What Is Low Blood Pressure? What Causes a Sudden Drop in Blood Pressure? What Are the Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure? How Do I Know If I Have Low Blood Pressure? What Are the Treatments for Low Blood Pressure? What Is Low Blood Pressure? Hypotension is the medical term for low blood pressure. You have it when a reading shows your blood pressure is much lower than expected. A blood pressure reading appears as two numbers. The top number is a measure of systolic pressure, or the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats and fills them with blood. The bottom number measures diastolic pressure, the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats. The optimal blood pressure level is less than 120/80. (You may also see it written as 120/80 mmHg). What is considered low blood pressure? The risk of both low and high blood pressure increases with age due in part to normal changes during aging.
Is low blood pressure serious? In healthy people, low blood pressure without any symptoms isn’t usually a concern and doesn’t require treatment. But low blood pressure can be a sign of an underlying problem — especially in older people — and could reduce blood flow to the heart, brain, and other vital organs. Long-lasting low blood pressure with no symptoms is almost never serious. But you can have health problems when your blood pressure drops suddenly and your brain doesn’t have an adequate blood supply. This can lead to dizziness, lightheadedness, and sometimes fainting. Postural hypotension. Sudden drops in blood pressure most often happen when you rise from a lying or sitting position to standing. This is called postural hypotension or orthostatic hypotension. It happens when your cardiovascular or nervous system doesn’t react appropriately to sudden position changes. An estimated 10% to 20% of people over 65 have postural hypotension. Neurally mediated hypotension. You can get this type when you stand up for a long time.
It’s thought to happen because of communication problems between your brain and your heart. It’s more common in younger people. Postprandial hypotension. Sometimes, your GlycoMode blood sugar supplement pressure drops an hour or two after a meal. It’s thought to be caused by blood pooling into the vessels of the stomach and intestines. It’s most common in older people with high blood pressure or nervous system conditions like Parkinson’s disease. It tends to happen after large meals containing lots of carbohydrates. Multiple system atrophy with orthostatic hypotension. This rare type of low blood pressure happens when you’re lying down. It involves your involuntary nervous system, which controls things like your blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. Low blood pressure (hypotension) has many causes. Often, it has no symptoms. The cause of low blood pressure isn’t always clear. What Causes a Sudden Drop in Blood Pressure? Sudden drops in blood pressure can be life-threatening.
Postural hypotension, which causes dizziness upon standing, can happen to anyone for a variety of reasons, such as dehydration, lack of food, or being overly fatigued. Postural hypotension happens most often in people who are taking drugs to control high blood pressure (hypertension). It can also be related to pregnancy, strong emotions, hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), or diabetes. Older people are particularly affected, especially those who have high blood pressure or autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Several drugs are linked to postural hypotension. Certain diseases can also cause postural hypotension. What Are the Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure? If your blood pressure gets seriously low, your body might not get enough oxygen to carry out its normal functions. That can impair the functioning of your heart and brain and cause breathing problems. You could lose consciousness or go into shock (when the organs shut down). How Do I Know If I Have Low Blood Pressure?
Low blood pressure doesn’t always signal a problem. But if you have signs of low blood pressure, your doctor can diagnose the condition and uncover the cause. Then you can get the right treatment. The doctor will look at your medical history, age, and symptoms, and do a physical exam. They may repeatedly check your blood pressure and pulse rate — after you’ve been lying down for a few minutes, right after you stand up, and within a few minutes after you stand quietly. You might have other tests, such as an ECG (electrocardiogram) to measure heart rate and rhythm and an echocardiogram (an ultrasound test to visualize the heart). You may also have blood tests to look for anemia or problems with your blood sugar levels. Your doctor might recommend more sophisticated home ECG monitoring (a Holter monitor or “event” monitor) to check for heart problems that come and go or an irregular heartbeat that can cause your blood pressure to drop suddenly.