General symptoms of vascular diseases. Problems with the heart and blood vessels: what is the reason, how to prevent

On this moment The question of how to strengthen blood vessels is relevant for almost every woman. What is the cause of weak blood vessels and what can happen if you don’t take care of them? What factors contribute to the worsening of the problem? What remedies are there to strengthen blood vessels? What foods should definitely be included in your daily diet?

Signs of problems with blood vessels, when you need to strengthen blood vessels

TO alarming symptoms, indicating that it is worth taking care of your blood vessels can be attributed to :

Periodic dizziness, frequent feeling of weakness;

Fainting;

Tendency to motion sickness in transport;

Poor health and regular weakness in the morning and evening;

Darkening in the eyes and discomfort when sudden change body position;

Feeling unwell in the heat;

Sudden pressure surges;

High weather sensitivity;

Body aches, joint pain;

Often freezing and usually cold extremities;

Swelling of the legs and arms;

Tachycardia, rapid heart rate at rest;

Knocking in the temples.

NameWoman warns: even if none of the above points apply to you, just the appearance of small spider veins on the skin or the formation of bruises on the thighs should be a signal to make an appointment with a phlebologist - vascular surgeon (if there are bruises, you should take a clinical analysis blood and make a coalogram, a hematologist will help you understand the causes of your problem).

Do not forget that among the causes of problems with blood vessels, the genetic factor stands apart. Be careful if your relatives have varicose veins or cardiovascular diseases. Risk groups include obese people, pregnant women and those leading a sedentary lifestyle. Without symptoms, but if you are at risk and have disposing factors If you have problems with blood vessels, you should visit a phlebologist for the first time at a young age. As with many other health matters, promptness and prudence are essential. If you have problems, by contacting a specialist in time, you can go through more easy way treatment. You can make an appointment with a phlebologist in many medical centers, and on the websites of the relevant companies, get acquainted with the proposed treatment methods. For example, among the services of the Esteti Club network of centers it is presented as laser treatment varicose veins, which have no recovery period, as well as sclerotherapy and miniphlebectomy: http://estetik.ru/.

An indifferent attitude towards the condition of your blood vessels, the lack of timely measures to strengthen them is fraught with rosacea, microhemorrhages, varicose veins veins and atherosclerosis of arteries. In addition, the load on the heart increases significantly. People who wonder too late how to strengthen blood vessels often face ischemia.

Most common reasons problems with blood vessels:

A sedentary lifestyle (and the worst habit for healthy legs is the cross-leg position), as well as high loads on the legs if you spend most of the day standing (in this case, NameWoman strongly recommends that you consider wearing compression stockings);

Smoking and alcohol abuse;

Constant stress;

Taking oral contraceptives;

Genetic factor.

Insufficient sleep also has a bad effect on the condition of the walls of blood vessels. It was noted that after several sleepless nights to restore blood vessels Ten hours of sleep over five days will help.

The issue of strengthening blood vessels is especially acute for people who are overweight, tend to be overweight, as well as those people who have begun to struggle for their figure or are suddenly losing excess weight due to illness, stress or other reasons.

With the appearance of additional kilograms and volumes, our body is forced to rebuild the system of small vessels. Expanding body tissues must be supplied with nutrients and oxygen; additional blood vessels serve this purpose. But in order to support them all, we also need nutrients, which the body usually lacks. As a result, the old capillaries weaken, and the walls of the new blood vessels are initially very thin.

For every additional 10 kg to our body weight, approximately 15 km of additional vessels are required to be created. Here's another reason why fat people It is necessary to strengthen blood vessels, and those losing weight should not go on starvation diets, depriving themselves of nutrients.

The risk of problems with blood vessels increases 1.5 times in women with a waist circumference of more than 94 cm, and in men - more than 102 cm.

How to strengthen blood vessels

First of all, try to eliminate the causes of the problem given above. Healthy image life and daily routine are required. Remember that there is nothing more valuable than your health. You should also take care of special food and physical activity.

It is advisable to coordinate physical activity with your doctor. The most useful for strengthening blood vessels are walking and swimming. Exercises should not be exhausting, but tonic, so it is enough to devote up to half an hour to them 4 times a week or just 15 minutes every day. Yoga will provide a healing effect for both body and spirit.

When caring about strengthening blood vessels in your legs, you definitely need to critically evaluate your shoes. High heels are not good for you. The best solution for your health is to vary your heel height (very low, high, medium) throughout the day, spending most of your time in shoes with heels within 4-6 cm.

Vascular strengthening drugs should ideally be prescribed by a doctor. Experts often recommend ascorutin and dihydroquerticin. Reviews on Detralex are mostly very positive; this drug helps improve blood circulation, strengthens the walls of blood vessels and is usually prescribed during the hot period of the year, when the legs swell especially often. Gingko biloba may be recommended to you, but be sure to pay attention to all contraindications to medications and recommendations for taking them. When choosing folk remedies to strengthen blood vessels, it is also advisable to consult with a specialist.

Folk remedies for strengthening blood vessels

To improve blood circulation and normalize work circulatory system, to strengthen blood vessels in folk medicine, such natural remedies as infusions and decoctions of motherwort, string, chamomile and red clover flowers, mint and lemon balm, rose hips or hawthorn, rowan berries, bay leaf, valerian root, lingonberry leaves.

Pouring cold water- the best answer to the question of how to strengthen blood vessels in the legs. Carry out the procedure in the evening. Make the water almost cold and run the stream of water along your legs from bottom to top.

In our articles, we have repeatedly advised our readers one simple exercise for healthy legs. It will help strengthen blood vessels, improve blood circulation and even reduce the number of nets and stretch marks on the legs. next action: lie on your back, raise your arms and legs up, shake your limbs finely. Ideally, this should be done within five minutes. Start with a minute or do the exercise with short breaks. For a noticeable effect, you need to do this every day in the morning after waking up. If you can do this more often, your body will be even more grateful to you.

More and more often, people are experiencing problems with the blood vessels of the brain: the symptoms of such diseases can seriously ruin their lives and interfere with active pastime. What is the reason for such problems? They may be related to age-related changes. With age, blood vessels become less elastic and brittle. Cholesterol plaques that accumulate on the walls of blood vessels impair blood flow. Also, vascular problems can be a consequence of the disease.

Symptoms

Problems with the blood vessels of the brain are identified quite simply: the symptoms of such problems are characteristic. The doctor can make a primary diagnosis at the first examination, after listening to the patient’s complaints. Let's look at the most common vascular diseases:

Hypertension;
Varicose veins;
Atherosclerosis;
Thrombophlebitis and so on.

Problems with the blood vessels of the brain can be expressed by the following symptoms:

In some cases, these signs may not indicate vascular problems, but about other diseases. For example, about cardiovascular diseases. The exact cause of the symptoms can only be identified with the help of an appropriate examination. This could be, for example, a computed tomography scan.

Prevention

Problems with cerebral vessels are the rule rather than the exception. They often appear with age. Vascular diseases may not bother you much in its first stages, and therefore often a person begins treatment only when the disease is already advanced. For this reason, it is important to be examined on time and monitor your health.

Is it possible to somehow prevent or delay vascular diseases? Yes, and plays the first role in this proper nutrition. Increase the content of vegetables and fruits in your diet. Avoid fried and spicy foods and animal fats. It is recommended to replace animal fats with vegetable fats. Be sure to include fish products in your menu, olive oil, pearl barley, grapefruit, nuts, sweet potatoes, onions and garlic. All these products have a positive effect on the condition of blood vessels.

But there are also products that directly carry out preventive action. Eg, following products protect blood vessels from blood clots:

Ginger;
Cinnamon;
Green tea;
Melon watermelon;
A pineapple.

Proper nutrition is not all you can do to prevent vascular problems. An active lifestyle and sports play an important role. The condition of blood vessels is negatively affected by lack of sleep, stress, and a nervous lifestyle. For this reason, it is so important to lead a calm and measured life, work productively and fully relax.

Treatment

There is only one course of action if you have problems with cerebral vessels: treatment should be carried out in a clinic, under the supervision of a doctor. Treatment can be supplemented with traditional methods, but this is only an auxiliary measure, the possibility of which should be discussed with your doctor.

A diagnostic test is required. Treatment will not give any result if the cause of the problem is found incorrectly. The examination will help find the root of the disease and guide therapeutic measures in the right direction.

Your doctor will most likely prescribe the following medications:

Medicines that have a beneficial effect on lipid metabolism;
Sedatives;
Drugs that promote vasodilation;
Anti-spasm medications;
Anticoagulants;
Tranquilizers and sedatives.

Among traditional methods we can note herbal infusions, medicinal tea. Also auxiliary Therapeutic gymnastics can be used in the treatment of blood vessels.

Where problems with blood vessels arise from and how to avoid them tells Igor Zatevakhin, Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Surgical Diseases of the Russian State Medical University.

"AiF": - Vascular diseases are considered the scourge of our time. How inevitable are they?

FROM.:- Vascular diseases are something that almost everyone experiences with age. The basis of most vascular pathologies is atherosclerosis. 70% of strokes and heart attacks are associated with damage to the arteries by atherosclerotic plaques. Mortality from cardiac vascular diseases one of the highest - up to 52%. Vascular diseases are worse than cancer. Cancer can be cured by promptly operating the patient. No one has ever been able to rid a person of atherosclerosis, and no one knows the cause of its occurrence. It is believed that it is caused by metabolic disorders, hereditary predisposition and bad habits (smoking, physical inactivity, fatty food). Although there are patients who are young, thin, active - and with atherosclerotic plaques. There is an assumption that atherosclerosis may be based on an intracellular viral infection.

"AiF": - Are there external signs How can a person suspect atherosclerosis?

FROM.:- In case of defeat coronary vessels pain occurs in the heart. First during physical activity, then at rest. If atherosclerosis occurs in the carotid arteries, vision and hearing deteriorate, dizziness and temporary disturbances occur cerebral circulation- a person seems to briefly fall out of reality. If the process affected femoral arteries- when walking, grabs the calf. If you have any suspicions, you should consult a doctor and have blood tests done for cholesterol and lipids.

Exercise instead of pills

"AiF": - Many patients believe that for vascular diseases surgery is inevitable.

FROM.:- In advanced cases, surgical intervention really cannot be avoided. In the rest, the later a person gets to the surgeon’s table, the better. With the help of modern medicines, the disease can be long years contain, avoiding complications.

"AiF": - Vascular diseases require treatment large quantity medications with a huge range of contraindications. Can diet and exercise compensate for them?

FROM.:- At the initial stage of the disease, the right diet can even eliminate the need to take vascular protectors. The most effective remedy- refusal of animal fats. Preference should be given to plant foods, low-fat varieties fish and low-fat dairy products. Physical activity is pill number 1 for vascular diseases. Exercise stimulates the development of blood vessels. Even if the main vascular line is narrowed, with physical activity bypass pathways begin to develop and the patient’s condition improves.

"AiF": - ethnoscience For vascular tone, he recommends visiting a bathhouse and drinking red wine in moderation.

FROM.:- Red wine has nothing to do with vascular tone - it is rather useful for maintaining the immune system. Despite the fact that alternating cold and hot is traditionally considered gymnastics for blood vessels, I cannot recommend the bathhouse to everyone. A visit to the bathhouse is associated with a large loss of fluid, which leads to blood thickening. And even short-term blood thickening due to narrowed blood vessels or atherosclerotic plaques can cause thrombosis.

Doctor - yes, position - no

“AiF”: - In your clinic there is a department of endovascular surgery, which is called the medicine of the future...

FROM.:- Endovascular surgery - modern direction in angiology, which allows, under X-ray control, to insert instruments into the lumen of blood vessels through a puncture to restore damaged arteries. In particular, with the help of special cylinders, the pressure in which can reach 16 atmospheres, the atherosclerotic plaque is destroyed and blood flow is restored.

In case of pulmonary embolism (when a blood clot formed in the veins migrates through the vessels and enters the pulmonary artery through the heart - this disease most often ends in death), we install a temporary filter in the inferior vena cava, which catches it. This section of angiosurgery requires the specialist to be proficient in both surgical and radiological methods. And this is a new challenge in the training of vascular surgeons. Weakness vascular surgery- prevention. Every clinic should have an angiologist. But there is no such position at all! So it turns out that doctors save people. Instead of treating them.

To fully perform its functions, the human brain needs an uninterrupted supply of blood, delivering oxygen and nutrients to its sections. Blood moves through vessels: arteries and veins.
If their walls become thinner and become covered with “cholesterol plaques,” then blood circulation and, accordingly, brain nutrition deteriorate. It is with this factor that they begin problems with blood vessels in the head And symptoms, characteristic of them.

Main signs of pathology

The initial stage of vascular diseases is always asymptomatic, hence many patients turn to the doctor with already complicated and advanced pathology. Problems with the vessels of the head and neck are their blockage and narrowing, in medical practice the disease is called stenosis.

The pathology has three stages of development, each of which is characterized by certain symptoms:

Stage 1: fast fatiguability, periodic mild dizziness, increased drowsiness, difficulty concentrating.
Stage 2: memory impairment, inability to concentrate on anything, headaches, unsteady, unsteady gait.
Stage 3: dementia, inability to control one's own actions and reflexes, including bowel movements and urination.

At an advanced stage problems with blood vessels in the head it is no longer possible to completely eliminate it. After prolonged fasting, brain cells die, this process is irreversible.

Treatment method

With cerebral vascular stenosis, the patient needs long-term, and sometimes life-long complex treatment. The doctor may prescribe statins or fibrates (drugs that lower cholesterol and destroy cholesterol plaques), vitamins, vasodilators, antispasmodics and diet therapy.
Having an idea of what can lead to problems with blood vessels in the head, their symptoms under no circumstances should it be ignored. Many brain pathologies are treatable only in the earliest stages.

How the heart changes
Symptoms of cardiac pathology
Diagnostics
What happens to the vessels
Clinical manifestations of vascular pathology
Diagnostics
What happens in the brain
Why do the kidneys suffer?
conclusions

High blood pressure, which is the main manifestation of hypertension, has Negative influence for the whole body. But there are organs that suffer first. Their defeat leads to the development severe complications, life-threatening. Such targets include: heart, brain, kidneys and blood vessels.

How the heart changes

The changes occurring in the heart are associated with the fact that when arterial hypertension the organ is forced to work in unusual conditions. With increased pressure, the heart muscle contracts harder to push blood into the aorta, where the pressure is also high. Heart rate increases.

In this case, they talk about an increase in afterload. Muscle fibers that are forced to function in this mode constantly begin to increase in volume. Myocardial hypertrophy develops. At first, the target organs suffer slightly. First, concentric diffuse hypertrophy of the left ventricular myocardium is formed. All walls of this cardiac chamber thicken evenly. In 1/3 of cases, asymmetric hypertrophy is recorded, when a predominant increase is observed back wall or interventricular septum.

Gradually, the mass of the myocardium increases. Connective tissue grows and fibrosis develops. The diastolic function of the left ventricle is affected. The heart muscle cannot relax normally and its elasticity is lost. The left atrium has to work twice as hard to fill the ventricle below with blood. The pressure in the atrium itself increases, which leads to an increase in end-diastolic pressure. In this case, they talk about increasing preload. Gradually the cavity of the left ventricle increases. Eccentric hypertrophy of the left ventricular myocardium develops. In this case, cardiomyocytes grow not in width, but in length. A heart failure clinic is opening.

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction may develop, the main manifestation of which is a decrease in ejection fraction. This again leads to an increase in end-diastolic pressure and progression of left heart failure. In this case, stagnation in the pulmonary circulation is characteristic. Over time, failure of the right side of the heart develops, and symptoms of congestion in a large circle are observed.

With arterial hypertension, not only heart failure can develop. Heart damage can lead to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle. There are several important points to highlight here.

Behind rapid growth cardiomyocytes and an increase in the heart muscle, the vessels feeding the myocardium do not have time to grow. Cells experience hypoxia due to insufficient oxygen supply. The discrepancy between the myocardial oxygen demand and its supply (ischemia) first manifests itself during physical activity and then at rest.
The cardiac (coronary) arteries are located under the outer lining of the heart (epicardium), partially immersed in the muscle layer. Small vessels, the blood supplying parts of the heart, located deeper (subendocardial), pass through the thickness of the myocardium. With hypertrophy, these vessels are compressed, which leads to poor blood supply to the corresponding tissues.
Diastolic cardiac dysfunction, which develops as a result of arterial hypertension, leads to impaired myocardial nutrition. Its blood supply is possible only during diastole (relaxation). And if the muscle cannot relax, then the vessels remain compressed by the muscle fibers. Accordingly, cardiomyocytes do not receive nutrition.
In hypertension, the formation of substances that increase vascular tone: endothelins, angiotensin II. This further worsens blood flow in the altered heart muscle.

Symptoms of cardiac pathology

Damage to target organs, in particular the heart, manifests itself with a long course of the disease. Nonspecific symptoms hypertension may be stabbing, pressing pain in the area of the heart without irradiation. There may be a feeling of discomfort. Such unpleasant manifestations are more often observed when it is unusual high blood pressure, during crises and are not relieved by nitroglycerin.

With significant damage to the myocardium and the development of hypertrophy, symptoms characteristic of coronary disease hearts. These are pressing pains behind the sternum, with possible irradiation into the lower jaw, into left hand, in the subscapular region. Such pain goes away after taking nitrates (nitroglycerin).

The first sign of left ventricular heart failure is shortness of breath. It appears first during exercise and then at rest. Swelling in the legs, tachycardia, and palpitations are typical. Physical activity is poorly tolerated. There is rapid fatigue and general weakness. The progression of the disease leads to attacks of cardiac asthma, accumulation of fluid in the abdominal and pleural cavities.

Changes in the myocardium lead to the appearance of arrhythmias. These could be extrasystoles. If they are single, then great danger No. But when there are many extrasystoles, more severe rhythm disturbances may occur. Myocardial hypertrophy against the background of hypertension can contribute to the development atrial fibrillation. And this is dangerous in terms of the formation of blood clots and severe thromboembolic complications.

The most dangerous complication is the development of myocardial infarction. This emergency requiring immediate hospitalization. To save lives, such patients often undergo operations to restore coronary blood flow: coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention with stent placement (PCI).

Diagnostics

To clarify the degree of target organ damage, special studies. To assess the condition of the heart, the following are usually prescribed:

Electrocardiography. This type of study allows us to identify left ventricular hypertrophy, rhythm and conduction disturbances, and myocardial infarction.
ECG test with stress. This could be physical activity, taking some medicines, transesophageal electrical stimulation. Such a study is necessary to identify transient rhythm disturbances caused by physical activity. A test is also performed if myocardial ischemia is suspected.
Echocardiography. Using this method, it is possible to identify the consequences of increased blood pressure in the form of hypertrophy of the heart muscle. This is indicated by a left ventricular myocardial mass index of more than 115 g/m2 in men, and more than 95 g/m2 in women. You can see an increase in the cavities of the heart and traces of a previous myocardial infarction.
Additional diagnostic methods can be used: stress echocardiography, MRI, myocardial scintigraphy with stress.

What happens to the vessels

When blood pressure rises, blood vessels, mainly arteries, are affected. Significant structural and functional changes occur in them. They can be detected already in the early stages of the disease. All vessels are affected: coronary, cerebral, peripheral and visceral, providing blood supply to internal organs.

Characteristic transformations occur in the arterial wall:

Hypertrophy of the muscle layer develops, which is accompanied by a decrease in the lumen of the vessel and an increase in the rigidity of the arterial wall. This is accompanied by an increase in total peripheral vascular resistance.
Influenced high blood pressure Plasma proteins penetrate into the walls of the arteries and hyalinosis (protein degeneration) develops. Sclerotic changes occur. This also reduces the elasticity of the vascular wall.
Hypertension is often accompanied by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic plaques form in the walls of blood vessels, especially large ones. This leads to narrowing of the lumen and disruption of regional circulation. Blood clots often form at the locations of plaques as a result of a decrease in the antithrombotic function of the endothelium (the inner lining of the vessel).
The altered arterial wall becomes more sensitive to the effects of vasoconstrictor factors that circulate in the blood. These are angiotensin II, catecholamines (adrenaline and norepinephrine), endothelins and many others. Thanks to this, high vascular tone is constantly maintained.

Clinical manifestations of vascular pathology

For a long time, vascular changes are asymptomatic. But gradually, in addition to complaints from target organs such as the heart, brain and kidneys, with arterial hypertension signs of changes in the peripheral arteries and vessels of the retina appear.

Such patients may experience pain in the legs when walking. This is the result of insufficient blood supply to the muscles. Over time, trophic changes develop with the formation of ulcers and even gangrene. The pulse may not be detected upon palpation.

As the disease progresses, irreversible changes affect the retinal vessels. Vision decreases significantly and its fields narrow.

Diagnostics

Timely detection of initial changes in target organs is important. To clarify the condition of blood vessels, the following diagnostic methods are used:

Determination of pulse pressure, especially in elderly patients. A significant difference between systolic and diastolic pressure (more than 60 mm Hg) indicates an increase in vascular stiffness.
Determining the pulse wave speed also gives an idea of the condition of the arterial vessels. Normally, this figure should not exceed 10 m/sec.
By using duplex scanning brachiocephalic vessels, you can determine the thickness of the wall of the carotid arteries - the intima-media complex. Its value exceeding 0.9 mm is an unfavorable sign. Atherosclerotic plaques can also be found in the carotid arteries. Possible duplex study renal vessels, iliofemoral arteries.
There is such an indicator as the ankle-brachial index. It helps to identify atherosclerosis of peripheral arteries. ABOUT pronounced changes in the vessels indicates a decrease in the indicator of less than 0.9.
Examination of the vessels of the fundus during ophthalmoscopy reveals signs of hemorrhages, exudates and swelling of the optic nerve nipple.

What happens in the brain

Damage to the brain is caused by changes in its vessels, especially of medium and small caliber. Poor circulation leads to the development of hypertensive encephalopathy. The main symptoms of this pathology:

decreased performance;
memory impairment;
sleep disorders;
fast fatiguability;
diffuse headaches;
noise in ears;
dizziness.

The development of acute encephalopathy is possible with hypertensive crisis. At the same time, acute headaches appear, intensifying with the slightest movement. Nausea and even vomiting are possible. Disorders of consciousness and vision may occur. Often there are complaints of numbness in half the face, lips, and limbs.

The most dangerous complications are:

acute thrombosis cerebral vessels with the development of ischemic stroke;
transient circulatory disorders - transient ischemic attacks;
rupture of blood vessels with hemorrhage in the brain.

Diagnosis is based on the study of target organs such as blood vessels using duplex scanning. If necessary, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is performed. This allows us to identify asymptomatic cerebral infarctions, minor hemorrhages, and lacunar infarctions. White matter changes may be detected, indicating the development of encephalopathy or previous transient ischemic attacks.

Why do the kidneys suffer?

Not the last place among the target organs is occupied by the kidneys. As a result of disease progression characteristic changes are exposed renal arteries, and accordingly, the glomeruli. Some nephrons stop functioning. Their desolation and atrophy occur. Kidney tissue is replaced by connective tissue with the development of nephrosclerosis. A primary wrinkled kidney is formed, which cannot perform its function normally.

Chronic renal failure. Currently the term used is - chronic illness kidney (CKD). There are 5 stages of the disease. Classification based on speed determination glomerular filtration(SKF) and quantification protein content in urine.

The negative impact of high blood pressure first manifests itself in the form of microalbuminuria, when 30 to 300 mg/l of albumin is present in the urine. Subclinical changes in the kidneys correspond to stage 3 CKD. GFR ranges from 30 to 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 according to basic calculation formulas. Detection of stage 4 CKD, when GFR is less than 30 ml/min/1.73 m2 and protein loss of more than 300 mg/day indicates serious problems in organism.

In addition to the main methods of assessment functional ability kidneys (GFR and urine protein testing), can be used to clarify the diagnosis ultrasonography these organs, which helps identify congenital anomalies and other changes. The study of microscopic urine sediment consists of determining the number of blood cells, casts and salts. The level of uric acid is determined, which is an additional risk factor for kidney damage.

conclusions

The main task of the doctor is to identify changes in target organs in the early stages. This is necessary to choose the right treatment tactics and prevent the development of irreversible consequences. If this moment is missed, the disease will rapidly progress, bringing the person closer to a sad ending.

Modern medicine offers effective ways lowers blood pressure, helps fight myocardial hypertrophy and atherosclerosis. There are medications to improve blood circulation. At integrated approach a person's quality of life can for a long time stay at a high level.

Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels

Atherosclerosis of the MAG (great arteries of the head) is usually encountered by people over 40 years of age, but currently cases of this disease in patients have become more frequent younger age. The disease is extremely dangerous because Due to blockage of blood vessels, the brain does not receive enough nutrients. If left untreated, the patient may develop a stroke, which in 70% of cases leads to disability.

General information about the disease

Atherosclerosis of the main arteries of the head is the most common brain disease. In this disease, the muscular-elastic vessels suffer from atherosclerotic plaques. Deposits form in the inner lining of the artery, which creates a certain danger to human health. Connective tissue begins to grow and the walls calcify, which leads to a narrowing of the vascular lumen.

This disease develops in people after 20 years of age. Men encounter it earlier when they reach 50-60 years of age. In women, atherosclerosis of this type begins to develop after 60 years. The main danger of the disease is that in the initial stages it may not produce any symptoms. Hemodynamic disturbances can be detected at the onset of atherosclerosis, when vascular compliance decreases. In some patients, the vascular walls stretch and atherosclerotic expansion can be diagnosed.

Why does cerebral atherosclerosis occur?

Currently, doctors have identified more than 200 causes that provoke the development of atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease. The most significant factors affecting blood circulation are smoking, hypertension, lack of physical activity and obesity. They provoke the deposition of cholesterol plaques and accelerate the development of atherosclerosis in both sexes. Potential factors that provoke this disease also include:

diabetes;
constant stress;
problems in the functioning of the endocrine system;
malnutrition;
problems with the absorption of glucose into the blood;
changes in the body caused by age.

The pathogenesis of the disease itself is very complex and only half understood. In addition to provoking factors, the main role in the development of the disease is played by the characteristics of transport with the metabolism of fats and their complexes combined with proteins. Also affects the rate of development of atherosclerosis functional disorders inner lining of the artery.

To atherosclerotic disease great vessels The predisposition in 90% of patients is genetic. For such people, psycho-emotional stress is considered the most dangerous. Under the influence of cortisol and other hormones, neurohumoral mechanisms are activated. They change the structure of the vascular walls, which leads to the formation of plaques.

How does the disease develop?

Atherosclerosis of extracranial vessels occurs 5 times more often than intracranial ones. If this disease progresses significantly, patients may experience destruction of both types of vessels. The internal carotid artery is most often affected by the disease. Any discomfort the patient does not experience this, therefore it is important to diagnose the pathology in a timely manner. Atherosclerotic plaques affecting the brain and cervical arteries have the following distinctive features:

They contain a lot of collagen and are classified as carotid.
They contain a colossal amount of lipids with a fibrous structure, so stenosis in patients is more pronounced.
They are heterogeneous in their structure.

These plaques are destroyed as a result of a hematoma caused by the impact of flowing blood, or under the influence of saturated lipids. In both cases, the patient may experience stroke and ischemic attacks.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the great arteries

At first, with damage to the blood vessels of the brain, the patient will not experience any discomfort. The stronger the ischemia becomes, the more pronounced the symptoms of the disease begin to appear. Their severity is influenced by the location of the damage, i.e. which vessels were affected by the disease. TO general manifestations diseases include:

headache;
noise in ears;
sleep problems;
decreased short-term memory.

The problem is this symptomatology characteristic of many problems with brain functioning. Some patients begin to experience personality changes. They suffer from outbursts of aggression, tearfulness and all kinds of anxiety.

Diagnosis of the disease

Atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease can be detected using MRI. If this method diagnostics cannot be used due to implants, then prescribe computed tomography. The disadvantage of the last diagnostic method is the absence in the images of the places where the cholesterol plaques. The doctor will only see problems with any specific vessels or disturbances in brain function. The following methods can also be used for diagnosis:

It is ultrasound of the cervical vessels that makes it possible to identify atherosclerotic plaques if MRI is contraindicated for the patient. Before all tests, you should stop taking medications and foods that increase blood pressure.

How is cerebral atherosclerosis treated?

As with any other pathology, there are conservative and surgical treatment methods. Conservative methods include taking medications, exercising, and massage. Drug therapy includes taking the following medications:

reducing blood viscosity;
enhancing blood flow in collateral vessels;
reducing the level bad cholesterol in organism;
anti-inflammatory;
preventing the formation of blood clots.

You cannot prescribe these pills for yourself, because... without full examination the patient will not be able to determine the factors influencing the development of his pathology, and will only make things worse for himself. If during diagnosis the doctor reveals that the vessel has narrowed by more than 50%, the patient is referred for consultation with a vascular surgeon. A person may have a carotid endarterectomy in the following situations:

Carotid artery stenosis more than 90%.
Arterial stenosis of more than 70%, accompanied by neurological symptoms;
Rapid development of carotid narrowing and other forms of this narrowing, accompanied by various pathologies.

The operation will not be performed if the patient has damaged cerebral hemispheres and there are pathologies of the central nervous system. The essence of the operation is that the affected area of the vessel is removed. This type of surgery is extremely dangerous, so it is carried out when the body does not respond to conservative methods treatment or when the patient is critically ill. Sometimes during surgery they create bypasses for blood flow when they see that the body cannot cope with it naturally or there is a critical lack of blood supply to the brain.

Possible complications: stroke, brain failure

Lack of blood circulation is extremely dangerous for brain function. Segments damaged as a result of atherosclerosis will not be able to recover. At the beginning of the disease, this causes forgetfulness and slight absent-mindedness, but then can lead to a stroke. Of course, the rate of development of the disease is influenced by the general condition of the body and the presence of genetic predisposition.

Another disease that can provoke atherosclerosis is brain failure. Plaques grow very quickly, because... have a heterogeneous structure. The more of them in the vessels, the more hemorrhages in the brain. As a result, this causes persistent circulatory problems.

Prevention of atherosclerosis

Measures to prevent the formation of plaques are common to all types of the disease. It is necessary to refuse bad habits including overeating and smoking. You should take care of controlling your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. People who are overweight should get rid of it.

Physical education classes are mandatory for all patients. With the right lifestyle, you can prevent further progression of atherosclerotic brain disease. In case of large-scale circulatory disorders, it is necessary to stimulate the development of roundabout blood flows in the following ways:

Regular varied muscle activity. This means that you must not only go to Gym and exercise with free weights, but also do exercises for balance, coordination, go to the pool, etc.
Monitoring bowel regularity. Should be taken periodically saline solution to force cholesterol out of the intestines along with feces.
Systematic treatment of all concomitant diseases.
Gradual decrease in blood sugar. Despite the fact that normalizing body weight and changing diet is impossible without giving up sweets, their consumption should be reduced gradually. With a sharp refusal of sugar, blood flow will worsen, which will provoke attacks of ischemia.

It is mandatory to follow the doctor's instructions. You should not try to treat yourself using herbs and other folk remedies or replace prescribed pills with them, because This way you can seriously worsen your condition.

Features of treatment and symptoms of cerebral arachnoiditis

Arachnoiditis of the brain, the symptoms of which are not specific, is a complex inflammatory disease arachnoid an organ that develops against the background of allergies, an autoimmune process or a viral (bacterial) infection. Most often it occurs in young patients. Complex forms of the disease are accompanied by impairment of a person’s ability to work and lead to disability.

general description

There are several meninges: soft, arachnoid and hard. It is the middle one that does not enter parts of the convolutions. Under this shell spaces are formed filled cerebrospinal fluid. The cavity of the fourth ventricle serves to unite them.

The arachnoid membrane is not supplied with blood vessels. Thanks to it, the brain is fixed in the cranial cavity. This shell has a high degree of permeability. If an infection, virus, or brain damage occurs in the human body, the arachnoid membrane becomes inflamed, and brain arachnoiditis develops. It becomes thick and cloudy.

Accompanied by arachnoiditis and cyst formation. Also, adhesions are fixed between the vessels and the membrane, interfering with the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. Symptoms of the disease are general and focal. They often depend on the type of disease.

The arachnoid membrane never suffers on its own, since it has no blood vessels. The inflammatory process often moves here from other parts of the brain. Arachnoiditis contributes to increased intracranial pressure, as a result of which dropsy of the brain develops. This complicates the diagnosis and treatment of the pathology.

Causes of the disease

Cerebral arachnoiditis is most often provoked by bacterial or viral infection. However, its development can also be caused by brain injury. In general, the following causes of the disease can be identified:

viral pathologies: chickenpox, measles, influenza;
abscess or tumor in the brain;
inflammatory processes: meningitis, encephalitis;
diseases of the ear, nose and throat: sinusitis, tonsillitis, otitis media;
hemorrhage under the arachnoid membrane;
bruise or brain injury (and arachnoiditis in this case develops several months later, when adhesions appear in the affected area);
chronic intoxication of the body due to alcohol abuse, heavy metal poisoning;
disruption of the functionality of the endocrine system;
severe decrease in immunity;
myelitis (its complications).

Other factors can also provoke cerebral arachnoiditis: constant overwork, difficult conditions labor. In some cases, the etiology of the disease remains unclear.

Classification and symptoms of the disease

There are several types of arachnoiditis:

True. The cause of this pathology is an autoimmune process or allergic reaction. Typically, this form of arachnoiditis is considered common, as it can affect the upper cellular layer of the cerebral cortex. This lesion is quite rare, occurring in only 5% of cases of all diseases of the meninges.
Residual arachnoiditis is triggered by injury or infection that affects the nervous system. The result of this pathology is the appearance of adhesions and cysts filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

The disease can also be classified according to the predominant changes in the subarachnoid space:

Cystic arachnoiditis. They grow between the shells fibrous tissue, which provokes the formation of cavities filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
Sticky. In this case, effusion forms, as a result of which loose adhesions develop. They interfere with the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid.
Mixed. This is a combination of symptoms and features of the course of the two previous types of arachnoiditis.

If we take the localization of the pathology as the basis for the classification, then it can be:

Diffuse (extensive). It is diagnosed in most cases, since the inflammatory process spreads to almost the entire membrane and also affects neighboring tissues. Symptoms are not clearly expressed. There are general cerebral signs caused by impaired circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid.
Limited. Such arachnoiditis is rare, because the arachnoid membrane does not have clear boundaries, so inflammation affects most of it.
Convexital. Arachnoiditis spreads to that part of the membranes that is located on the outer surface of the brain. Its course is considered easier. However, it is accompanied epileptic seizures, disorders emotional sphere, paralysis and paresis.
Basal. It is localized at the base of the skull and affects the brain stem, nerves and cerebellum. Here vision is impaired, on both sides. First, the visual field changes to some colors (red and green). In addition, there is intense headache, the functions of the oculomotor nerves are impaired. When examining the fundus, optic nerve atrophy is visible.
Rear cranial fossa. There is a great variety of symptoms. If the nerves of the skull are damaged, hearing loss and damage may occur. trigeminal nerve. If inflammation affects the cerebellum, then there is a disorder of coordination and motor skills. The patient also has severe hypertensive syndrome.

The last classification parameter is the rate of development pathological process. Here are the following types:

Spicy. If arachnoiditis develops very quickly, then the patient’s temperature rises greatly, profuse vomiting. However, this form of pathology can be cured quickly, without serious consequences.
Subacute. The pathology is constantly progressing, sometimes exacerbating, sometimes fading. With cerebral arachnoiditis, symptoms increase slowly. Asthenia appears first, severe weakness and fatigue, moderate headache, problems with emotional background, increased irritability.
Chronic. Over time, the inflammatory process progresses, and the person develops focal and cerebral symptoms. For example, the headache intensifies, nausea and vomiting are noted, and the eyes begin to hurt. The patient develops tinnitus and his fingertips turn blue. He is constantly thirsty and has high sensitivity to bright lights and loud sounds.

The patient often experiences sleep and memory disturbances, and anxiety. There are other symptoms: sensitivity to weather changes, excessive sweating, excessive urination, loss of smell (total or partial).

Diagnostic features

Before starting treatment for arachnoiditis, the patient must be carefully examined to accurately determine the type of pathological process. To do this, it is necessary to conduct the following research:

X-ray of the head (allows you to determine intracranial pressure, but is not considered a highly effective method);
electroencephalography;
echoencephalography;
MRI or CT (the reliability of these methods is very high, because they allow not only to determine the presence and location of cysts, but also their structure);
lumbar puncture (makes it possible to determine the level of cerebrospinal fluid pressure);
blood test (detects the presence of inflammatory process in organism).

The patient will also need to consult an otolaryngologist and an ophthalmologist. The attending doctor is obliged to collect a complete medical history, which should indicate whether the patient has had injuries in the recent past, what chronic pathologies he has. Diagnosis must be differential, because the symptoms presented above can also be caused by other diseases (brain tumors).

Traditional treatment

Arachnoiditis is treated in a hospital neurological department. Not only medications, but also surgical methods of therapy are used. The patient needs to take the pills for a long time. The patient is prescribed the following medications:

Antibacterial: Kanamycin. It is best to take newer drugs that are able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Antibiotics are used not only in tablet form. They can be entered into The lymph nodes located in the back of the neck.
Antiviral.
Antiallergic: Diphenhydramine, Claritin, Suprastin.
Means for resolving adhesions: “Rumalon”, “Lidaza”.
Diuretics: “Furosemide”, “Diacarb” - necessary for strong increase intracranial pressure to reduce the amount of fluid in the body.
Antiepileptics: Finlepsin, Carbamazepine. It may not be possible to completely get rid of this complication, but the patient’s quality of life will be improved.
Steroid anti-inflammatory drugs: Dexamethasone, Prednisolone - used for acute forms arachnoiditis. Courses of treatment with such drugs are short.
Neuroprotectors: Cerebrolysin, Nootropil.
Antidepressants and tranquilizers.
Vasodilators: “Cerebrolysin”, “Trental”, “Curantil” - will make it possible to improve blood circulation in the brain.

If intracranial pressure increases, the patient is given a solution of magnesium sulfate. Also applies intravenous administration potassium iodide. In order to eliminate adhesions and improve the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, you can blow air into the subarachnoid space. The use of antioxidants is also recommended.

Before using any drugs, it is imperative to find the source of infection. During the treatment of brain arachnoiditis, it is necessary to use means that strengthen the patient’s immunity. Here you will need multivitamin complexes, as well as a full menu.

If conservative therapy does not help, the attending physician prescribes surgical intervention. Most often, brain bypass surgery, removal of adhesions and cysts are performed.

Features of traditional therapy

Arachnoiditis can be treated at home, but before doing so, you should consult a doctor. Naturally, advanced stages of the disease folk remedies cannot be eliminated. If the pathology has not yet gone too far, then the following recipes will be useful:

Burdock leaf. It needs to be tied to your head and changed every 24 hours. This plant will eliminate excess fluid in the skull.
Flowers in succession. Having collected the raw materials, it must be dried. Next 1 tbsp. l. The plants are brewed with a liter of boiling water. It will take half an hour to infuse. You need to drink this kind of tea throughout the day. On the second day it will no longer be so useful.
Agrimony roots. After collecting, they need to be washed well and dried for fresh air. Next, the raw materials need to be ground through a meat grinder and ground into powder. It should be taken three times a day before meals, half a teaspoon. The course of treatment for the disease lasts 3 months.

Treatment with folk remedies does not give an immediate effect. It must be long and accurate.

Prognosis, complications and prevention of the disease

If the treatment for arachnoiditis was chosen correctly, then the prognosis for life and health is favorable. However, this is not always the case. If cerebral arachnoiditis is treated incorrectly or if there is a delay in seeing a doctor, the pathology can deprive a person of his ability to work and make him disabled. The patient's areas of activity are significantly limited: he cannot climb to heights, work with movable machinery, drive vehicles, or work in enterprises where there is loud noise, toxins, or low temperatures.

Arachnoiditis can have serious consequences:

persistent decrease in vision;
epileptic seizures;
complete blindness;

As for the prevention of cerebral arachnoiditis, you should follow all the recommendations of specialists:

eliminate all inflammatory and infectious foci in the body in a timely manner;
During epidemics of influenza or ARVI, it is imperative to take precautions;
brain injury should be avoided;
it is important not to delay a visit to the doctor if a person has a headache for more than a week, and general health worsens;
do not overcool;
it is important to strengthen your own immunity with the help of vitamin complexes;
you need to eat right.

Arachnoiditis of the brain is a severe inflammation of the arachnoid membrane, which spreads to surrounding tissues, accompanied by a deterioration in blood outflow, and a change in the condition of the vascular walls (they become permeable).