Hypotension: Sign Symptoms and Managing ideas
Hypotension, or low blood pressure, is a condition where the arterial blood pressure is unusually low. The force your heart needs to pump blood throughout your body is measured by your blood pressure.
Low blood pressure (less than 90/60 mm Hg) is referred to as hypotension. Low blood pressure can result in fainting, dizziness, or even death.
Except in cases when it affects the elderly or happens suddenly, low blood pressure is not a condition that is typically treated. That might mean the brain and limbs aren’t getting enough blood supply in folks over 65. Sudden dips in blood pressure have the potential to rob the brain of blood, which can cause light-headedness or dizziness.
Low blood pressure symptoms
Hypotension, or low blood pressure, may not always result in symptoms. If you have low blood pressure but no symptoms, there is no need for treatment.
Low blood pressure, however, may occasionally indicate that your brain and other important organs are not receiving enough blood flow. You might consequently suffer a few of the symptoms listed below:
- Dizziness
- Fainting (A Sudden, Temporary Loss Of Consciousness)
- Light-Headedness
- Blurred Vision
- Palpitations (A Rapid Or Irregular Heartbeat)
- Confusion
- Nausea (Feeling Like You Are Going To Be Sick)
- General Weakness
Postural or orthostatic hypotension occurs when hypotension symptoms appear after shifting postures, for as upon standing up. Postprandial hypotension is the term used to describe these symptoms after eating.
Postural or orthostatic hypotension
When you move suddenly and experience a drop in blood pressure, this is known as postural or orthostatic hypotension. For instance, you can experience lightheadedness or faintness after altering your posture, such as rising from a laying or sitting position. You could stumble and lose your balance as a result of this. Moreover, you can experience dizziness, blurred vision, or even lose consciousness.
As your blood pressure adjusts to your new posture, the signs of postural or orthostatic hypotension should pass quickly. As people age, this kind of low blood pressure tends to bother them more since it might cause more frequent falls. Similar signs and symptoms could appear following exercising.
Postprandial hypotension
After eating, your blood pressure may occasionally drop (fall), which can lead to fainting, dizziness, and falls. Postprandial hypotension is a disorder that tends to affect elderly people more frequently, especially if they have high blood pressure, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, or another illness like those.
Your intestines require a lot of blood for digesting after a meal. To maintain blood pressure, your heart rate increases and the blood vessels in other regions of your body contract (narrow). Blood pressure will fall if your heart rate does not raise sufficiently or if your blood vessels do not contract sufficiently to maintain blood pressure. Symptoms may then result from this.
Low blood pressure may also result from:
Rare nerve conditions: if your legs’ nerves are compromised, standing up may cause your blood pressure to drop significantly (postural or orthostatic hypotension).
Aging : as you age, your arteries may stiffen. Your blood pressure may fall if they don’t constrict (become smaller), especially when you stand up.
Pregnancy: Low blood pressure is quite typical in the early to middle stages of pregnancy.
Long-term bed rest: It result in low blood pressure since the person moves less and their nervous system isn’t working as hard.
Dehydration: Vomiting and diarrhea can cause particularly severe dehydration, which can lead to low blood pressure since the absence of salt and water will cause your blood volume to decrease.
Your genes: some studies contends that low blood pressure runs in the family. It’s probable that if your parents had low blood pressure, you might as well.
Depending on what you are doing, your blood pressure can change by 30 to 40 mmHg (both systolic and diastolic) throughout the day. Your blood pressure level may be impacted by a hectic work week, the weather outside, what you had for lunch, and even the temperature.
To ensure that the findings are consistent, it’s crucial that the test be performed under similar circumstances each time your blood pressure is taken. Your doctor will initially look at possible everyday factors that could have contributed to your low blood pressure result before looking into potential underlying causes if you have one.
Managing hypotension
If you have hypotension (low blood pressure) but no symptoms, you do not need therapy. Your doctor will try to identify the underlying cause of your hypotension if you are having symptoms in order to decide what course of action is required.
Medication
If your doctor feels that a medicine you are taking is contributing to low blood pressure, they will likely advise switching medications or adjusting your dosage. This contains drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease and high blood pressure (hypertension).
While you are taking medicine, your blood pressure will be checked, and any changes will be noted by your doctor or practice nurse. You should talk to your doctor if you are having side effects from taking medicine.
Underlying diseases or ailments
You can be sent to the hospital for more examinations and treatment if your doctor feels that an illness, such as a heart condition, adrenal gland failure, or nerve condition, is the root of your low blood pressure.
Your doctor may recommend fludrocortisone to replace the hormone aldosterone that is absent if it is determined that the cause of your low blood pressure is due to adrenal gland insufficiency. This will often come in tablet form and require lifetime administration.
It may be more challenging to treat low blood pressure if a nerve problem at the root of it. Medication may be given to you to help boost your neurological system.
Hydration and salt
Low blood pressure might result from dehydration, which happens when your body’s salt and water content decreases. Treatment for this is as simple as consuming more fluids and salt. A minimum of eight glasses of water each day should be consumed to prevent hypotension.
This is because drinking more fluids will make your blood thicker, and thicker blood in your arteries means a higher blood pressure.
While persons with high blood pressure are typically told to limit their salt intake, people with low blood pressure may be told to eat more salt. Your doctor can give you advice on how much extra salt you need, how much salt you can add to your typical foods, and whether you need take salt tablets or not. This is because drinking more fluids will make your blood thicker, and thicker blood in your arteries means a higher blood pressure.
While persons with high blood pressure are typically told to limit their salt intake, people with low blood pressure may be told to eat more salt. Your doctor can give you advice on how much extra salt you need, how much salt you can add to your typical foods, and whether you need take salt tablets or not.
General advice
The basic advice that follows will assist in reducing your hypotension-related symptoms, especially postural or orthostatic hypotension.
Especially first thing in the morning, slowly stands up. To speed up your heart rate and the circulation of blood throughout your body, it might also be helpful to try out a few other physical activities first. For instance, stretch before getting out of bed, or cross and uncross your legs when you are sitting and preparing to stand.
Use compression stockings, often known as support stockings. They are stretchy tights or socks that fit snugly. They apply additional pressure to your legs, abdomen, and feet, which raises your blood pressure and helps to improve circulation.
Elevate the head of your bed or place additional pillows beneath it. This will facilitate getting up when you need to and enhance blood flow throughout your body.
Limit your alcohol consumption and avoid caffeine at night to prevent dehydration, which can lower blood pressure.
Eat frequent, short meals as opposed to large ones to help reduce postprandial hypotension (low blood pressure after you have eaten). After eating, lying down or remaining still for a bit could also be beneficial.
Few people receive prescriptions for hypotension medications. These simple lifestyle adjustments, especially increasing your fluid and salt consumption, can usually alleviate the symptoms of hypotension.
If medication is required, it will typically be drugs to increase your blood volume or drugs to constrict (narrow) your arteries. Your blood pressure will rise if you have more blood or fewer arteries since more blood will be travelling through a constrained area.
How to Respond to Irregular Blood Pressure, Asper Doctor’s Recommendation
Unless you are also suffering any other symptoms or issues, a single reading that is lower than normal is not a cause for concern. It’s a good idea to speak with your doctor if you feel faint, lightheaded, queasy, or have any other symptoms. Keep track of your symptoms in INIGIMA Digital Screening and your activities at the time they happened to aid in your diagnosis.
A review article by
(Clinical Research Director @ IEEARC Tech)
Comments are closed