Description

Low blood pressure is a condition in which the force exerted by the blood against the artery walls is too low. It is also known as hypotension.

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm of Hg). In general, low blood pressure is a reading of less than 90/60 mm Hg.

What is considered low blood pressure for a person to be good for someone else though. Low blood pressure may not cause any symptoms that you notice. Or may cause dizziness and fainting. Sometimes, low blood pressure can be life-threatening.

The causes of low arterial pressure include dehydration and other serious medical conditions. It is important to find out what is causing the low blood pressure, so that it can be treated, if necessary.

Types of

Types of low blood pressure are:

  • Orthostatic hypotension, also called postural hypotension. This is a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing up after sitting or lying down. The causes include dehydration, long-term bed rest, pregnancy, certain medical conditions and some medications. This type of low blood pressure is common in older adults.
  • Hypotension Postprandial. This drop in blood pressure occurs 1 to 2 hours after eating. It is more likely to affect older adults, especially those with high blood pressure. The risk is also greater in older adults with Parkinson's disease or other conditions that affect the part of the nervous system, which controls automatic functions such as breathing and heart rate. This is called the autonomic nervous system. Certain lifestyle changes can help relieve the symptoms of hypotension postprandial. Eat small, low carb meals, drink more water, and stay away from alcohol.
  • Neurally mediated hypotension. This is a decrease of blood pressure that occurs after standing for long periods of time. This type of low blood pressure mainly affects young adults and children. It is possible that the result of problems of communication between the heart and the brain.
  • Multiple system atrophy with orthostatic hypotension. This rare disease affects the autonomic nervous system. Multiple system atrophy with orthostatic hypotension is linked with the fact of having very high blood pressure while lying down. Also used to be called Shy-Drager syndrome.

Symptoms

Low blood pressure symptoms can include:

  • Blurred or fading vision.
  • Dizziness or vertigo feelings.
  • Fainting.
  • Fatigue.
  • Difficulty concentrating.
  • Upset stomach.

For some people, low blood pressure can be a symptom of an underlying health problem.. This is especially so when the blood pressure drops suddenly, or when low blood pressure occurs with the symptoms.

A sudden drop in blood pressure can be dangerous. A change of just 20 mm Hg can cause you to feel dizzy or weak. For example, the symptoms can occur after a fall in the systolic pressure of 110 mm Hg to 90 mm Hg. And big drops that can be life-threatening. These can occur for reasons such as serious bleeding, serious infections, or allergic reactions.

Extreme low blood pressure can lead to a condition known as shock. Symptoms of shock include:

  • Confusion, especially in older people.
  • Cold, clammy skin.
  • Decrease in the color of the skin, also called pale.
  • Rapid, shallow breathing.
  • Weak and rapid pulse.

When to see a doctor

If you have symptoms of extreme low blood pressure or shock, call 911 or your local emergency number.

Most health professionals believe that the pressure is too low only if it causes symptoms. Under the age of vertigo or dizziness feelings from time to time, can be caused by many things. The causes might be spending too much time in the sun or in a hot tub. It is important to see a health care professional to find out the cause of your symptoms.

If you often have low blood pressure but feel fine, you may not need treatment. Instead, the health care professional performs a track of your health during routine checkups. You can help to keep a record of your symptoms, when they occur, and what are you doing at the moment.

Causes

The low blood pressure has many causes. Some health conditions and the use of certain medications can cause. Other factors that affect blood pressure.

Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood that the heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in the arteries. A blood pressure reading has two numbers:

  • The top number, called systolic pressure. The top number is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats.
  • The bottom number, called diastolic pressure. The bottom number is the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats.

The American Heart Association classifies healthy blood pressure normal. The Normal blood pressure is generally less than 120/80 mm Hg.

Blood pressure varies throughout the day. Depends on:

  • The position of the body.
  • Breathing.
  • The food and drink.
  • Drugs.
  • Physical condition.
  • Stress.
  • The time of day.

Blood pressure is usually lowest at night and rises sharply on waking.

Conditions that can cause low blood pressure

The medical conditions that can cause low blood pressure are:

  • Pregnancy. Changes during pregnancy cause the blood vessels to expand quickly. The changes may cause blood pressure to drop. Low blood pressure is common in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. After a person gives birth, the blood pressure usually returns to the level it was before the pregnancy.
  • The heart and the heart valve conditions. A heart attack, heart failure, valve disease and a slow heart rate bradycardia can cause low blood pressure.
  • Hormone-related diseases, also called endocrine conditions. Conditions such as Addison's disease that affect certain glands that produce key hormones can cause blood pressure to drop. Low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia, can decrease the blood pressure, too. Could diabetes.
  • The dehydration. When the body doesn't have enough water, the amount of blood in the body decreases. This can cause blood pressure to drop. Fever, vomiting, severe diarrhea, overuse of diuretics drugs and strenuous exercise can lead to dehydration.
  • The loss of blood. Losing a lot of blood also reduces the volume of the blood, which leads to a severe drop in blood pressure. The causes of the severe loss of blood include internal injuries and bleeding.
  • The infection is severe. When an infection in the body enters the bloodstream, it can lead to life-threatening drop in blood pressure called septic shock. Another name for an infection that occurs when germs enter the blood and spread is septicemia.
  • Serious allergic reaction, also called anaphylaxis. The symptoms of a severe allergic reaction include a sudden and sharp drop in blood pressure.
  • The lack of nutrients in the diet. Low levels of vitamin B-12, folic acid and iron, you can keep the production of red blood cells. A lack of red blood cells is called anemia, and can lead to low blood pressure.

Medications that can cause low blood pressure

Some medications can cause low blood pressure, including:

  • All medications for blood pressure. These are diuretics, alpha-blockers and beta-blockers. Examples of diuretics furosemide (Lasix, Furoscix) and hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide). Alpha-blockers including prazosin (Minipress). Some beta-blockers are atenolol (Tenormin) and propranolol (Inderal LA, Innopran XL, others).
  • Medicines for Parkinson's disease, such as pramipexole (Mirapex ER) and the medicines containing levodopa (Dhivy, Duopa, other).
  • Certain types of medicine for depression called tricyclic antidepressants, including doxepin) and imipramine (Tofranil).
  • Medications for erectile dysfunction, including sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra) or tadalafil (Adcirca, Alyq, others), especially when taken with the heart medication nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitro-Dur, others).

Risk factors

Any person may have low blood pressure. Risk factors for hypotension include:

  • Age. Drops in blood pressure when standing up or after eating occur mainly in adults older than 65 years. Neurally mediated hypotension mainly affects children and young adults.
  • Drugs. Certain drugs have the potential to cause low blood pressure. These include all the medications to treat high blood pressure.
  • Certain diseases. Parkinson's disease, diabetes and some heart conditions can lead to low blood pressure.
  • Of Alcohol or illegal drugs. Any of these can increase the risk of low blood pressure.

Complications

Complications of low blood pressure may include:

  • Feeling of dizziness.
  • The weakness.
  • Fainting.
  • Injuries due to falls.

Severely low blood pressure can be lowered levels of oxygen, which can lead to damage to the brain and heart.

Diagnosis

To find out if you have low blood pressure, also called hypotension, your health care professional gives you a physical exam. Also you have questions about your medical history. The review includes the review of the blood pressure.

You can also measure your blood pressure at home. Checking blood pressure at home can help your health care professional to diagnose high blood pressure earlier than usual. Ask a member of your health care team to:

  • To help you to choose a blood pressure monitor.
  • Tell you how often to check your blood pressure.
  • Explain what blood pressure numbers should prompt you to call the doctor's office immediately.

If you get a home blood pressure reading at or just below 90/60 mm Hg, it is not always a cause for concern. Your health care professional may say that the reading is good for you, especially if you have no symptoms.

Tests

Other tests may be done to find the cause of the low blood pressure.

  • Blood tests. The blood tests can help to find the symptoms of other conditions that can lower blood pressure. These include a low level of blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia, high blood sugar, also called hyperglycemia, or diabetes; and a low count of red blood cells, also called anemia.
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This quick and painless test that measures the electrical activity of the heart. During an ECG, sensors called electrodes are attached to the chest and, at times, the arms or the legs. The cables connected to the sensors that are connected to a machine that displays or prints the results. An EKG shows how fast or slow the heart is beating. Can be used to detect a current or a previous heart attack.
  • Tilt table test. A tilt table test, you can study how the body reacts to the changes in the position. The test consists in lying on a table inclined to raise the upper part of the body. This mimics the movement from the lying down position to standing. Straps to keep the body in place. The heart rate and blood pressure are monitored during the test.

Treatment

Low blood pressure without symptoms or with mild symptoms rarely requires treatment.

If low blood pressure causes symptoms, the treatment depends on the cause. For example, if the medication cause low blood pressure, your health care professional may recommend to change or discontinue the drug. Or the dose of medication can be reduced. Do not change or stop taking your medication without first consulting with your health care professional.

If the cause of the low blood pressure is not clear or if there is no treatment, the goal is to raise the blood pressure and relieve symptoms. Depending on your age, state of health, and the type of low blood pressure you have, there are several ways to do this:

  • The use of more salt. Experts often recommend the limitation of table salt and foods high in sodium. That is because the salt and sodium can raise blood pressure, sometimes by a lot. For people with low blood pressure, however, can be a good thing. But too much salt or sodium can lead to heart failure, especially in older adults. So it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before eating more salt or high-sodium foods.
  • Drink more water. Fluids increase blood volume and help prevent dehydration, both of which are important in the treatment of hypotension.
  • Wear compression stockings. Also called support stockings, these elastic stockings are often used to relieve the pain and swelling of varicose veins. Improve the flow of blood from the legs back to the heart. Some people have an easier time using the compression belts around the stomach area that the use of compression stockings. The compression straps are called abdominal binders.
  • Drugs.Several drugs can treat low blood pressure that occurs upon standing, also called orthostatic hypotension. For example, the medication on the medication increases the blood volume. It's often used to treat orthostatic hypotension. If you have long-term orthostatic hypotension, midodrine (Orvaten) may be prescribed to raise standing blood pressure levels. This medicine decreases the ability of blood vessels to expand, which increases blood pressure.

Drugs. Several drugs can treat low blood pressure that occurs upon standing, also called orthostatic hypotension. For example, the medication on the medication increases the blood volume. It's often used to treat orthostatic hypotension.

If you have long-term orthostatic hypotension, midodrine (Orvaten) may be prescribed to raise standing blood pressure levels. This medicine decreases the ability of blood vessels to expand, which increases blood pressure.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Depending on the reason for the low blood pressure, the following lifestyle and home remedies may help to relieve or prevent the symptoms:

  • Drink more water, less alcohol. Alcohol is dehydrating and can lower your blood pressure, even in moderation. The water increases the amount of blood in the body and prevents dehydration.
  • Pay attention to the position of the body.Gently move from a lying or in a squatting position to a standing position. Not to sit with crossed legs. If the symptoms of low blood pressure to begin with, while standing, cross your thighs like a pair of scissors and tighten. Or put one foot on a ledge or chair and lean forward as you can. These movements encourage blood flow from the legs back to the heart.
  • Eat small, low-carb meals.To help prevent blood pressure from falling sharply after meals, eat small meals several times a day. Limit high-carbohydrate foods such as potatoes, rice, pasta and bread. A health professional may also recommend drinking one or two cups of caffeinated coffee or tea with breakfast. Caffeine can cause dehydration, however, so make sure you drink a lot of water and other fluids without caffeine.
  • Exercise regularly. As a general objective, to perform at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week. For example, you could aim to get about 30 minutes of physical activity most days. Also, the goal of strength training exercises at least two times a week. But try not to do any exercise in hot, humid conditions.

Pay attention to the position of the body. Gently move from a lying or in a squatting position to a standing position. Not to sit with crossed legs.

If the symptoms of low blood pressure to begin with, while standing, cross your thighs like a pair of scissors and tighten. Or put one foot on a ledge or chair and lean forward as you can. These movements encourage blood flow from the legs back to the heart.

Eat small, low-carb meals. To help prevent blood pressure from falling sharply after meals, eat small meals several times a day. Limit high-carbohydrate foods such as potatoes, rice, pasta and bread.

A health professional may also recommend drinking one or two cups of caffeinated coffee or tea with breakfast. Caffeine can cause dehydration, however, so make sure you drink a lot of water and other fluids without caffeine.

Preparing for your appointment

You don't have to take any special steps to prepare to have your blood pressure checked. Do not stop taking the medications that you think could affect your blood pressure without the need of a professional of the health council.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

Make a list of:

  • Symptoms. Include any that do not seem to be related to low blood pressure, and when they occur.
  • Blood pressure readings. If you track your blood pressure at home, keep a record of your blood pressure readings. Note multiple readings at different times of the day. Also note when you have symptoms and if it happened when your blood pressure is low.
  • Important personal information. Include a family history of low blood pressure and major stresses or recent life changes.
  • All medications, vitamins or other supplements that you use. Include the dose that you take.
  • Questions to ask your health care professional.

For the low blood pressure, basic questions to ask your health care professional include:

  • What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
  • What are other possible causes?
  • What tests are needed?
  • What is the most appropriate treatment?
  • How often should I be screened for the low blood pressure?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
  • There are restrictions that must be followed?
  • You should see a specialist?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

Feel free to ask questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare provider is likely to ask questions such as:

  • Do you always have symptoms of low blood pressure, or come and go?
  • How severe are the symptoms?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
  • Do you have a family history of heart disease?
Symptoms and treatment of Low blood pressure (hypotension)