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).
Types of Low Blood Pressure
- Orthostatic Hypotension (Postural Hypotension): This type occurs when there's a rapid decrease in
blood pressure
upon standing. It's often seen in older adults and individuals with certain medical conditions such as diabetes or
Parkinson's disease.
- Postprandial Hypotension: This occurs after eating, particularly larger meals. Blood flow is redirected to the digestive system, causing a drop in blood pressure, which can lead to symptoms like
dizziness
and
fatigue.
- Neurally Mediated Hypotension: This type involves a sudden drop in blood pressure due to a miscommunication between the heart and the brain, often triggered by prolonged standing or emotional stress.
- Multiple System Atrophy with Orthostatic Hypotension (MSA): MSA is a rare neurological disorder that affects the autonomic nervous system. It leads to various symptoms, including orthostatic hypotension, which can significantly impact daily life.
Symptoms of low blood pressure
- Confusion
-
Dizziness
or lightheadedness
- Nausea
- Fainting (syncope)
-
Fatigue
-
Neck
or
back pain
-
Headache
- Blurred vision
- Heart palpitations, or feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard or too fast
Treatment for low blood pressure
If a cause for low blood pressure can be found, a GP will be able to recommend treatment to ease your symptoms.
For example, they may suggest:
- changing medicines or altering your dose, if this is the cause
- wearing support stockings – this can improve circulation and increase blood pressure
Medicine to increase blood pressure is rarely needed because simple lifestyle measures or treating the underlying cause are usually effective.
Causes for low blood pressure
Low blood pressure has many different causes including:
- Emotional stress, fear, insecurity, or pain (the most common causes of fainting)
- Dehydration, which reduces blood volume
- The body’s reaction to heat, which is to shunt blood into the vessels of the skin, leading to dehydration
- Blood donation
- Internal bleeding, such as a perforated stomach ulcer
- Blood loss from trauma, such as a road accident or deep cut
- Pregnancy
-
Medications for high blood pressure
- Diuretics, which produce fluid loss
- Medications for depression
- Medications for certain heart conditions
- Allergic reaction to certain drugs or chemicals
- Some forms of infection, such as toxic shock syndrome
- Heart disease, which can hamper the pumping action of the heart muscle
- Some nervous system disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease
When to visit a Doctor?
If you have hypertension, you must keep your blood pressure levels in check and see the
doctor
for routine checkups every six months. In case of any symptoms of severe hypertension, immediate medical assistance is recommended. For secondary hypertension, you will be prescribed regular medication to keep your BP levels in control.
