Share:
Blood pressure fluctuations / fluctuating blood pressure
contents
- definition
- Symptoms of blood pressure fluctuations
- Causes of rising blood pressure
- Hypertensive crisis and hyperkinetic heart syndrome
- Causes of sudden drop in blood pressure
- diagnosis
- Treatment of blood pressure fluctuations
- Naturopathy and natural healing with fluctuating blood pressure
definition
The blood pressure is measured on the basis of the so-called systolic and diastolic pressure or their relationship to one another. The systolic arterial blood pressure of healthy people can be at rest between 100 and 130 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), the diastolic between 60 and 85 mm Hg.
Slight fluctuations in blood pressure are quite normal, but greater derailment should be urgently medically clarified. (Image: Kurhan / fotolia.com) Of course, the blood pressure is subject to certain short-term fluctuations, for example, to ensure the blood supply to all vessels at different loads of the organism. In addition, blood pressure may change during the course of the day in relation to the individual biorhythm and may fluctuate by up to about 15 percent.
This article deals only with fluctuations in blood pressure that do not move in the ordinary corridor. According to this, blood pressure fluctuations in which values of more than 130/85 mm Hg (systolic / diastolic) or less than 100/60 mm Hg in the resting state are addressed.
Symptoms of blood pressure fluctuations
A fluctuating blood pressure usually manifests itself on the basis of circulatory problems such as dizziness, headache, lack of concentration, tiredness, nausea and vomiting.
In addition, too high an increase in blood pressure (hypertension) causes increased bleeding in the nose. The sufferers sometimes suffer from a severe tightness in the chest and emerging respiratory distress.
Typical for low blood pressure is in addition to the circulatory problems already mentioned a clearly palpable tachycardia, facial pallor and a drastic sagging of blood pressure a short-term loss of consciousness (circulatory collapse or syncope).
Dizziness and circulatory problems are typical symptoms of fluctuating blood pressure. (Image: ArTo / fotolia.com) Depending on the triggers of the blood pressure fluctuations, various other symptoms are observed, which are then briefly presented in connection with the respective causes.
Causes of rising blood pressure
The causes of a sudden, disproportionate increase in blood pressure are basically to be distinguished from the triggers of blood pressure fluctuations with decreasing blood pressure.
For example, blood pressure naturally increases relatively significantly during exercise. However, certain maximum values must not be exceeded in order to exclude health risks such as acute heart failure or myocardial infarction, brain damage, aortic tears or pulmonary edema. The body therefore has a sensitive system that registers the pressure in the arteries and transmits appropriate signals to the heart and other organs in order to achieve regulation or adaptation of the blood pressure. However, this system can be affected in many ways.
Many people respond to mental stress or acute stress with an increase in blood pressure, both relatively sudden start, as well as can last for a longer period.
Other possible causes of a (significant) increase in blood pressure levels include the use of circulatory stimulating substances (such as caffeine or various drugs) and dysregulations of hormone metabolism, such as in hyperthyroidism.
Hypertensive crisis and hyperkinetic heart syndrome
Hypertensive crisis and hyperkinetic heart syndrome can also cause blood pressure fluctuations. The hypertensive crisis describes an acute dysregulation of blood pressure, which may be accompanied by an increase in blood pressure to well over 220/120 mm Hg.
Causes can be, for example, massive anxiety or panic attacks, kidney diseases and incorrectly dosed drugs. A hypertensive crisis should be urgently checked by a doctor, as this can at worst take on life-threatening proportions.
A so-called hypertensive crisis can e.g. be triggered by a panic attack and lead to a massive increase in blood pressure. (Image: nmann77 / fotolia.com) Hyperkinetic heart syndrome is characterized by a markedly accelerated heart rate, increased blood pressure, dizziness, and decreased performance without any physical cause. The symptoms are more frequently observed, for example, in patients with anxiety disorders or in the course of a panic attack. Also persistent lack of exercise or a significantly impaired physical fitness are as possible causes of hyperkinetic heart syndrome in the discussion.
Causes of sudden drop in blood pressure
The sudden drop in blood pressure is mainly associated with diseases of the cardiovascular system (such as heart failure), disorders of hormone metabolism and the use of certain drugs.
Even in the context of a so-called shock, a significant reduction in blood pressure can be observed. A distinction is made between a so-called volume-loss shock (triggered by a blood volume that is too low), cardiogenic, anaphylactic and septic shock.
In general, the sagging of the arterial blood pressure is due to an insufficient circulating blood volume in relation to the vessel volume, as causes for example a reduced pumping capacity of the heart (for example in heart failure), a decrease in the absolute blood volume or a sudden expansion of the blood vessels (or too low a vascular resistance) are to call.
For example, a volume-loss shock may be due to a massive loss of blood or a drastic loss of fluid or dehydration (for example due to diarrhea).
A cardiogenic shock is due to a diminished pumping function of the heart, which in turn is usually associated with diseases of the heart such as inflammation of the heart muscle, inflammation of the heart, cardiac infarction or functional impairment of the heart valves.
Anaphylactic shock is the result of an allergic reaction that massively releases histamine, causing dilation of blood vessels and a corresponding drop in blood pressure.
A septic shock is caused by the immune response to severe bacterial or mycogenic infections and related inflammatory processes.
Of course, the blood pressure in the upper half of the body drops briefly when standing up from a lying position, but is immediately normalized by the so-called orthostatic reaction. Sometimes, however, this automatic self-regulation of the organism is disturbed and the blood pressure is not increased sufficiently or too much. Accordingly, too low a blood pressure or a significantly increased blood pressure immediately after getting up the result.
diagnosis
First, it is important to determine the actual extent of blood pressure fluctuations as part of the diagnosis. For this purpose, in addition to regular measurements of blood pressure and pulse rate, long-term blood pressure measurements as well as exercise, resting and long-term electrocardiograms (ECG) are provided.
With the help of the so-called tilt table examination, the change in blood pressure can be detected when the patient changes position. If cardiac insufficiency is suspected, a so-called echocardiography and other special examination procedures can be used. Occasionally, a comprehensive evaluation of the blood count is performed to determine the causes of fluctuating blood pressure.
Treatment of blood pressure fluctuations
Both with a sudden drop in blood pressure and in acute hypertension, there are various therapeutic options to bring the blood pressure back to a normal level. For example, if the sudden slump is due to a volume-loss shock, it is recommended that the affected person's legs be raised first, so that the blood flows more easily towards the heart. Moreover, in emergency medicine, the infusion of so-called volume substitutes may be necessary in order to artificially increase the blood volume and to stabilize the circulation.
In the case of cardiogenic shock, the therapeutic treatment of the causative heart disease is essential, with the (emergency) measures may differ significantly according to the various underlying diseases. An allergic shock is medicated with so-called antihistamines and other medicines. In a septic shock, a combined treatment with circulatory stabilizing drugs, infusions and drugs that fight the causative infection takes place.
In a hypertensive crisis, the drug lowering of blood pressure in the foreground. However, the possible causes of the complaints should always be kept in mind, as they may require further therapy. The same applies to the hyperkinetic syndrome, in which the acute symptoms can initially be alleviated with the help of drugs, but the triggers of which also frequently require treatment.
Coffee should be better avoided with fluctuating blood pressure. (Image: chayathon2000 / fotolia.com) In general, those affected are advised to abstain from heart stimulating substances such as caffeine and to strengthen the cardiovascular system with moderate physical training. It is also possible to influence the circulation through the diet and counteract possible derailments of blood pressure.
Psychotherapeutic procedures may help to prevent the onset of symptoms if suspected blood pressure fluctuations are associated with mental stress such as massive stress or an anxiety disorder. Here is also the learning of relaxation techniques (for example, autogenic training) provided to give those affected a means by which they can independently tackle their complaints.
Naturopathy and natural healing with fluctuating blood pressure
Various naturopathic procedures are available to counteract short-term increases and decreases in blood pressure. It should be noted, however, that these can only be used as a supplement to drug therapy, especially in the case of serious events such as shock or a hypertensive emergency.
In many cases, naturopathic approaches are primarily used to prevent a recurrence of blood pressure fluctuations. For example, a combination of nutritional and exercise therapy is often used to prevent acute hypertension. Furthermore, in naturopathy medicinal plants such as mistletoe, hawthorn leaves or Herzspannkraut (true motherwort) as a proven home remedy for hypertension. To regulate this, for example, offers a freshly brewed tea with mistletoe - a plant that is used, inter alia, in heart failure, tinnitus, cramps, menstrual pain and dizziness.
Danger: The berries of mistletoe are poisonous and therefore may not be used. Instead, only the herb is used for the mistletoe tea, which should be cold on. Because brewing would cause the infusion to lose valuable ingredients, and it could also dissolve weakly toxic substances (such as viscotoxin) in the herb.
Recipe for mistletoe tea
|
Various homeopathic remedies (for example, Arnica montana, Apocynum or Crataegus) and Schüssler salts (especially Schüssler salt no. 7, Magnesium Phosphoricum) offer further naturopathic treatment approaches for high blood pressure. If an association of increased blood pressure with psychological stress is suspected, Bach flower therapy can also be used.
Hydrotherapeutic applications, such as a foot bath, can help normalize blood pressure. (Image: invizbk / fotolia.com) Circulatory weaknesses and a corresponding drop in blood pressure can be counteracted on naturopathic level, for example by means of hydrotherapy. Here, especially so-called alternating showers and the foot bath have proven.
Homeopathy provides some means of stabilizing the circulation or blood pressure. For example, Camphora, Calcarea, Sepia, and Veratrum album are being used against low blood pressure. Recuperative medicinal plants are known for their rosemary, ginseng, gentian and wormwood. In addition, regular exercise and a healthy diet are also considered essential in the prevention of low blood pressure. (fp, nr, last updated on 3.3.2017)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)
