Headache with high blood pressure: what pills to take

Hypertension and headache

The reasons for increased pressure may be different. Physiological ones include nervous or psycho-emotional overloads, against the background of which blood pressure increases sharply. Pathological hypertension is a consequence of various diseases: diabetes, atherosclerosis, cerebrovascular or endocrine disorders, heart or kidney failure.

Severe headache in all these cases is usually accompanied by other symptoms:

dizziness, noise in the ears, darkness in the eyes;
the face turns red due to a rush of blood to the head, and the limbs become cold;
the person feels sick and chills;
sweating increases;
Shortness of breath or swelling may develop.

The nature of pain with high blood pressure may vary. Most often, the patient complains of a throbbing, dull, bursting pain in the temples, forehead or back of the head. Sometimes sharp impulses occur.

Directions for use and dosage

Adults and adolescents over 14 years of age are recommended to take 1-2 tablets per day, children – 1-1.5 tablets. They should be consumed orally, without chewing and with plenty of water.

For intramuscular administration, 2-5 ml per day is usually prescribed. The course of treatment is 5 days.

Until now, many doctors, especially local therapists, are faced with a situation where, when asked: “What are you taking for blood pressure?” – the patient answers that he drinks Andipal, which helps him and completely suits him. However, many do not suspect that the hypotensive effect of the drug is something of a “good” side effect, and Andipal is taken for slightly different purposes. Let's consider this issue in more detail.

So, Andipal is a combined analgesic-antispasmodic, consisting of four components that mutually enhance each other’s clinical effects.

What's included

Metamizole sodium 250 mg - a well-known analgin - has an analgesic, antipyretic, and weak anti-inflammatory effect. It is used to relieve almost any pain syndrome, regardless of its origin.
Bendazole (dibazole) 20 mg:

has an antispasmodic effect by relaxing the smooth muscles of blood vessels and internal organs;
causes dilatation (short-term) of cerebral vessels;
has a short-term (2-3 hours) hypotensive effect;
facilitates interneuronal transmission of electrical impulses in the spinal cord;
stimulates the immune system.

Papaverine 20 mg is a myotropic antispasmodic, like dibazol. Reduces the tone of smooth muscles of the abdominal and pelvic organs, bronchi, as well as peripheral vessels, vessels of the heart and brain. Dilates blood vessels, increases blood flow. Lowers blood pressure.
Phenobarbital 20 mg is an anticonvulsant drug of the barbiturate group, previously widely used for epilepsy. Due to its suppressive effect on the central nervous system, it has sedative, sedative and hypnotic effects. Potentiates the effect of other components of the drug.

Mild or moderate pain syndrome caused by spasm of the smooth muscles of internal organs: various colics (renal, liver, intestinal), spasm of the bladder and ureters, biliary tract, painful menstruation.
Headaches associated with a migraine attack or cerebral vasospasm.
Pain caused by spasm of peripheral vessels.
Pain syndrome in the postoperative period or caused by diagnostic procedures.

Despite some hypotensive effect, Andipal is not an antihypertensive drug. This is a symptomatic drug that alleviates the patient’s condition, but it is not intended for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular pathology.

The drug is taken 1 tablet 2-3 times a day for no more than 7 days. Not intended for continuous regular use.

Side effects

Allergic reactions: may occur to any of the components of the drug. A fairly common occurrence is an allergy to analgin. You should not take Andipal if you are prone to bronchospasm.
Drowsiness, lethargy, decreased concentration and speed of psychomotor reactions: caused by the presence of phenobarbital, which is a psychotropic substance. While taking this medication, you must avoid driving and operating complex machinery, as well as alcohol.
Reduced blood pressure.
Nausea, stool retention.
Changes in blood composition (decrease in leukocytes and platelets) with long-term use: due to the presence of analgin in the drug. At the same time, the body becomes more susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections, and bleeding increases.
Impaired liver and kidney function with long-term use.
Development of dependence (narcotic!) due to phenobarbital, which contributes to the formation of patient adherence to treatment with Andipal.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to the components of the drug.
Hematopoietic disorders, blood diseases.
Severe liver/renal failure.
Severe hypotension.
Severe heart failure, angina pectoris.
Tachyarrhythmias.
BPH.
Intestinal obstruction.
Angle-closure glaucoma.
Syndrome of congenital deficiency of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.
Age up to 8 years.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding.

In addition to the “classic” andipal, the pharmaceutical market offers drugs of the same name that do not contain phenobarbital, produced by Monpharm, Ukraine:

Andipal-B: the same components in the same dosages: analgin 250 mg bendazole 20 mg papaverine 20 mg;
Andipal-Neo: unlike Andipal, the components are presented in smaller dosages: analgin 175 mg bendazole 10 mg papaverine 10 mg;
Andipal-Forte: the opposite situation - the dosage of all drugs is doubled: analgin 500 mg bendazole 40 mg papaverine 40 mg; take Andipal-Forte 1 tablet 1-2 times a day for no more than 3 days;
Andipal-Extra: analgin 500 mg bendazole 20 mg papaverine 40 mg.

What to replace

There are quite a lot of analogues of andipal. These are combined analgesics that are not identical in composition, but cause to one degree or another the same effects: analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antipyretic.

Andipal substitutes that do not contain phenobarbital: Spazmalgon, Bral, Maksigan, Baralgetas, Revalgin, Spazgan, Spazmalin, etc.

Analogues that contain phenobarbital: Pentabufen, Pentalgin, Piralgin, Sedal-M, Tetralgin, etc.

Thus, Andipal is not an antihypertensive drug, it has a symptomatic effect and, like any drug, is taken strictly according to indications. Therefore, before using it, you should consult your doctor and read the full instructions.

What to do for a headache: first aid and medications

If you have high blood pressure and a very bad headache, first of all you should lie down or sit down and relax. An influx of fresh air (an open window) is necessary, and a cool compress on the forehead and eyes also helps. Effective first aid measures at home include a hot foot bath and a soothing herbal infusion (valerian or motherwort).

The listed methods help lower blood pressure in cases where the cause of its increase is overexertion (physical or mental). Non-drug help relieves episodic attacks effectively, but for chronic hypertension, pills are needed.

To relieve pain in this case, several groups of drugs are used:

Antispasmodics of myotropic or neurotropic action. The first include drugs that directly affect the smooth fibers of the muscle tissue of cerebral vessels - Drotaverine, No-shpa, Papaverine. The latter reduce the tone of the vascular wall indirectly, affecting the receptors of the nervous system - alpha-blockers, m-cholinomimetics, calcium antagonists.
ACE inhibitors. Angiotensin-converting enzyme promotes the transformation of angiotensin, which constricts blood vessels, into its biologically active form. Captopril, Enalapril and other drugs of the group block this enzyme, preventing an increase in vascular tone.
Diuretics. Often headaches with high blood pressure are a consequence of an increase in the volume of circulating blood. To reduce pressure in this case, it is necessary to remove excess fluid from the body. Furosemide, Hydrochlorothiazide, Spironolactone increase urination, due to which the blood volume decreases and the attack of cephalgia passes.
Tranquilizers and antidepressants. They are widely used for hypertension, as they relieve nervous tension, activate inhibition processes, and have a calming effect. With regular use, blood pressure stabilizes and headaches rarely occur.

Prevention

To avoid contracting the disease of civilization, you should follow proven preventive measures:

correct daily rhythm with sufficient sleep;
reduction of stressful situations;
reduction of mental and physical stress;
avoiding significant pressure changes (mountain environment);
to give up smoking;
limiting salt, spices;
consumption of vegetables, fish oil and foods rich in copper (nuts, seeds, olives, wheat bran);
movement - running, swimming, cycling (do not exercise during acute attacks - this will not relieve the pain, but will aggravate it!);
maintaining a drinking regime (drink about 2 liters of liquid per day) - when a person drinks enough water, his blood vessels and the body as a whole function properly.

The most effective drugs

Listed below are some medications in tablets for headaches that accompany high blood pressure. You cannot take them on your own, like other painkillers for cephalgia.

For example, such a popular drug as Citramon is strictly contraindicated. The components included in its composition help to raise blood pressure and relieve a pain attack with weak cerebral vascular tone. In case of hypertension, medications that increase blood pressure can lead to serious irreversible consequences. Therefore, only a doctor can prescribe treatment.

Amlodipine

One of the slow calcium channel blockers, a dihydropyridine derivative. By preventing the penetration of Ca2+ ions into muscle cells, it relaxes smooth muscles and helps relieve headaches with high blood pressure. The drug is absorbed quickly and quite completely, and acts for a long time. One 5 mg tablet is enough for a day.

It can be taken by pregnant women, and breastfeeding is recommended to stop breastfeeding for a while. Strict contraindications include only hypersensitivity and hypotension.

Drotaverine

An effective myotropic antispasmodic, better known under the trade name No-shpa. It will quickly relieve spasms (within 10 minutes after administration), and has virtually no negative side effects.

Pregnant women are prescribed with caution; persons with individual intolerance or glaucoma are strictly contraindicated.

Papaverine

A drug of the same group, but with a less pronounced myotropic effect, therefore it is used to relieve mild or moderate attacks of cephalgia.

Available in tablets for oral use, as well as in the form of rectal suppositories. Both dosage forms are equally effective.

Doxazosin

A medicine for headaches with high blood pressure, an alpha-blocker that shields specific receptors of the nervous system and prevents the stimulation of smooth muscle fibers. In addition to the vasodilator, it has a complex of various effects:

reduces the concentration of total cholesterol in the blood;
reduces the amount of atherogenic lipoproteins;
prevents platelet aggregation.

Traditional methods

Sudden changes in blood pressure can be encountered when there are no suitable medications nearby. In addition, drinking everything in a row when the exact cause of the illness is unknown is also not good. In such cases, proven folk recipes can help. To begin with, you can do the following manipulations:

Immerse your feet in a bath of water at 40 C. It is recommended to hold your feet there for 15-20 minutes, adding boiling water from a ladle.
Mustard plasters have always helped with vascular dystonia and high blood pressure. The mustard patch must be applied to the back of the head or neck. Mustard powder poured into socks also helps.
Treatment of headache pressing pain is carried out with acupressure. Pressing with your fingertips should not be sharp, but smooth, starting from the earlobes to the back of the head and neck.
If the back of your head often hurts, you can use a compress. A terry towel should be moistened in cold water and placed on the sore area. Then close your eyes and lie there for 15-20 minutes. If you add a few drops of essential oil to the water, the effect will be more noticeable and the spasms will go away faster.

Medicines taken orally will be no less effective:

Tea with chamomile, sugar and lemon zest. 1 small spoon of herb is brewed in a glass of boiling water and infused for about half an hour.
30 drops of motherwort tincture, diluted in ¼ glass of water, help relieve headaches. You can also use valerian tablets. They should be drunk twice a day before meals.
Clover tincture. It is prepared in advance. A liter jar is completely filled with dried flowers and 0.5 liters of vodka are poured in. Close and leave in the dark for 14 days. As soon as the attack begins, you need to drink a large spoon of infusion and wash it down with warm water.

Combined products

Drugs in this group contain a combination of several drugs. Caffeine is often an essential component.

List of medicines with caffeine:

Pentalgin Plus contains: paracetamol, codeine, caffeine, propyphenazone, phenobarbital.
Pentalgin N contains: naproxen, metamizole sodium, codeine, caffeine, phenobarbital.
Sedalgin-Neo contains: paracetamol, codeine, caffeine, metamizole sodium. phenobarbital
Ascophen: acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, caffeine. Relieve pain of moderate intensity. The reduced content of components reduces the toxic effect of these substances.

This group of drugs contains agents that reduce temperature and eliminate pain:

Tempalgin: metamizole sodium, triacetonamine-4-toluenesulfonate. Used to relieve cephalalgia due to blood pressure, 1 tablet. 3 times a day. It is symptomatic and not a therapeutic agent. Therefore, it is impossible to refuse treatment for arterial hypertension.
Brustan includes ibuprofen and paracetamol. Take 1 tablet no more than 3 times a day with meals.

They help cope with stress and reduce the production of adrenaline, which, among other things, causes increased blood pressure. These include valerian and motherwort in herbal preparations or in the form of tincture, as well as complex preparations of valerian (Cardiovalen, Valocordin, etc.).

Everyone knows that sodium salts provoke an increase in blood pressure. This means that by getting rid of excess salt with increased urine excretion, we can easily reduce blood pressure to normal values. However, the ease of this method is quite deceptive.

Do not forget that along with sodium, diuretics (Hypothiazide, Triamterene, Indapamide and many others) also remove potassium, which is necessary for the functioning of the nervous system, kidneys, and intestines, which is involved in many important biochemical processes.

True, drug manufacturers took this point into account long ago and came up with potassium-sparing diuretics (such as Amiloride or Veroshpiron), but this invention does not reduce to zero all possible side effects of diuretics.

Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drug - an effective cure for migraines

Nonsteroidal medications can also help relieve headaches caused by high blood pressure. Such medications are often prescribed to women during pregnancy, people over 65 years of age, and those patients who have chronic diseases. Non-steroidal drugs do not contain hormones and the medicine does not harm the general health of the patient. The duration of therapy should be determined strictly by the attending physician.

How to overcome pressure headaches? With the help of Diclofenac and Ibuprofen, headaches are effectively treated. After taking the pill, your blood pressure returns to normal almost immediately.

When should you visit a neurologist?

As you can see, there are many, many causes for headaches. If this symptom bothers you regularly, you should definitely visit a neurologist. You should especially hurry up with your visit if the nature of the headache is completely new, unusual for you, and also in cases where:

you are forced to use painkillers at least once a week;
the pain arose suddenly and has an “explosive” character;
you suspect that the headache was caused by drugs that you take for another reason;
you begin to sleep longer or experience unusual sleepiness;
headache appeared after a head injury, even if it is just a slight bruise;
“in the company” of a headache, you feel weakness in the limbs, experience lethargy, problems with speech or understanding others.

Remember: only a doctor can determine the cause of the ailment and give specific advice on what to take for a headache.

Why does blood pressure rise?

Our body is designed in such a way that at the slightest anxiety or excitement, our blood pressure rises. When the excitement stops, the pressure, in theory, should return to its original level.

Salt is known to increase blood pressure. Science knows African tribes that traditionally do not eat salty foods. In such tribes, hypertension is a big curiosity.

Another factor influencing increased blood pressure is excess weight. It is estimated that about 4 kilometers of blood capillaries are required to supply blood to each kilogram of fat cells. As the length of the vascular system increases, the heart has to work harder to push blood through all tissues of the body. Increased cardiac activity causes high blood pressure.

Other symptoms

The nature of the headache that accompanies high blood pressure changes with the onset of a higher stage of this disease. In the first stages, the manifestations of this disease are blurred, people cannot say exactly what is bothering them. The more advanced the pathological process, the more intense the discomfort. Head pain changes its localization, becoming diffuse, that is, it spreads to the entire area of the skull. In addition to pain, a person often experiences other unpleasant symptoms.

Other signs of hypertension:

weakness;
bluish skin on the face;
noise in ears;
nausea;
clouding of consciousness.

In fact, there can be a lot of signs of this pathology, which is determined by the individual characteristics of the person, as well as the stage of the disease. The causes of weakness lie in kidney dysfunction. In addition, symptoms such as swelling and severe fatigue occur under the influence of the same factor, namely renal pathology.

Blue discoloration of the skin of the face occurs under the influence of ischemia. Blood enters the vessels in insufficient volumes, which contributes to the appearance of this skin tone. It should be noted that such symptoms are serious, as they threaten the patient with a stroke or heart attack.

Noise in the head with hypertension is common. Such sensations are quite unpleasant. Headaches of a neuralgic nature will only intensify this symptom, creating unbearable conditions for the patient. This symptom occurs due to a failure of blood circulation in the arteries of the brain.

Hypertensive nausea often plagues hypertensive patients. This also happens due to impaired blood circulation in the human brain. This disorder provokes swelling in the head, which presses and irritates the vomiting center located in the trunk of this organ.

Clouding of consciousness during a period of increased blood pressure is a dangerous symptom, indicating that the patient is close to a stroke or heart attack. The higher the blood pressure, which increases the load on all parts of the body, the more serious the consequences can be.