What if you have high blood pressure and low heart rate?

A rare pulse with arterial hypertension becomes a real problem, because the patient is in a position that people call "between two fires".On the one hand, medications that increase the heart rate will provoke an even greater rise in blood pressure, and on the other hand, taking antihypertensive drugs will cause a drop in the pulse. What if you have high blood pressure but low heart rate? Let us dwell in more detail on this question and find out how to deal with such a pathological condition.

Causes of low pulse with high pressure

To understand the clinical situation, it should be understood that in this case, high blood pressure( hypertension) is combined with bradycardia( a rare pulse).Hypertension is considered to be a condition in which blood pressure increases steadily to 140 / 90mm.rt. Art.and higher. And the term bradycardia is used with a reduction in the heart rate( HR) to less than 50 beats / min.

Bradycardia with persistent increase in blood pressure is not common. As a rule, such violations are associated with diseases of the cardiovascular system, in which electrical impulses spread improperly. The following conditions may become the cause of the pathology:

• sinus node dysfunction;
• cardiosclerosis;
• heart block;
• weakness of the heart muscle;
• congenital heart disease;
• endocarditis, myocarditis;
• manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia.

In addition, other causes not related to cardiac pathology may cause bradycardia symptoms in hypertensive patients:

• severe infections;
• endocrine system diseases, hormonal failures, thyroid dysfunction;
• obesity, metabolic disorders;
• of the nervous system;
• internal bleeding;
• vitamin deficiency, anemia;
• compliance with excessively tight diets;
• high loads from professional athletes.

Violation of the functions of the heart muscle can cause long-term use of some medications, atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels or the presence of post-infarct scars. Various infections carried over earlier often cause malfunctioning of the autonomic nervous system, which subsequently entails such a complication as a bradycardia.

Often the provoking factor is chronic stress, nervous breakdowns, intracranial hypertension. Therefore, the answer to the question of what to do with a low pulse, if you have high blood pressure, can be given only after a comprehensive examination and identify the cause that provokes such a condition.

At the same time, a weak pulse in hypertension can be associated with physiological causes. For example, often a bradycardia occurs with a sharp change in the temperature regime, for example, when leaving a hot room for frost, or vice versa. In addition, characteristic symptoms are observed in completely healthy people with excessive physical or mental stress or nervous shock.

The dangers of the

condition Hypertonics are primarily concerned with the question of what to do under high pressure if a low pulse causes a worsening of the condition? If such phenomena are temporary and occur only occasionally, and the symptoms are not very pronounced, there is no special reason for concern. But in those cases when the pulse is reduced to 40 beats / min, there is a threat of development of hypoxia( oxygen starvation), from which the brain cells primarily suffer. This can lead to dangerous complications and irreversible changes in the tissues and vessels of the brain.

Particular danger is caused by a drop in pulse and increased pressure in elderly patients, since such a condition can cause heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest and other conditions threatening the patient's life.

If a bradycardia attack occurs suddenly, a person may lose consciousness. In this case, you urgently need to call an "ambulance" and before the arrival of physicians try to make artificial respiration or put on the collar zone and calves foot compress of mustard plasters.

Symptoms of low heart rate with hypertension

To decide what to do with low pulse and high pressure, you need to understand how the pathological condition manifests. Characteristic symptoms of the disease are:

• hyperemia( reddening) of the face;
• shortness of breath, nausea;
• pulsating headache in the region of the temples;
• strong weakness;
• dizziness, tinnitus;
• hot flushes or cold sweat;
• is an unconscious condition;
• heart pain, heart rhythm disturbances.

Characteristic symptoms are accompanied by high fatigue, a significant decrease in physical activity and performance. To begin treatment, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination and establish the cause that triggers the mechanism of the disease.

Diagnosis

If the pulse rate drops at elevated pressure is observed regularly, it is necessary to consult a cardiologist. The doctor will send the patient to the examination, which includes an electrocardiogram, blood pressure monitoring, laboratory tests of blood and urine. If necessary, do Holter research, echocardiography, veloergometry. If a pathology of the endocrine system is suspected, the state of the thyroid gland( hormone analysis, ultrasound) is studied.

Treatment is started only after receiving all the results and confirming the diagnosis. It should be borne in mind that the cause of the drop in the pulse may be the intake of antihypertensive drugs, which are usually prescribed to hypertensive patients to reduce blood pressure. Therefore, during an attack, it is strictly forbidden to take such drugs, this can aggravate the condition and provoke serious complications.

High blood pressure and low heart rate: what to do?

Treatment of hypertensives suffering from bradycardia has its own characteristics. In such situations it is necessary to approach with special caution the use of strong antihypertensive agents( Anaprilina, Concor, Captopril, Adelphan, etc.).Such drugs can dramatically reduce blood pressure, with a rare pulse, this can lead to loss of consciousness, stopping breathing and other, life-threatening conditions.

It is especially dangerous to take drugs from the group of beta-blockers( bisoprolol, Propranolol) which reduce the heart rate due to the suppression of the sinus node, as well as calcium antagonists( for example, Verapamil).

When choosing drugs for patients who have hypertension combined with a low pulse, preference is given to medications from the ACE inhibitor group or angiotensin receptor blockers that smoothly reduce pressure and act more gently. The doctor selects the treatment scheme individually, taking into account the patient's condition and possible contraindications.

Do not try to stimulate heartbeat at increased pressure and low heart rate by increasing physical activity or consuming caffeinated drinks( strong coffee and tea).

Any drug to treat bradycardia with high blood pressure should be prescribed by a specialist, since even completely harmless herbal remedies can cause a sudden pressure surge. The optimal treatment regimen is chosen taking into account many factors, so in no case do self-medication, this can lead to sad consequences.