Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure with which blood presses against the walls of blood vessels. Optimal indicators are 110/65 - 120/75 mm Hg. (numbers not higher than 139/89 mm Hg are considered the norm). There are many reasons for high or low blood pressure. One of them is the change in hemoglobin, which we will consider below.
What is hemoglobin and how does it affect blood pressure?
Hemoglobin – a complex protein containing iron and circulating in human blood inside erythrocytes. The main function of the ego is to form a bond with oxygen and transport it to the tissues and cells of the body.
The norm of hemoglobin in an adult:
- men - 130-160g / l;
- women — 120-150g / l.
If we talk about the relationship between hemoglobin and blood pressure, then it is very significant: with an increase in the level of protein in the blood pressure increases, with a decrease, it decreases.
Hypotension and anemia: why does this condition occur and how to deal with it?
Low hemoglobin is a sign of anemia.
Her reasons:
- poor nutrition;
- jaundice;
- chronic infectious diseases;
- bleeding;
- long-term inflammatory processes in the body;
- pregnancy;
- pneumonia;
- tuberculosis;
- hepatitis;
- autoimmune diseases;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (lead to impaired absorption of iron, which is necessary to build hemoglobin);
- endometriosis;
- profuse menstruation;
- puberty.
Let's try to explain the relationship between low blood pressure and hemoglobin indicators.
Anemia leads to hypoxia (a decrease in the level of oxygen in the cells and tissues of the body). As a result, the tone of the autonomic nervous system suffers, which is sensitive to a lack of oxygen transporter. As a result, the vessels are in a relaxed state. This is the explanation of what links low blood pressure and low hemoglobin.
Symptoms for low hemoglobin:
- weakness;
- fatigue;
- drowsiness;
- dyspnea;
- dry skin;
- hair loss;
- manifestations of reduced immunity;
- sleep disturbance;
- dizziness;
- change in taste (desire to eat chalk, raw meat);
- headache;
- frequent heartbeat.
Is the increase in hemoglobin accompanied by an increase in pressure?
Reasons for high hemoglobin:
smoking;
- alcohol consumption;
- congenital heart defects;
- pulmonary insufficiency;
- chronic heart failure;
- bowel problems;
- an excess of vitamin B12;
- polycystic kidney disease;
- stay in high mountain areas;
- long-term physical activity;
- dehydration;
- diabetes;
- erythremia;
- oncology;
- bowel problems.
Symptoms for high hemoglobin:
- drowsiness;
- fatigue;
- decreased appetite;
- impaired vision and urination;
- pallor of the skin or redness;
- aching bones and joints.
An increase in hemoglobin levels leads to thickening of the blood, and this, in turn, to an increase in blood pressure, since it is much more difficult for the heart to pump "thick" blood. But not only the instability of pressure is a problem in such a case: thickening also increases the risk of blockage of blood vessels, that is, it promotes thrombus formation. This impairs oxygen transport, and also leads to thromboembolism, heart attacks, and strokes.
Does anemia occur in hypertensive patients and how to deal with it?
If we talk about whether high blood pressure is possible with low hemoglobin, it must be said about the existence of such a combination, since anemia and high blood pressure can be in one person, as two diseases that are not related to each other. Each of these pathologies occurs for its own separate reason in most cases.
The presence of hypertension does not mean that a person is immune from low hemoglobin levels. In this case, it is imperative to look for the cause of the anemia and eliminate it, not forgetting to control the pressure.
How to restore normal blood composition?
It is not recommended to do the correction on your own. A doctor's consultation is imperative. If hemoglobin is increased or decreased by no more than 10 units, most likely, this is not a consequence of some kind of disease - these deviations indicate a functional state, which can be corrected by changing the lifestyle, in particular nutrition.
Patients suffering from hypertension and increased hemoglobin are prescribed drugs to thin the blood: courantil, cardiomagnyl, aspirin.
Conclusions
Hemoglobin is a very important element in our blood. Its decrease or increase not only changes the pressure, but also disrupts the homeostasis of the whole organism. Often, such changes in this protein are the cause of various diseases. Therefore, in such patients, it is necessary to look for a factor in the onset of pathology and eliminate it.
