How is hypertension manifested in the brain?

To protect the human brain from traumatic factors, nature has created for him a reliable protection - the skull. The brain is located in the skull and is surrounded by a cavity between the medullary membranes, which is filled with cerebrospinal fluid( cerebrospinal fluid).Likvor fills also the cavities inside the brain, the so-called ventricles.

Hypertension of the brain, or intracranial hypertension - is an increased pressure of cerebrospinal fluid inside the brain cavities. There is also hypertension of cerebral vessels - this is an increase in blood pressure in the vessels, as a result of their severe constriction.

Hypertension is dangerous because the increased pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid compresses the brain substance, as a result of which cerebral ischemia may develop, or its displacement may occur. Both can lead to the death of a person, if not to provide emergency medical care.

Hypertension of the brain can cause the following reasons:

1. formation: hematoma, tumor, tuberculoma, abscess;
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2. of the brain: stroke, meningitis, encephalitis;
3. low sodium content in the blood;
4. craniocerebral trauma;
5. complications of chronic arterial hypertension or a sharp rise in blood pressure.
6. such conditions and diseases as: heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, intoxication, hypoxia, pericardial damage( cardiac effusion), impaired venous outflow, spinal cord tumor.

Symptomatology of hypertension of the brain

About the presence of hypertension, the following clinical symptoms can speak:

1. headache, followed by gradual increase;
2. nausea and vomiting, regardless of food intake;
3. hiccups that do not pass;
4. oppressed consciousness;
5. vision impairment;
6. increased systolic blood pressure with slowed heart rate and rare breathing;
7. febrile state;
8. changes the rhythm of breathing.

The main symptom of a progressive disease is oppression of consciousness.

To diagnose the disease, X-ray of the skull, MRI, examination of the fundus and general clinical laboratory studies, as well as studies of cerebrospinal fluid.

There is also, so-called, benign hypertension. This disease occurs due to a violation of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid. It can occur during pregnancy, hypovitaminosis, because of parathyroid gland disease - hyperparathyroidism, as a result of the cancellation of certain medications.

The main symptom is a headache, which is aggravated by the slightest movement, coughing and sneezing. Symptom of oppression of consciousness is absent.

Benign hypertension does not lead to complications, in contrast to abnormal intracranial hypertension, and has no special treatment. It is recommended to monitor excess weight, diacarb is prescribed.

Treatment and therapy

Since intracranial hypertension is a deadly condition, the patient is urgently hospitalized and treated in a hospital under the supervision of specialists.

Treatment of hypertension of the brain is aimed primarily at eliminating the cause of increased intracranial pressure, getting rid of excess weight and normalizing blood pressure.

Patients prescribed a diet with a limited salt content of water. Introduce drugs that regulate the water-electrolyte balance, for example, such as mannitol.

Diuretics are prescribed - diuretic medications. If the treatment is not effective enough, then the use of corticosteroids( dexamethasone or methylprednisolone), which reduces the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, is added.

In a critical situation, barbiturates can be prescribed.

For hypertension of cerebral vessels, prescribe vasodilator drugs, for example Actovegin.

If the above measures of treatment do not help and intracranial pressure continues to increase resort to surgical methods of treatment.

In order to reduce the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid, a lumbar puncture is repeatedly performed. First, the puncture is done several times every other day, and then a week later.

In more severe cases, shunt operations are performed.

Hypertension of the brain in children

Brain hypertension in infants is diagnosed based on the following symptoms:

1. poor sleep;
2. tearfulness and constant restless behavior of the baby;
3. impaired appetite and constant regurgitation;Trembling handles, legs and chin;
4. fontanelle bulging;
5. rapid increase in the circumference of the head.

The following methods of diagnosing hypertension of the brain in newborns are used:

1. Neurosonography( ultrasound of the brain) - diagnoses increased intracranial pressure through the fontanelle. At the same time, ventricular size is estimated. The increased size indirectly indicates the presence of the disease.
2. Inspection of the fundus. If there is an expansion of veins on the fundus and edema of the optic nerve, this is also an indirect sign of hypertension.
3. Computed tomography and magnetic nuclear tomography. With this method of diagnosis, the child is anesthetized, since complete rest is needed. It is used only in case of serious suspicion of severe course of hypertension.
4. Encephalography. It is considered an outdated method, but it is widely used in our country.

Observation at the neurologist and the appointment of appropriate treatment, as a rule, prevents the development of this disease and its complications in children. Both conservative and surgical methods are used.