Why does high blood pressure cause nosebleeds?

Taking medication irregularly, not returning for check-ups but reusing the old prescription, Ms. V. (48 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) suddenly had a nosebleed that did not stop due to high blood pressure.

Ms. V. discovered she had high blood pressure 5 years ago and was prescribed medication regularly by a hospital doctor. After taking it for a few months and seeing that her blood pressure was under control, she stopped going for follow-up visits and bought the medication according to her old prescription.

The morning before being admitted to the hospital, Ms. V. was brushing her teeth when her nose started bleeding continuously. She went to the emergency room at a nearby hospital, where the doctor recorded that her blood pressure was up to 190/100 mmHg. She was treated with blood pressure lowering, gauze was used to stop the nosebleed, and then transferred to Tam Anh General Hospital Ho Chi Minh City.

Complications due to sudden increase in blood pressure

On October 13, specialist doctor Do Vu Ngoc Anh, Department of Cardiology, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the patient came to the hospital in a conscious state, without headache or dizziness, blood pressure 150/100 mmHg, and a lot of nosebleeds. This is a complication due to a sudden increase in blood pressure, a consequence of stopping medication on his own or taking the wrong dosage.

Master - Specialist Doctor 2 Huynh Thanh Kieu, Head of Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology 1, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, explained that high blood pressure puts great pressure on the blood vessel walls, leading to dangerous complications such as stroke, myocardial infarction, kidney failure and blood vessel damage. In Ms. V's case, high blood pressure causes small capillaries in the nose to burst and cause bleeding that is difficult to stop.

Doctor Ngoc Anh performs ultrasound to screen for cardiovascular disease for patients

Photo: BVCC

The doctor ordered an echocardiogram for the patient, which detected left ventricular hypertrophy (12 mm, normal < 11 mm). This is the result of the left ventricle having to work too hard to pump blood to nourish the body, often seen in people with long-term high blood pressure or heart valve problems.

“It is possible that Ms. V.’s blood pressure has not been well controlled for a long time, causing complications of left ventricular hypertrophy,” Dr. Kieu said, adding that the reason could be that the patient did not return for a check-up, arbitrarily reused the old prescription, and was subjective in not checking blood pressure regularly. If left untreated for a while, the thickened left ventricle will change the structure and function of the heart, reducing its ability to pump blood effectively. This not only puts pressure on the heart but also increases the risk of heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and stroke.

Ms. V. was given medication to control blood pressure and a gauze bandage was placed to stop the nosebleed. Two days later, the patient's blood pressure stabilized (130/85 mmHg). The gauze bandage was removed and there were no unusual symptoms. Ms. V. was discharged after four days of treatment.

Dr. Ngoc Anh recommends that, to prevent dangerous complications of high blood pressure, each person needs to check their blood pressure regularly, maintain a healthy diet, reduce salt, increase green vegetables and foods rich in potassium, limit fatty foods and processed foods. Regularly exercise with suitable exercises such as walking, cycling, yoga, swimming, etc.; control stress, sleep enough 7-9 hours per day.

If diagnosed with high blood pressure, patients should adhere to the treatment regimen, have regular check-ups and take medication regularly, and not stop or adjust the dosage on their own.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vi-sao-huyet-ap-tang-cao-lai-gay-chay-mau-mui-o-at-18525101316554094.htm