WHAT IS DECOMPENSATED BLOOD PRESSURE? - MEDICINE - 2025

The blood pressure decompensated refers to abnormal levels of blood pressure, either when above or below normal. High blood pressure is a condition that can lead to or complicate different health conditions, so it cannot be taken lightly.

The concept of decompensated blood pressure is often imprecise because it does not refer to any specific scientific criteria. Therefore, to express with greater precision the state of a patient, it is appropriate to speak of high, low or normal pressure.

How is blood pressure measured?

Blood pressure is the force with which the blood pumps towards the walls of the arteries. This can be measured thanks to a device known as a blood pressure monitor. Thanks to it, you can know the systolic pressure and the diastolic pressure.

Systolic pressure is the maximum force with which the blood pumps in systole. That is, when the heart contracts. The maximum acceptable level for systolic pressure is 140 mmHg.

Diastolic pressure is the maximum pressure that is reached in diastole. That is, when the heart relaxes. In this case, the maximum acceptable level is 90 mmHg.

In blood pressure readings, systolic followed by diastolic is displayed. For example, if the systolic pressure is 130 and the diastolic pressure is 100, it is read as 130/100.

Blood pressure levels

Normal blood pressure levels are considered to be below 120/80. When the values ​​are in the maximum limits, that is to say 140/90, it is considered that there is a slight hypertension.

When the values ​​are above 160/100 it is considered moderate hypertension. Finally, when the values ​​of 180/110 are exceeded, we speak of severe hypertension. On the other hand, when the tension is below 90/60, hypotension is considered to exist.

It is normal for blood pressure to undergo changes in everyday life. It is usually lower during sleep and increases during sports or when faced with strong emotions. Therefore, when isolated changes are observed, they are not considered a cause for alarm.

However, a permanent elevation or reduction can be a cause for concern.

This can be a symptom of arterial anomalies or imply the risk of suffering from heart, kidney and brain diseases such as heart attacks, angina pectoris, brain hemorrhages, etc.

Symptoms of high blood pressure

Usually, high blood pressure has no symptoms, therefore it goes unnoticed very often. This feature makes its diagnosis more difficult to make, for this reason it is necessary to measure blood pressure on a routine basis.

This disease occurs most often in people over 40 years of age. However, it can occur at any age, even in people who have no family history.

In the heart, hypertension can cause an increase in the muscle mass of the left ventricle. This, in turn, can lead to coronary heart failure and angina pectoris. In addition, it generates greater sensitivity and consequently more arrhythmias can occur.

In the brain, when the arteries become stiffer and narrower, the blood supply decreases and this can lead to strokes. Also, increased arterial presentation can cause an artery to rupture, which in turn can lead to a brain hemorrhage.

In the kidneys, hypertension causes stiffness in the arteries that supply blood. This can lead to kidney failure that may even require dialysis.

In addition to these risks, it is also possible that pain when walking, altered vision or erectile dysfunction is generated in men, depending on the area of ​​the body that is affected by hypertension.

Arterial hypotension

Hypotension can occur when the body fails to raise pressure to normal levels after it drops. However, there are also people who maintain a low blood pressure permanently, without presenting signs or symptoms of any kind.

In all cases, hypotension implies less blood and oxygen flow to all organs of the body. However, only those cases in which symptoms occur or when they are related to heart disease are of concern.

These symptoms can be: dizziness, fainting, cold and sweaty skin, tiredness, blurred vision, and nausea. There are three different types of hypotension:

The orthostatic hypotension is one that occurs when a person sitting or lying rises sharply. In these cases, dizziness or fainting may occur when the body takes time to adjust its blood pressure to the new activity.

The mediated hypotension is one that occurs when a person spends a lot of time standing or when going through a situation of fear or concern. In these situations you may experience dizziness, weakness or nausea.

The severe hypotension linked to shock is a condition in which blood pressure drops so much that vital organs can not get enough blood to function normally. This can occur in large blood loss, infections, severe burns, and can be potentially fatal.

Prevention of decompensated blood pressure

Blood pressure is very important in the functioning of the heart, kidneys, brain, and other organs. For this reason, its decompensation, whether due to very high or very low levels, can have great impacts on people's health.

However, it is a preventable condition. To maintain healthy blood pressure levels, the most important thing is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, taking into account the following recommendations:

• Keep a healthy weight;
• Have a balanced diet, this includes the consumption of fruits and vegetables and limiting the intake of calories, fats and sugars;
• Reduce salt intake, the higher the salt intake, the higher the blood pressure;
• Exercising regularly, even a few minutes a day routine, can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels;
• Limit alcohol consumption, drinking alcohol in excess can raise blood pressure.

References

1. American Hearth Association. (2017). Understanding Blood Pressure Readings. Recovered from: heart.org
2. International Medical College. (SF). Hypertension and hypotension. Recovered from: med-college.de
3. McCoy, K. (SF). 6 Ways to Prevent Hypertension. Recovered from: everydayhealth.com
4. Very fit. (2015). Uncompensated Arterial Pressure. Recovered from: muyenforma.com
5. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. (SF). Types of hypotension. Recovered from: nhlbi.nih.gov.