hypertension

Experts note that it is rare to encounter patients whose upper blood pressure levels have reached 300 units. Not every person can withstand this level. Typically, at such rates, death occurs.

Experts say that the maximum blood pressure that a person can withstand is 260/140. At higher rates, many patients die or experience irreversible consequences. This condition may lead to:

• heart failure;
• ischemic stroke;
• apoplexy.

To prevent irreversible consequences, you need to call a doctor as soon as possible when the first symptoms of increased blood pressure appear.

Treatment and prevention

Blood pressure levels depend on many different factors. Experts recommend taking preventive measures to prevent its increase. To do this you need:

• take walks in the fresh air every day;
• give preference to moderate physical activity;
• completely change your diet and give preference to healthy foods;
• completely give up bad habits;
• avoid stressful situations;
• get as much rest as possible;
• get rid of excess weight;
• observe the drinking regime.

Follow simple rules to prevent hypertension

Nutrition has a significant impact on blood pressure and the cardiovascular system in general. Often, it is due to an incorrect diet that deviations occur. Experts recommend avoiding the use of:

• excessive amounts of salt (you can consume no more than 3 grams per day);
• instant food products;
• drinks with gas (it is better to give preference to homemade juices and fruit drinks);
• fatty meats and some dairy products;
• alcohol-containing drinks, since almost all alcohol leads to a rapid increase in blood pressure;
• seasonings, as they often contain excessive amounts of salt and harmful additives;
• mayonnaise - such a sauce causes an increase in cholesterol in the blood (this contributes to the formation of cholesterol plaques, which always lead to an increase in blood pressure).

Lack of water can cause high blood pressure

To treat hypertension, it is customary for a patient to be prescribed several medications, since combination therapy is most effective.

In some cases, treatment must be carried out continuously, especially if the patient has an advanced stage of arterial hypertension.

Most often, patients are prescribed the following medications:

• Arifon;
• Coronal;
• Uregit;
• Nebilet.

All medications can only be prescribed by a doctor. The doctor selects the drug based on individual characteristics. Self-medication is prohibited, since a drug that has a positive effect on one patient may harm another patient. In some cases, side effects may occur after taking the medication. In this case, you will need to consult your doctor.

You can learn more about the causes of increased blood pressure and the appearance of hypertension from the video:

The human body needs to constantly receive water and food, maintain a certain temperature and pressure. What hardships can the human body withstand?

1. Body temperature.

Typically, body temperature fluctuates between 35.8-37.3 degrees. C. It is in this interval that all organs function normally. When body temperature rises above 41 degrees. Dehydration of the body and damage to organs begins, and when it drops below 20 degrees C, blood flow stops.

Man has adapted to life in extremely cold regions. But when the body temperature cools to 35 degrees. Motor functions deteriorate, up to 33 degrees. C – orientation in space is lost, up to 30 degrees C – loss of consciousness occurs.

2. Heart performance.

The heart can withstand a load from 40 to 226 beats per minute.

A low heart rate leads to low blood pressure and loss of consciousness, too high a heart attack and death. When the heart stops, the blood supply to the brain stops and the brain dies.

The power of the human heart during its entire life is so great that it could drag a steam locomotive to the top of Mont Blanc.

3. Brain overload with information.

The average human brain has a way of storing the amount of information contained in 20 thousand dictionaries. But even he may not be able to withstand the overload. In this case, the brain stops functioning properly. In this case, the person begins to behave inappropriately, become delusional, and may lose consciousness.

4. Noise level.

The level of noise that a person can safely perceive varies from 20 decibels (a quiet whisper) to 120 decibels (the noise from an airplane taking off). Staying in a noisy environment significantly reduces a person’s performance.

When the noise level increases to 160 decibels, the eardrums burst. With even louder noise, the pressure wave can rupture the lungs, ultimately leading to death.

5. The amount of blood in the body.

The human body contains 5-6 liters of blood (8% of body weight). If you lose more than 2 liters of blood, there is a high risk of life.

With a significant lack of blood, the heart slows down and blood pressure drops. The brain, not receiving the oxygen it needs, stops working and dies.

Interestingly, in mammals the ratio of blood to body weight is also 8%.

6. Height and depth.

When diving to a depth of more than 18 meters without special equipment, eardrums can burst, lungs can be damaged, and there is also a risk of loss of consciousness. At the same time, when rising to a height of more than 4.5 thousand meters above sea level, the body ceases to receive the oxygen necessary for normal functioning. Under such conditions, pulmonary and cerebral edema may develop within a few hours, leading to death.

7. Lack of water.

Without water, the human body can survive for 7-10 days. Lack of water leads to thickening of the blood, which impedes its movement through the vessels and increases the load on the heart.

Water is needed in all areas of the body's life. A shortage of 5 liters of water causes dizziness and fainting, 10 liters causes convulsions, and a deficiency of 15 liters leads to death.

Once upon a time, only the literary heroes of Jules Verne were able to travel to the depths of the sea. But in 1960, not the fantastic Nautilus, but a completely real bathyscaphe with two scientists on board (J. Picard and D. Walsh) reached the bottom one of the deepest depressions in the Pacific Ocean - 10,919 m.

Even in its wildest dreams, humanity could hardly count on such success. Paying tribute to the audacity of the researchers, one cannot help but admit that such an achievement has become possible only in our days - thanks to the development of modern technology.

The depth of diving without scuba gear is limited primarily by the reserves of oxygen available in the body (about 2.5 liters). The diver is also helped by the fact that the water pressure, squeezing blood out of the limbs, increases its saturation in the lungs. For example, the Frenchman Jacques Maillol managed to reach a depth of 105 m without scuba gear. He plunged into the water along a cable at a speed of 10 m/s and then rose up at the same speed. One of the secrets of this phenomenon is that at the time of setting his new world record, Maillol had 10 years of experience training in the yoga system. He learned to perfectly relax his muscles and hold his breath for up to 4 minutes, and increased his lung capacity to 7.4 liters. Thanks to such a long breath-hold, the human body in the underwater depths is, as it were, likened to a bathyscaphe, i.e., as a result of turning off gas exchange, the body does not have the problem of decompression disorders, which we will tell the reader about later. It is also interesting that to a depth of 50 m Maillol dives with a nose clip, which prevents water from entering the nasopharynx. Upon further immersion, he removes the nose clip, and then, due to the penetration of water into the nasopharynx, the barometric pressure on the outer and inner sides of the eardrums is equalized. This eliminates the unpleasant sensation in the ears associated with one-sided water pressure on the eardrums. Maillol's eyes are protected by contact lenses in the underwater depths.

Among women, the young Italian diver Angela Bandini achieved brilliant success in 1986.

Near the island of Elba, she dived without scuba gear to a record depth for women - 52.5 m. The entire operation took 2.5 minutes. And five years earlier, Bandini dived 20 meters into the icy waters of a lake located at a five-kilometer altitude in Pery.

Speaking about underwater records, one cannot help but recall the heroism of multiple world record holder in scuba diving Shavarsh Karapetyan. When in 1982 a trolleybus with 20 passengers fell and sank in the cold waters of the Yerevan reservoir at a depth of 8-9 m, Karapetyan dived to the bottom in a row for more than 20 minutes and saved the lives of all the victims. After that, he also helped pull out the trolleybus itself. This was both a civil feat and an unofficial sports record.

But the record for penetration of scuba divers into the depths of the sea is 565 m. It was set in 1972 by two Frenchmen.

In 1986, American Jay Smith managed to stay underwater with scuba gear for 124 hours and 30 minutes, and his compatriot Fay Henry managed to stay underwater for more than 72 hours. At the same time, they used an air bell to rest and eat.

The book by M.V. Vasiliev “Matter” (1977) describes how in a pressure chamber four volunteers managed to withstand barometric pressure corresponding to a depth of 1520 m! They spent 4 hours at such a “depth” without any harm to themselves, and this at a barometric pressure 152 times higher than the pressure on Earth. If, at normal atmospheric pressure, you offer a person to breathe a mixture containing 99.86% helium and 0.14% oxygen, then he will lose consciousness due to oxygen deficiency within 1-2 minutes. But at a barometric pressure corresponding to a sea depth of 1.5 km, a person will be able to freely breathe this mixture in the same way as under normal conditions he breathes atmospheric air. Conversely, breathing atmospheric air at a pressure of several tens of atmospheres is deadly. Under these conditions, the body will be poisoned with nitrogen and... oxygen. Yes, yes, the same oxygen that in other cases saves lives. Excessive oxygen saturation leads to serious, sometimes irreversible changes in the body.

In our country in 1985, four volunteers lived for more than a month in a pressure chamber at a “depth” of 450 m. At the same time, Arctic divers began performing underwater technical work on the seabed, being at a depth of 300 m continuously for 1.5 hours.

At significantly increased barometric pressure, not only the oxygen in the atmospheric air becomes life-threatening, but also the nitrogen contained in it. This gas dissolves perfectly in nervous tissue, causing first a narcotic and then a toxic effect. Nitrogen narcosis, or “deep intoxication,” usually occurs if a person breathes atmospheric air at a depth of 30-100 m. In this state, he loses control over himself. There are known cases when scuba divers in a state of “deep intoxication” took a mouthpiece with a hose through which air was supplied from the cylinders from their mouths and died. Therefore, when a diver dives to great depths, he is given a gas mixture where nitrogen is replaced by helium, which is much less soluble in nervous tissue and blood.

Replacing nitrogen with helium helps the diver avoid so-called decompression sickness or decompression sickness when ascending to the surface of the water. It arises mainly due to the fact that during a rapid rise, the additional amount of nitrogen dissolved in the blood, tissue fluid and tissues does not have time to be released from the body. Gas bubbles appear in the blood, which can lead to blockage of vital vessels.

He made a great contribution to overcoming this physiological barrier in the 50s. young Swiss scientist Hans Keller. The essence of his idea is the sequential change of different gas mixtures during ascent. At a depth of 300 to 90 m, he suggests breathing a mixture of helium and oxygen, from 90 to 60 m - a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen, from 60 to 15 m - an argon-oxygen mixture and from 15 m to the surface of the water - pure oxygen. Having experimented on himself, Keller rose from a depth of 222 m in just 53 minutes. But it took 12 hours to reach it from a depth of 180 m!

Decompression sickness can occur not only during ascent from the depths to the surface of the water, but also during rapid rarefaction of the atmosphere in the pressure chamber. In our practice, there was a case when a person breathed oxygen through a mask in a pressure chamber at a rarefaction of the atmosphere in it corresponding to an altitude of 11,000 m, and at the same time performed work on a bicycle ergometer up to 1,000 kgm/min. At the 26th minute of work, he developed decompression pain in his left knee. Ignoring them, the volunteer continued to work. After another 5 minutes, gas bubbles began to clog the large vessels of the lungs. As a result, despite breathing oxygen, there was a feeling of sudden suffocation, and the person even lost consciousness. In just 3 minutes, the barometric pressure was normalized in the pressure chamber, and then the victim was even “immersed” in the hyperbaric chamber to a “depth” of 15 m, where he stayed for 1 hour. However, his health continued to deteriorate, and his blood pressure dropped to 50/0 mm Hg. Art. Only after resuscitation and two weeks of hospital treatment were all the consequences of decompression sickness completely eliminated.

By the way, to reduce the likelihood of developing decompression sickness during a rapid rise to the surface of the water, divers could be recommended... to engage in high-altitude mountaineering. In our observations of eight volunteers who performed heavy physical work on a bicycle ergometer while breathing oxygen in a pressure chamber “at an altitude” of 11,000 m, all of them, without exception, developed decompression pain in the joints at the 13-35th minute of work. After actually climbing Elbrus, one of the same volunteers developed decompression pain not at the 18th, but at the 39th minute of work. For the rest, they did not appear, despite continuous work for 1 hour.

In general, in order to make it easier to subsequently overcome various kinds of barriers that a person encounters in water, it is advisable to begin underwater training of the body from infancy. Newborns are quite resistant to oxygen starvation. And this is not surprising, given that in the mother’s body the fetus receives an amount of oxygen approximately equal to the height of Everest.

Under our supervision was a cat, which, two days before the birth of kittens, was “raised” in a pressure chamber to an “altitude” of 12,000 m and remained there until breathing stopped completely (18 minutes). Despite such severe hypoxia, the cat gave birth to six full-fledged kittens. In another experiment, it was found that a newborn rat lives in an oxygen-free gas environment (in pure nitrogen) for 50 minutes. If glycolysis is artificially inhibited by administering iodoacetate, its lifespan is reduced to 3 minutes.

Observations of children conducted in recent years have shown that newborns with scuba diving lessons learn much faster not to breathe under water for a long time than older children and adults. This is explained by the fact that newborns have a greater ability to obtain oxygen-free energy than an adult.

An employee of the Institute of General Pedagogy and Psychology, I.B. Charkovsky, conducted an interesting experiment on his 7-month-old premature daughter. The girl weighed only 1600 g. In order to somehow facilitate her premature transition from the conditions of immersion in the womb to the conditions of earthly gravity, to which it is quite difficult for a premature organism to adapt, Charkovsky periodically placed his daughter in an aquarium and kept her there for several hours. The girl, to everyone's surprise, felt like a real ichthyander in the water element, swam and dived freely, and at 4 months of life she already had a normal weight.

Australian swimming coaches, the Timmermans, began teaching their son swimming from the end of the first week after birth. By six months, the child could float for up to 15-20 minutes and swim several hundred meters.

It has now been established that a newborn has a much stronger development of the reflex to block breathing when immersed in water than an adult. It has also been proven that infants have not yet lost the ability to navigate in the aquatic environment with the help of the most ancient analyzer - the taste analyzer. “By taste,” a child underwater can even distinguish people close to him from strangers.

Soviet academician S.I. Volfkovich, already an elderly man, once during a sea storm in Gagra, risking his life, saved a drowning man. In response to the saved man’s gratitude, he replied: “Why are you thanking me? You don’t owe your life to me, not to me... But to the fact that I had wonderful parents who taught me to swim at two years old.”

In 1982, the first scientific conference dedicated to the birth of children in water was held in the city of Tutukaka (New Zealand). To date, hundreds of children have already been successfully born under water in the USSR. As of January 1982, 52 such births were registered in France, and 15 in the USA. Of course, such births are performed by experienced doctors. The water bath is thoroughly disinfected, the water temperature is equal to the temperature of the mother's womb (approximately 38.5 ° C); 0.5% salt is added to the water, i.e. the same amount as is in the blood plasma. So the child is born in a familiar aquatic environment. The baby's skin is not touched by cool air, which would encourage him to start breathing. In this case, the woman in labor, as a rule, does not experience very strong pain, and the child does not receive birth trauma.

It is interesting that thousands of years ago in Ancient Egypt, when a woman was facing a difficult birth, she was lowered into water. Perhaps it was precisely such cases that made it possible to notice that children born in water were ahead of their peers in physical and mental development. And then those who were to become priests began to be born in an aquatic environment.

An interesting story happened in our country in July 1986 with the Bagryansky spouses from the city of Vladimir. They were vacationing in the Crimea near Sudak, waiting for the replenishment of their family. A normal birth took place during a morning swim in crystal clear sea water. Born in such exotic conditions, the girl was given the exotic name Eya.

Sondra Ray's book The Perfect Birth (1985) describes a similar incident that occurred in 1966 with Neville von Schleffenberg. His 23-year-old mother was swimming in the ocean when she went into labor. The baby was in the water for 4-5 minutes after birth.

There are projects (and they are planned to be implemented in the not too distant future) for the construction of underwater cities. And separate underwater laboratory houses already exist in many countries around the world. Back in 1969, the maximum diving depth was reached by the American underwater laboratory “Aegir” - 158.5 m. Six aquanauts stayed in it for 5 days.

The atmosphere of the underwater house "Aegir" contained only 1.8% oxygen, but the barometric pressure was significantly higher than on the earth's surface.

If, for example, with such a low oxygen content, the barometric pressure is increased to 10-11 atm, then the body will not feel any oxygen deficiency. It is the increased barometric air pressure that distinguishes underwater houses from bathyscaphes. After all, their inhabitants - aquanauts - periodically have to go out in their spacesuits into the underwater world, that is, into conditions where barometric pressure reaches even higher values. If in underwater houses the barometric pressure was maintained the same as on the earth's surface (and in the bathyscaphe), then aquanauts would have to wait too long in the “hallway” of their home after each underwater trip in order to avoid decompression sickness.

At the II International Conference on the Study of Human Activities Underwater, French researcher Jacques Yves Cousteau suggested that underwater cities of the future could be populated by people with artificial gills that extract oxygen directly from the water. In accordance with this idea of ​​Cousteau, in order to counteract pressure at depths, a person’s lungs should be removed, and a special cartridge should be introduced into his circulatory system, which would chemically release oxygen into the blood and remove carbon dioxide from it. Further, according to Cousteau, the fight against decompression sickness and free movement along the seabed will be facilitated by filling the body cavity with an inert liquid. All this will characterize a new species of man - “Homo aquaticus”. Cousteau did not exclude that the first person of this species will appear by 2000.

In principle, Homo aquaticus could do without gills, but for this he would have to live at a depth of 500-700 m. In experiments on mice and dogs, it was proven that if at such a depth the lungs are filled with water, then the oxygen dissolved in it, due to its high voltage will be enough to breathe... water. One dog was brought back to earthly life.

In our opinion, humanity will explore the underwater depths not quite as Cousteau suggests. It would be a step backwards. After all, the secondary return of mammals to the aquatic environment, which led to the appearance of modern seals, walruses and whales, is not associated with the appearance of gills. But these animals have an amazing ability to use oxygen economically. A person develops the same ability through special training. With the help of special training and technical devices, a person will increase the resistance of his body to decompression and cooling associated with increased heat transfer in water, and will learn to dive and swim no worse than dolphins. But a person will never turn into a special, exceptional species “homo aquaticus”. He will develop harmoniously and feel equally free in the water element, on land and in space.

Nowadays, man successfully storms not only underwater, but also underground depths. First of all, this applies to cave explorers - speleologists.

The famous French speleologist Michel Sifre, at the age of 17, dived into caves with depths from 320 to 450 m for 81 hours. In 1962, he descended into the Scarasson abyss, located in the Alps on the French-Italian border, to a depth of 135 m, where spent two months in an underground glacier alone, in darkness (under the light of a very weak light bulb), at an air temperature of about 0°C, 100% humidity, in conditions of constant collapses. This is how he described his sensations in the cave: “My ears were constantly saturated with music or the fantastic roar of landslides. However, my visual perception was greatly limited by the darkness. Pretty soon my eyes began to get tired due to the lack of natural light and weak electric lighting, and I felt that I was losing sight of colors. For example, I began to confuse green with blue. It was difficult for me to determine distances to objects... Sometimes I had visual hallucinations.”

In 1972, Sifre lived in a cave in Texas even longer - about 7 months. Interestingly, in the caves his “day”, measured by the time intervals between two awakenings, was 24.5 hours, and his body temperature did not exceed 36°C.

Such self-experiments can only be compared with the Antarctic loneliness of the American Admiral Richard Byrd. In 1934, during the polar night, he found himself cut off from people for many months, in conditions of terrible cold (at an Antarctic base near 80° south latitude). Nevertheless, Bird’s courage did not leave him, and in single combat with darkness and cold he emerged victorious.

Among the serious dangers that await people in caves are underwater floods. This is how one of them is described in Norbert Caster’s book “My Life Underground”. In 1951, Dr. Merey found himself together with 6 comrades in one of the Jura caves when an underground flood suddenly began. Panic arose in the detachment, and everyone rushed to run, trying to overcome the rising water and get to the exit from the cave, but six of the seven members of the detachment were overtaken by the water, and they drowned.

Dr. Merey tried to maintain composure and decided to stay in place, where the arch was higher and, moreover, formed something like a recess. His calculations may not have been justified, since the water reached his shoulders and, in addition, he constantly had to fight against the rapid current. The water receded only after 27 hours. Merey was completely exhausted from cold and fatigue, but continued to fight the water and survived.

Interestingly, some caves can be successfully used for medicinal purposes. For example, in the Solotvinsky salt mines of Transcarpathia since 1968, treatment of patients with bronchial asthma has been carried out by spending the night in caves. Medical statistics show that 84% of adults and 96% of children get rid of bronchial asthma in this way. The healing effect of these caves is explained by the purity of the air and its clearly expressed negative ionization.

The deepest cave studied to date is the Jean-Bernard Cave in France - 1445 m. It is believed that the Snezhnaya Cave in the Caucasus has a depth of 1600 m. If we talk about mines, then the deepest of them - more than 3 km from the surface - is dug in South Africa. At such great depths, people mine gold.

Limit your alcohol intake to no more than one or two drinks per day, reduce your sodium intake, and increase your potassium intake. Diet has been proven to improve blood pressure.

Hypertension

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is increased blood pressure in the arteries. Hypertension results from two main factors, which may present independently or together:

1.The heart pumps blood with excessive force.
2. Narrow and inelastic arterioles, unable to pass the entire blood flow, so that the blood flow puts more pressure on the walls of the vessels.

Blood pressure is the force exerted against the walls of the arteries while the heart pumps blood throughout the body. Pressure is determined by the force and amount of blood pumped, as well as the size and flexibility of the arteries.

Although the body can tolerate high blood pressure for months or even years, eventually the heart can become enlarged. This condition is called hypertrophy, which is a major factor in heart failure. This pressure can damage blood vessels in the heart, kidneys, brain and eyes.

There are two numbers used to describe blood pressure: systolic - the top pressure, the higher number coming first, and diastolic pressure - the bottom pressure, the lower number coming second. The health risks of high blood pressure may differ among different age groups and, depending on which blood pressure, systolic or diastolic pressure (or both) is increased. Measuring momentum can also be an important indicator.

Systolic blood pressure

Systolic pressure is the force that blood exerts on the walls of the arteries when the heart contracts to pump out blood. High systolic pressure is a greater risk factor than diastolic pressure for the brain, heart, kidneys and circulatory system in terms of complications and mortality, especially among middle-aged and elderly people.

Diastolic blood pressure

Diastolic pressure measures the force when the heart relaxes to allow blood to flow into the heart. High diastolic pressure is a strong risk factor for heart attack and stroke in young people.

Pulse (impulse) pressure

Pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure. It indicates stiffness and inflammation of the walls of blood vessels. The greater the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure, the greater the health risk.

Hypertonic disease

There are several classifications and descriptions of hypertension.

Hypertension, also called primary or idiopathic hypertension. About 90% of all cases of high blood pressure are of this type.

The causes of hypertension are unknown, but it involves complex processes in all major organs and systems, including the heart, blood vessels, nerves, hormones, and kidneys.

Secondary hypertension. Secondary hypertension accounts for about 5% of cases of high blood pressure. In this condition, the cause of the increase in pressure is usually determined.

Other doctors classify hypertension based on part of the blood pressure reading being abnormal:
Isolated systolic hypertension. Elevated systolic pressure can pose a significant risk for the heart and stroke, even if the diastolic pressure is normal - a condition called isolated systolic hypertension. This occurs when the systolic pressure is above 140 mmHg and the diastolic pressure is normal. This is associated with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Isolated systolic hypertension is the most common form of hypertension in people over 50 years of age.

- Diastolic hypertension refers to increased diastolic blood pressure. This subtype most often occurs in adults of average age 30 years - 50.

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg. Prehypertension is blood pressure between 120 -139 systolic and 80 - 89 diastolic. Blood pressure readings indicate an increased risk of developing high blood pressure. High blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mmHg. (systolic) or greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg. (diastolic).

For teenagers, as for adults, blood pressure greater than 120/80 is considered prehypertensive. Increasing rates of obesity have led to higher rates of hypertension and prehypertension among children.

Blood pressure readings

Note: If one of the measurements has a higher deviation than the other higher measurements, then this deviation is usually used to determine the stage. For example, if the systolic pressure is 165 (stage 2) and diastolic 92 (stage 1), the patient will still be diagnosed with stage 2 hypertension. High systolic pressure compared to normal or low diastolic pressure should be the focus of attention.

Causes of hypertension

Causes of primary hypertension:

Hypertension is cited as a major primary cause of the disease when the doctor cannot determine the specific cause of the high blood pressure. This is by far the most common type of high blood pressure. The reasons for it are not known for certain; most likely, these are complex combinations of genetic, environmental and other factors.

Genetic factors. A number of genetic factors and interactions between genes play an important role in hypertension. Such genes include:

Genes that regulate groups of hormones collectively called the angiotensin-renin-aldosterone system. This system influences all aspects of blood pressure control, including blood vessel contraction, sodium and water balance, and cell development in the heart.
- Genes that cause disorders of the sympathetic nervous system, by the autonomic nervous system, which controls heart rate, blood pressure, and the diameter of blood vessels.

Causes of secondary hypertension:

Secondary hypertension is caused by an underlying medical condition or other factors, such as medications, that increase blood pressure. There are many different diseases associated with secondary hypertension. These medical conditions can cause high blood pressure or make it more difficult to control. They include:

The risk of complications and rapid progression of hypertension becomes more likely in the presence of other risk factors, including significantly elevated blood pressure, increasing age, smoking, elevated cholesterol, a family history of premature heart disease, obesity, diabetes, coronary artery disease, or other cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiac complications

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for the development of hypertension, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality from high blood pressure. Hypertension is a group of complications that include:

- Cardiac ischemia . High blood pressure promotes thickening of blood vessel walls, which can cause or worsen atherosclerosis (accumulated cholesterol deposits in blood vessels). The end result is coronary heart disease, which increases the risk of angina (chest pain), heart attack, stroke and death. High blood pressure is the most common risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
- Heart failure. High blood pressure increases the workload of the heart. Over time, this can cause the heart muscle to weaken. Because the heart pumps against the increased pressure in the blood vessels, the left ventricle becomes enlarged and the amount of blood pumped by the heart each minute (cardiac output) is disrupted, developing a condition called left ventricular hypertrophy. If left untreated, it can lead to heart failure.
- Cardiac arrhythmias. High blood pressure increases the risk of cardiac arrhythmias (heartbeat problems). Arrhythmias include atrial fibrillation, premature ventricular contractions, and ventricular tachycardia.

About two thirds of people with moderately high blood pressure (160/95 mmHg or above) are at risk of having a first stroke. Hypertension is an important cause of cerebral infarctions, which are caused by the destruction of blood vessels in the brain (mini-strokes), which can be a precursor to a serious stroke or the progression of dementia over time.

Diabetes and kidney disease

- Diabetes. High blood pressure, and certain medications to treat it, may increase your risk of developing diabetes. There are strong links between biological insulin resistance (with or without diabetes) and hypertension.

People with diabetes or chronic kidney disease should lower their blood pressure to 130/80 mmHg. or lower to protect the heart and help prevent other complications common to both diseases. Up to 75% of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes may be due to hypertension.

End stage kidney disease. High blood pressure causes 30% of all cases of end-stage kidney disease (doctors call it end-stage renal disease, or ESRD). Diabetes alone leads to most cases of kidney failure.

Patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension should be monitored very carefully for the development of kidney disease.

Dementia

Isolated systolic hypertension may pose a certain risk of dementia - memory loss.

Eye damage

High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels in the retina of the eye, causing a condition called retinopathy.

Sexual dysfunction

Sexual dysfunction is more common and more severe in men with hypertension and in smokers than in the general population. Although older drugs used to treat hypertension cause erectile dysfunction as a side effect, the pathological process that causes hypertension is itself the underlying cause of erectile dysfunction. Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, such as sildenafil (Viagra), are not dangerous for most men who have high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction disorders. However, men who have uncontrolled or unstable hypertension should not take erectile dysfunction pills.

Pregnancy and high blood pressure

Many women who are prone to developing hypertension have their first elevated blood pressure readings during pregnancy. High blood pressure is usually detected early in pregnancy, before 16 to 20 weeks. These women often require antihypertensive medications during pregnancy and more careful monitoring of their own and fetal conditions. Continuation of hypertension after pregnancy is also not uncommon.

Severe, sudden high blood pressure in pregnant women is one component of a condition called preeclampsia (commonly called toxemia), which can be very serious for mother and baby. Preeclampsia occurs in up to 10% of all pregnancies, usually in the third trimester of the first pregnancy, and resolves immediately after birth. Other symptoms and signs of preeclampsia include protein in the urine, severe headaches, and swollen ankles.

Reduced blood flow to the placenta can lead to low birth weight and eye or brain damage in the fetus. Severe cases of preeclampsia can cause kidney damage, seizures and coma in the mother, and can cause death for both mother and baby. Women at risk of preeclampsia, especially those with existing hypertension, should closely monitor their health. Medication for high blood pressure may be necessary. In severe cases, it becomes necessary to induce early labor.

Patients with hypertension should work with their healthcare provider to determine the possibility of elevated blood pressure based on individual risk factors. Lifestyle changes are important, and patients should monitor their blood pressure regularly at home. Drug treatment should be carried out on an individual basis. About 30% of patients with hypertension are not treated at all, and less than 50% of them have adequate self-controlled blood pressure.

It is not always clear when medications should be prescribed, especially for people with prehypertension or mild high blood pressure. To make a choice of treatment, you need to proceed from the severity of the disease.

Hypertension is a disease characterized by chronically high blood pressure. It must be controlled, treated with medications, lifestyle changes, or a combination of both.

Recommendations for treatment depending on the course of hypertension and risk group

The most effective antihypertensive drugs can be divided into the following five categories:

Diuretics that rid the body of excess fluid and salt. Thiazide diuretics are usually the first-line treatment for high blood pressure.
- Beta blockers, blocking the action of adrenaline and increasing the pumping action of the heart.
- Angiotensin-converting enzymes, which reduce the production of angiotensin, chemicals that cause arteries to narrow.
- Angiotensin is an angiotensin receptor that blocks the action of angiotensin.
- Calcium channel blockers help reduce heart contractions and vasodilation.

In some patients, a single drug may help control mild to moderate hypertension, but many doctors now advocate combination therapy with two or more drugs. Each drug has certain benefits, but their effects may vary depending on the individual patient.

Side effects and problems of treating hypertension

One of the most difficult issues patients face is that treatment may make them feel worse than a disease that usually has no symptoms. No matter the difficulty, maintaining your medication and lifestyle regimen is worth the effort. It is very important for patients to discuss treatment concerns with their doctors. If current blood pressure medications cause uncomfortable side effects, your doctor may change the dose or combination.

Stopping antihypertensive medications

Patients whose blood pressure is well controlled and who are able to maintain a healthy lifestyle may be able to avoid medications. They should do this by gradually reducing the dose of the drug, and monitor on a regular basis. Abruptly stopping medications can have adverse effects, including serious effects on the heart. The highest treatment success rates are found in those who lose weight and reduce sodium intake, in patients treated with a single drug, and in those who maintain low systolic blood pressure during treatment. People over 75 may have more trouble than younger people maintaining normal blood pressure after withdrawal.

Treatment of resistant hypertension

Some patients are unable to achieve blood pressure lowering goals despite a treatment sequence that includes three or more drugs. Factors that contribute to persistent hypertension generally include older age (especially those 75 years and older), high blood pressure, and medical conditions such as obesity, sleep apnea, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Treatment of any underlying condition is important to help lower blood pressure. Patients should be aware that lifestyle changes, weight loss, and changes in diet, especially salt restriction, may require changes in their medication regimen. Patients with severe, persistent hypertension should consider seeing a doctor who specializes in treating high blood pressure.

Treatment of hypertension in children

High blood pressure in children should first be considered in terms of lifestyle changes, including weight loss, increased physical activity, diet and other changes. If blood pressure is not controlled with lifestyle changes, treatment may be necessary. Studies evaluating children with hypertension suggest that early problems, including an enlarged heart and kidney and eye problems, can occur even in children with mild hypertension. Children and adolescents with hypertension should be monitored and assessed to prevent any early organ damage. Secondary hypertension (high blood pressure due to another disease or drugs) is more common in children than adults.

A healthy lifestyle is an important first step to lowering blood pressure:

Exercise at least 30 minutes a day
- Maintaining normal weight
- Reduce sodium salt intake
- Increase potassium intake
- Limit alcohol consumption to no more than one or two drinks per day
- Consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products while reducing total saturated fat
- To give up smoking.

Sodium salt restriction

Some sodium chloride is essential for health, but the amount is significantly lower than the average person's diet. High salt intake is associated with high blood pressure. According to the American Heart Association, you should limit your salt intake to less than 1,500 mg per day. This is especially important for people over 50 and anyone who has problems with high blood pressure. Limiting sodium lowers blood pressure and also helps protect the heart from heart failure and other heart diseases.

Some people, especially African Americans, older adults, people with diabetes, overweight people, and people with a family history of hypertension, are salt sensitive, meaning their blood pressure responds to salt much more than other people. People with salt sensitivity have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure as well as other heart problems

Salt substitutes that contain mixtures of potassium, sodium and magnesium can help, but they can be dangerous for people with kidney disease or those taking blood pressure medications, which cause potassium to build up in the body.

Here are some tips to reduce your salt and sodium intake:

Look for foods that are labeled low sodium, no added salt, or unsalted. Check labels for total sodium content. Be especially careful when consuming canned, packaged, frozen and processed foods. A nutritionist can teach you how to understand these marks.
- Don't cook with salt, add salt to what you eat. Use pepper, garlic, lemon or other spices for flavor instead of salt.
- Be careful when using ready-made spice mixtures, as they often contain salt or monosodium glutamate.
- Avoid processed meats, particularly sausage, bacon, hot dogs, ham, salami, etc.
- Avoid foods that are naturally high in sodium, such as anchovies, nuts, olives, pickles, sauerkraut, soy and soy sauces, tomato and other vegetable juices, and cheese.
- Be careful when eating out.
- Cook steamed, grilled, baked, boiled, fried foods without adding salt, sauce or cheese.
- Use oil and vinegar rather than pre-made salad dressings.
- Eat fresh fruit instead of the usual sweets for dessert.
- Increase your potassium intake.

A diet rich in potassium may help lower blood pressure. People who have no contraindications to taking potassium can benefit from potassium-rich foods: bananas, oranges, pears, plums, melons, tomatoes, peas and beans, nuts, potatoes, avocados. For people who do not have risk factors for excess potassium levels, the recommended daily dose of potassium is 3500 mg per day. Some patients may need to take potassium supplements. However, people who take medications that limit the kidneys' ability to excrete potassium, such as ACE inhibitors, digoxin, or potassium-sparing diuretics, should be aware of excess potassium in the diet.

Low salt diets

The diet has been shown to help lower blood pressure, and may have additional benefits for preventing heart disease and stroke. Its effect on blood pressure is sometimes seen for several weeks. This diet is not only rich in important nutrients and fiber, but also includes foods that contain much more potassium (4700 mg/day), calcium (1250 mg/day) and magnesium (500 mg/day) and much less sodium salt , compared to the typical diet of the average person.

Prevention of hypertension

Limit sodium (salt) intake of no more than 2300 mg per day (maximum intake of 1500 mg per day for best results).
- Reduce saturated fat by no more than 6% of the Daily Value, calories and fat to 27% of the Daily Value, including low-fat or low-fat dairy products. Low-fat dairy products are especially beneficial for lowering systolic blood pressure.
- When choosing fats, choose monounsaturated oils such as olive or canola oil.
- Choose white flour and pasta and bakery products from whole grains.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Many of these foods are rich in potassium and fiber, which can help lower blood pressure.

- Include nuts, seeds, or legumes, dried beans or peas in your diet.
- Reduce protein intake (no more than 18% of total calories). Fish, skinless poultry and soy products are the best sources of protein.
- The diet should include limiting carbohydrates to 55% of daily calories and cholesterol to 150 mg. Increasing fiber in your diet can help lower your blood pressure levels.
- Fish oil and. Omega-3 fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaneoic acid) are found in fatty fish. Research shows that they may have certain benefits for many diseases, including heart disease and hypertension. They help keep blood vessels flexible and help in protecting the nervous system. Fatty acids are also available in dietary supplements, but their long-term effects on blood pressure are unknown.
- Consumption of calcium or calcium-containing products. Calcium regulates the tone of the smooth muscles lining blood vessels. Research has shown that people who have sufficient calcium in their diet have lower blood pressure than those who do not. Hypertension itself increases the loss of calcium from the body.
- Weight loss. Even slight weight loss in obese people, especially in the abdominal area, can immediately lower blood pressure. Weight loss, especially if accompanied by salt restriction, may allow patients with mild hypertension to safely reduce or eliminate medications. The benefits of weight loss on blood pressure are long-term.
- Regular exercise helps keep arteries elastic even in older people, which in turn ensures blood flow and normal blood pressure. Doctors recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days. High-intensity exercise may not lower blood pressure as effectively as moderate-intensity exercise and may be dangerous for people with hypertension. Older adults and people with uncontrolled hypertension or other serious medical conditions should consult their doctor before starting an exercise program.
- Good sleep habits. Some sleep disorders, especially sleep apnea, are associated with hypertension. Even chronically insufficient sleep can raise blood pressure in patients with hypertension, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Stress hormone levels increase with insomnia, which can activate the sympathetic nervous system, a strong player in hypertension. Patients who have chronic insomnia or other serious sleep disorders (particularly sleep apnea) may need help from a doctor who specializes in sleep disorders.
- Avoid stressful situations. Reducing nervous tension can help control blood pressure. Yoga, tai chi, and relaxation techniques such as meditation may be helpful.

Medicines used to treat hypertension

Several types of drugs are used to treat hypertension:

Diuretics

Diuretics help the kidneys get rid of excess salt and water. Thiazide diuretics are a mainstay of antihypertensive therapy and are often the first type of drug of choice for most people with hypertension. In addition, they are especially useful in the treatment of patients with heart failure, in patients with isolated systolic hypertension, and in the elderly. They are also good for patients with diabetes. Diuretics are often used in combination with other antihypertensive drugs.

There is good evidence that diuretics work as well as newer blood pressure drugs and are more effective in preventing heart failure, heart attack and stroke.

Types of diuretics

There are three main types of diuretics:

Thiazide diuretics. These include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone, Clorpres), indapamide (Lozol), hydrochlorothiazide (Hydrodiuril), bendroflumethiazide (Naturetin), methylclothiazide (Enduran), and metolazone (Zaroxolyn). In most cases, thiazides are preferred over other diuretics for treating high blood pressure.
- Potassium-sparing diuretics. These include amiloride (Midamor), spironolactone (Aldactone) and triamterene (Dyrenium).
- Loop diuretics. Loop diuretics act faster than other diuretics, and it is important to avoid dehydration and potassium loss. Loop diuretics include bumetanide (Bumex), furosemide (Lasix), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), and torsemide (Demadex).

Problems with diuretics

Loop and thiazide diuretics reduce the intake of potassium in the body, and if this deficiency is not replenished, the risk of developing arrhythmia increases. Arrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythms that can lead to cardiac arrest. If you experience a decrease in potassium, your doctor will prescribe a lower dose of your current diuretic, recommend a potassium supplement, or switch to a potassium-sparing diuretic alone or in combination with a thiazide.

Potassium-sparing drugs have their own risks, which include dangerously high potassium levels in people with existing high potassium levels or in patients with damaged kidneys. However, all diuretics are generally more beneficial than harmful.

Thiazide diuretics may increase blood sugar levels. Erectile dysfunction (impotence) may be a side effect of thiazides. An increase in uric acid levels and possibly the development of gout can also be caused by the use of thiazide diuretics.

Common symptoms of diuretic medication side effects:

Fatigue
- Depression and irritability
- Urinary incontinence

Beta blockers

Beta blockers help slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. They are usually used in combination with other drugs such as ACE inhibitors and diuretics. Beta blockers can be used to treat hypertension in patients with angina, early heart attack, high heart rate arrhythmias, headaches and migraines. They are used with caution in patients with heart failure.

Beta blockers include: Propranolol (Anaprilin), acebutolol (Sectral), atenolol (Tenormin), betaxolol (Kerlone), carteolol (Cartrol), metoprolol (Lopressor), nadolol (Corgard), penbutolol (Levatol), pindolol (Visken) , carvedilol (Coreg), timolol (Blocadren) and nebivolol (Bystolic). Drugs may differ in their effects and benefits.

Problems with beta blockers

You should not suddenly stop taking these medications. Stopping beta blockers abruptly can quickly increase your heart rate and blood pressure and cause a heart attack. If you want to stop taking beta blockers, your doctor may suggest that you slowly reduce your dose before stopping them completely.
- Beta blockers are divided into non-selective and selective. Non-selective beta blockers such as carvedilol and propranolol can sometimes narrow the airways. Patients with asthma, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis should not use these medications.
- These medications may hide warning signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in people with diabetes. When combined with diuretics, the risk of developing diabetes may increase.
- They may be less effective than other drugs for preventing stroke.

Common side effects of beta blockers:

Fatigue and apathy
- Vivid dreams and nightmares
- Depression
- Memory loss
- Dizziness, confusion
- Decreased performance
- Coldness in the extremities (feet, fingers, hands, and arms)
- Decreased sex drive and problems getting and maintaining an erection

Check with your doctor about any side effects. Do not stop taking these medications at your own discretion.

ACE inhibitors

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors cause blood vessels to dilate and reduce workload on the heart. They stabilize high blood pressure and may also help protect the heart and kidneys.

For patients with heart failure or an enlarged left ventricle, a history of a heart attack, diabetes, or kidney disease, ACE inhibitors are considered particularly good options for treating high blood pressure.

Patients who find it difficult to tolerate the side effects of ACE inhibitors typically switch to angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).

ACE inhibitors

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors cause blood vessels to dilate and reduce workload on the heart. They stabilize high blood pressure and may also help protect the heart and kidneys. For patients with heart failure or an enlarged left ventricle, a history of a heart attack, diabetes, or kidney disease, ACE inhibitors are considered particularly good options for treating high blood pressure.

ACE inhibitors include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), quinapril (Accupril), benazepril (Lotensin), ramipril (Altace), perindopril (Aceon), and lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril).

The most common side effects of ACE inhibitors

Low blood pressure is a major side effect of ACE inhibitors. This may complicate therapy in some patients, especially at the beginning of treatment.
- An irritating cough is a common side effect that some people find intolerable.
- ACE inhibitors may cause harm to the developing fetus and should not be used during pregnancy. Women who become pregnant should switch from ACE inhibitors to another type of blood pressure control drug as soon as possible. Women of childbearing age who are considering becoming pregnant should also discuss other medications with their doctors.
- ACE inhibitors may increase potassium levels, especially in patients with kidney disease.

Unusual side effects of ACE inhibitors

ACE inhibitors protect against kidney disease, but they may also increase potassium storage in the kidneys. If potassium levels are extremely high, they can lead to cardiac arrest. This side effect is rare except in patients with severe kidney disease. Due to this risk, ACE inhibitors are generally not used in combination with potassium-sparing diuretics or potassium-sparing diuretics.
- A rare but serious side effect is granulocytopenia, a decrease in infection-fighting white blood cells.
- In very rare cases, patients suffer from a sudden and severe allergic reaction called angioedema, which causes swelling of the eyes and mouth and can block the throat.
Patients who find it difficult to tolerate the side effects of ACE inhibitors typically switch to angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).

Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)

An ARB, also known as an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, is similar to ACE inhibitors in its ability to dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. ARBs have fewer or less severe side effects than ACE inhibitors and are sometimes prescribed as an alternative to ACE inhibitors. In general, they are prescribed to patients who cannot tolerate or have not responded to ACE inhibitors.

Angiotensin II receptor blockers include: Losartan (Cozaar, Hyzaar), olmesartan (Benicar), candesartan (Atacand), telmisartan (Micardis), eprosartan (Teveten), irbesartan (Avapro), valsartan (Diovan) and azilsartan (Edarbi).

A combination of drugs containing candesartan and the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (Diovan HCT, Atacand HCT) is also possible. Exforge HCT is the only drug that is a combination of active substances belonging to three classes of antihypertensive drugs: amlodipine (selective calcium channel blocker), valsartan (angionesin receptor antagonist) and hydrochlorothiazide (thiazide diuretic). Tribenzor combines olmesartan, amlodipine and hydrochlorothiazide in one tablet.

Side effectsangiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)

Low blood pressure
- Dizziness
- Increased potassium levels
- Drowsiness
- Nasal congestion
- Should not be used during pregnancy
- Is a calcium channel blocker (CCB)

Calcium channel blockers (CCBs)

Calcium channel blockers (CCBs), also known as calcium antagonists, help relax blood vessels. Recent research suggests that newer types of drugs (CCBs, ACE inhibitors) may not be a better treatment option for some patients than older generations of drugs (especially beta blockers).

Calcium channel blockers include: Diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor), amlodipine (Norvasc), felodipine (Plendil), isradipine (DynaCirc), verapamil (Calan, Verapamil, Verelan), nisoldipine, nicardipine (Cardene), and nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia) . For patients with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, Caduet combines amlodipine and the statin atorvastatin in one drug.

Side effects of CCB

Swelling in the legs
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Erectile disfunction
- Gingivitis
- Rash
- Do not take BKK with grapefruit or orange fruits

Alpha blockers

Alpha blockers such as doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin (MINIPRESS), and terazosin (Hytrin) help dilate small blood vessels. They are generally not used as first-line drugs for high blood pressure, but are prescribed if other drugs do not work, or as an additional drug.

Vasodilators

Vasodilators help dilate blood vessels by relaxing the muscles in the blood vessel walls. These drugs are usually used in combination with a diuretic or beta blocker. They are rarely used by themselves. Vasodilators include hydralazine (Apresoline), clonidine (Catapres), and minoxidil (Loniten). Some of these drugs should be used with caution. They are contraindicated in people who have angina or have had a heart attack.

Other drugs to treat hypertension

Aliskiren (Tekturna). Aliskiren (Tekturna) is the first in a new class of antihypertensive drugs called direct renin inhibitors. It blocks renin, a kidney enzyme associated with high blood pressure. Aliskiren may be taken alone or in combination with other blood pressure medications. It is also available in 2-in-1 combination tablets, Tekturna HCT (aliskiren and the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide), Valturna (aliskiren and the angiotensin receptor blocker valsartan) and Tekamlo (aliskiren and the calcium channel blocker amlodipine). Aliskiren should not be used during pregnancy as it may cause undesirable effects or death of the fetus.