A common phenomenon is hypertension at a young age, although it is generally accepted that high blood pressure is often observed in older people, mainly women over 45 years of age. According to statistics, every third person on the planet faces high blood pressure. The main signs of hypertension include: headache, dizziness, general weakness. It is a common phenomenon that young people do not feel changes in blood pressure due to its small jumps, after which it quickly returns to normal. This course of the disease can lead to adverse and irreparable consequences.
If hypertension is not treated at age 20, you can have a heart attack by age 40.
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Types of hypertension in young people
There are 3 degrees of hypertension: mild, moderate and severe. With mild hypertension, the pressure can rise quite sharply and not fall for some time. However, it is believed that mild hypertension does not always need to be treated with medication; it is enough to change your lifestyle to a healthier one. When the pressure rises to 169/109 mmHg. Art., then this is called moderate hypertension, which is treated with medication. When the pressure rises to 180/110 mm Hg. Art. the disease begins to affect the functioning of the circulatory and nervous system. This type of hypertension is severe.
Psychological reasons
Short-term stress can, in part, even be beneficial for the body: it activates metabolism, improves oxygen saturation of tissues, tones and energizes. But a constant stressful state (nervous tension, increased anxiety, emotional instability, fear, irritability) becomes “favorable” soil for the development of chronic diseases. Under the influence of “stress hormones” (cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine), the regulation of the state of blood vessels is disrupted - this becomes the cause of the development of hypertension.
Research shows that psychological causes of high blood pressure may include:
- a certain type of personality - choleric people, who are prone to strong emotional reactions, suffer from hypertension more often than others;
- social factors - constant anxiety about the environment negatively affects the condition of blood vessels;
- conflict situations that arise in the family or at work.
Among the psychopathological causes of hypertension are:
- anxiety disorder;
- apathy;
- depression;
- panic attacks.
High blood pressure can be practically the only symptom of hidden (“masked”) depression, so people with hypertension often need to consult a psychotherapist.
In addition, stress can cause additional risk factors for hypertension - smoking, alcohol abuse, and unhealthy diet.
Causes of high blood pressure in young people
The main causes of high blood pressure are hidden in the lifestyle of a guy or girl. Hypertension in young people does not always manifest itself immediately. Often people do not pay attention to symptoms that would require them to see a doctor. Therefore, you need to know well the reasons that will help determine hypertension.
Spinal diseases
There is a possibility of increased pressure with the development of osteochondrosis. Typically, osteochondrosis develops in people who have sedentary jobs. When the workplace is not properly equipped or a person does not pay attention to his posture, the muscles of the neck and back are constantly under tension. This condition can disrupt the nutrition of the brain, which leads to changes in blood pressure.
Bad habits
An unhealthy lifestyle, excess weight and constant stress contribute to the development of hypertension.
In young men, hypertension is observed due to the presence of bad habits. The most common of them are smoking and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. For example, with a hangover, the brain is overloaded and the condition of blood vessels deteriorates, because the body tries to overcome the breakdown products of alcohol. Cardiovascular system disorders also occur when inhaling tobacco smoke, and this also applies to passive smokers. Toxins that enter the bloodstream along with smoke block the body's absorption of vitamin C. A lack of this vitamin leads to the appearance of fatty growths on the inner walls of blood vessels, which results in impaired blood flow through the vessels.
Overweight
The most common cause of hypertension is the so-called metabolic syndrome, which is determined after a blood test. Often the blood contains increased levels of insulin and fats, which leads to narrowing of blood vessels and, accordingly, chronic high blood pressure. The diagnosis of hypertension and hypertension is often made in men with a waist circumference of 120 cm or higher.
Poor nutrition
Most often, in young people, blood pressure can rise due to poor nutrition. To prevent blood pressure from increasing, it is necessary to minimize the consumption of foods such as table salt, herring, cabbage, smoked foods, fast food, cheeses, sauces, since they significantly load the blood vessels.
Renal and thyroid dysfunction
Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism—too much or too little thyroid hormone—can cause high blood pressure that does not respond to traditional drug treatments for hypertension. Most often this disease is observed in girls and women. As for kidney dysfunction, hypertension only increases kidney problems as much as kidney disease causes hypertension.
Taking medications
High blood pressure can occur as a side effect after taking certain medications.
Another cause of high blood pressure can be a side effect of taking certain medications. These medications include medications for colds and rhinitis. Hypertension can also be triggered by a vasoconstrictor or sedative taken for a long time. Most antibiotics and NSAIDs cause blood pressure spikes in youth as a side effect.
Other reasons
- heredity;
- stress;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- injuries of the central nervous system;
- disruptions in the hormonal system.
When to worry about blood pressure
A slight short-term excess of normal blood pressure is typical for many during physical activity and stressful conditions. This physiological reaction of the heart and blood vessels is considered normal if the indicators return to normal within 30 minutes of rest and do not lead to a deterioration in well-being. The so-called white coat syndrome—excitement at the moment of measurement with a tonometer—also plays a role. Stress hormones contribute to a proportional increase in systolic and diastolic pressure by about 10 units. Severe fever with high body temperature also provokes an increase in blood pressure values.
If such deviations occur occasionally, without causing significant symptoms, you don’t have to worry. For young healthy people, it is enough to check the indicators once every 4-5 months. After 40 years, it is recommended to do this more often: every month and with any deterioration in physical condition.
A persistent increase in blood pressure is indicated if blood pressure levels cross the 130/90 mark regularly. And often recorded such results are a reason to suspect a chronic health disorder. It is especially important to control blood pressure for people at risk:
- overweight;
- with diagnosed heart pathologies;
- with weather sensitivity;
- with high levels of cholesterol, blood sugar;
- smoking and drinking alcohol;
- those who are over 50 years old.
Risk factors
To summarize the above reasons for high blood pressure in a young man, we can highlight the main factors that put a man or girl at risk of high blood pressure:
- Bad habits. Hypertension will not be long in coming if a person leads an unhealthy lifestyle.
- Poor nutrition. Eating foods that increase blood pressure in your daily diet and not tracking your body weight.
- Heredity. If a guy has a history of hypertension in his family, then there is a chance that he will also develop the pathology.
Pathological causes
The specific causes of high blood pressure can only be determined in cases of secondary hypertension.
Most often, a persistent rise in blood pressure is caused by:
- kidney pathologies (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, polycystic disease, tumors; disorders of the renal vessels - narrowing (stenosis) of the renal arteries, complications of diabetes in the form of nephropathy);
- hormonal disorders (metabolic syndrome, thyroid pathologies, adrenal gland disorders, pituitary pathologies, diabetes mellitus);
- neurogenic causes (increased intracranial pressure, encephalitis, brain tumor, head injury, circulatory disorders in brain structures - strokes);
- diseases of the aorta and great vessels (premature atherosclerosis, aortic stenosis);
- taking medications (hormonal contraceptives, replacement therapy during menopause, anti-inflammatory drugs, genetic engineering biological therapy);
- toxic effects (alcohol abuse, intoxication with lead compounds);
- Sleep apnea syndrome is a sudden temporary cessation of breathing during sleep (the pathology leads to the release of adrenaline during sleep).
Treatment and prevention
Chocolate has a beneficial effect on the elasticity of blood vessels and helps relieve tension.
Doctors prescribe adrenergic blockers, calcium channel antagonists, and inhibitors of synthetic elements. Non-drug methods of combating the disease, the main focus of which is a healthy lifestyle, also help in the treatment of high blood pressure. For example, walking in the fresh air. When walking, the heart receives more oxygen, so it is recommended to walk for at least 30 minutes a day. Deep breathing can also help with small surges in blood pressure.
If you suspect hypertension, you should not self-medicate and choose blood pressure pills on your own; you should consult a doctor who will prescribe the correct medication.
To normalize blood pressure, the body needs potassium, which is found in foods such as raisins, bananas, oranges, tomatoes and many others. But dark chocolate promotes the elasticity of blood vessels and makes them flexible. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle should remember to do physical exercise every few hours in order to restore blood flow to the muscles, and also monitor their posture so that the back muscles are not constantly tense.
Principles for preventing high blood pressure:
- avoid stressful situations;
- drink alcoholic beverages as little as possible;
- to refuse from bad habits;
- adhere to proper nutrition;
- consult a doctor in time.
Physiological causes of hypertension
Blood pressure is a variable indicator. In a healthy person, blood pressure numbers can fluctuate throughout the day.
There is a muscle layer in the walls of blood vessels. It contracts and relaxes easily, and therefore the pressure may rise and fall slightly. But normally, these changes are so insignificant that they do not have a negative effect on the body (they are not even always noticeable when measuring blood pressure).
The main physiological causes of increased blood pressure include:
- physical activity - this can be not only sports, but also climbing stairs, brisk walking, cleaning;
- time of day - at night the parasympathetic part of the nervous system is activated, which is responsible for relaxing the muscle layer of blood vessels and lowering blood pressure;
- psychological state - strong emotions (both negative and positive) can increase blood pressure due to the action of adrenaline;
- taking stimulants - coffee, tea, chocolate, spicy and seasoned foods and a number of other foods - can lead to a short-term increase in blood pressure.
Often, an increase in pressure occurs immediately when it is measured by a doctor. Then they talk about “white coat hypertension.”
