Low Blood Pressure: An Overview

Low Blood Pressure: An Overview

Normal blood pressure falls in the range of 90/60 mm Hg to 130/80 mm Hg.

Your blood is termed as low blood pressure when your systolic pressure and diastolic pressure are lower than the normal levels. It is possible that some individuals may have blood pressure levels at 90/50 mm Hg and show no symptoms of low blood pressure, while others who have normally have blood pressure levels at 130/80 mm Hg may show symptoms of low blood pressure when blood pressure falls down to 100/60 mm Hg.

So it is clear that the low blood pressure varies from person to person. When the blood pressure is low, there is not sufficient flow of the blood to deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to vital organs such as brain, heart, and kidney and as a result of that the organs do not function normally and may be damaged permanently.

Symptoms of low BP
It is the brain of the human beings that starts malfunctioning when the blood pressure gets down and down. And when the blood pressure is too low all organs of the body starts malfunctioning.

Sometimes it is possible that one is with low blood pressure and show no sign and symptoms at all. But here are some of the general signs and symptoms of low blood pressure.

1) Dizziness
2) Palpitations
3) Confusion
4) Nausea
5) Tiredness
6) General weakness
7) Light-headedness and fainting
8) Blurred vision
9) Temporary loss of consciousness.

Causes of low blood pressure
When the compensatory mechanism starts malfunctioning, the result is low blood pressure. There are several disorders and drugs that can throw the compensatory mechanisms out of whack. Some of the disorders include heart disease, heart valve disorder, tachycardia, bradycardia, kidney disorders, neurological disorders and many more.

There are some more factors that can cause low blood pressure in you:

1) Advanced diabetes
2) Alcohol
3) Medications used for surgery
4) Anti-anxiety agents
5) Dehydration
6) Changes in heart rhythm
7) Treatment for high blood pressure
8) Diuretics
9) Heart medicines
10) Anaphylaxis
11) Some antidepressants

Diagnosis of low BP
Generally your blood pressure is measured with Inflation Blood Pressure Monitor. The cuff is wrapped around the upper arm and then it is inflated. Doctor or nurse listens to the artery with the help of the stethoscope as the air is released. The first hearing of the heart beat is recorded as systolic pressure and when the sound disappears, it is recorded as diastolic pressure.

To measure your blood pressure on own, you can use Automatic Blood Pressure Monitors recording machine.

Treatment for the low BP
You may not go under treatment for correcting your low blood pressure always.

To treat low blood pressure, the underlying cause of the condition is basically treated. So, the best way to treat low blood pressure is to get to the bottom of the cause and get it treated as soon as possible. Gone is low blood pressure, once the cause of the low blood pressure is done away with.

Types Of Low Blood Pressure

The pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries is known as blood pressure. Low blood pressure occurs when the blood pressure level is much lower than the normal levels of blood pressure. The normal levels of blood pressure vary from person to person. Generally, normal blood pressure falls in the range of 90/60 mm Hg to 130/80 mm Hg.

Mainly there are two types of low blood pressure conditions:

1) Orthostatic Hypotension,
2) Neurally Mediated Hypotension,

Orthostatic hypotension
Orthostatic hypotension occurs when there is a sudden decrease in blood pressure of a person. Sudden fall in blood pressure occurs when a person takes a standing position for too long. This fall goes greater than 20/10 mm Hg in a prolonged standing posture.

Symptoms of orthostatic hypotension
Symptoms of orthostatic hypotension which usually occur after sudden standing are as follows:

a) Dizziness,
b) Lightheadedness
c) Headache
d) Blurred or dimmed vision
e) Syncope

Causes of orthostatic hypotension
When there decreases the amount of blood in the body because of the excessive use of diuretics, or other types of drugs, dehydration, or prolonged bed rest, orthostatic hypotension results. Persons with anemia can also develop this condition.

There are some anti-depressant drugs that can also cause orthostatic hypotension. Diabetes, Addison's disease, atherosclerosis, and certain neurological disorders are also believed to be the cause of this condition.

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Treatment for orthostatic hypotension
The treatment of orthostatic hypotension depends on the cause of the condition. If it is caused because of some medications, then this can be cured either by a little adjustment in the dosage of the medication or by discontinuing the medication. So, the treatment of the condition totally depends on the cause of the condition.

Some sort of medication can also be used to treat the condition such as fludrocortisone (Florinef), erythropoietin and midodrine.

Apart from the medication, with some changes in lifestyle the condition can also be healed. Here is the list of desired lifestyle changes:

a) Check blood pressure regularly.
b) Stand slowly rather than quickly.
c) Maintain an elevated salt intake.
d) Maintain a proper fluid intake to prevent the effects of dehydration.
e) Eat multiple smaller meals rather than fewer larger meals.
f) Take extra care when standing after eating.

Neurally Mediated Hypotension
When the reflex interaction between the heart and the brain are abnormal, there occurs

neurally mediated hypotension. Neurally mediated hypotension is also known as the fainting reflex and neurocardiogenic syncope.

Symptoms of Neurally Mediated Hypotension
Here are some of the symptoms of the Neurally Mediated Hypotension. These are as follows:

a) Recurrent lightheadedness
b) Fainting
c) Prolonged fatigue after a modest amount of physical activity
d) Chronic fatigue
e) Muscle aches (or fibromyalgia)
f) Headaches
g) Mental confusion
h) Mental fog.

Cause of the Neurally Mediated Hypotension
The cause of the neurally mediated hypotension is not well known. Nevertheless, genetics factors are believed to play an important role in causing the condition. Also inadequate intake of the fluids or salt, extremely prolonged periods of upright posture, very warm environments can cause such condition.

Treatment for the Neurally Mediated Hypotension
Basically the low intake of salt and water cause the Neurally Mediated Hypotension. So, increased intake of salt and water with prescribed medications can treat the condition. Some low BP medications include:

a) Fludrocortisone (Florinef),
b) Beta-blockers (Atenolol),
c) Disopyramide (Norpace),
d) Fuoxetine (Prozac),
e) Sertraline (Zoloft),
f) Ephedrine
g) Pseudoephedrine,
h) Theophylline, methylphenidate (Ritalin), and
i) Midodrine.

Your doctor will determine the best possible combination for your personal situation. But again I will say, the adequate intake of fluid is very necessary.

The Basics Of Low Blood Pressure

Generally, normal blood pressure of a person falls in the range of 90/60 mmHg to 120/80 mmHg. Low blood pressure is a condition in which the blood pressure of a person is lower than the normal BP levels. When the blood pressure is low, there is insufficient flow of blood in the body.

Low blood flow means low deliverance of oxygen and nutrients to vital organs such as the brain, heart, and kidney. In such a case, the first organ to malfunction is the brain. And when the blood pressure falls too low, all the organs of the body start malfunctioning and may get damaged permanently.

It is possible that some individuals may have a blood pressure of 90/50 mmHg and still not show any symptoms of low blood pressure. On the other hand, it is also possible that a person, who has a normal blood pressure of 130/80 mmHg will show symptoms of low blood pressure if his blood pressure falls down to 100/60 mmHg, which in itself is not exactly low blood pressure problem.

In the first case, the person did not show any symptoms of low blood pressure as the blood pressure recorded was his normal and constant blood pressure level. But in the second case, the person showed symptoms of low blood pressure because his body was used to a blood pressure level of 130/80 mmHg. And when his blood pressure fell down to 100/60 mmHg, it was considered as low blood pressure by his body.

a) Dizziness
b) Palpitations
c) Confusion
d) Nausea
e) Tiredness
f) General weakness
g) Light-headedness and fainting
h) Blurred vision
i) Temporary loss of consciousness

Causes of low blood pressure:
Low blood pressure is the result of malfunctioning of the compensatory mechanism. There are several disorders and drugs that can throw the compensatory mechanism out of order. Some of the disorders include heart disease, a heart-valve disorder, tachycardia, bradycardia, kidney disorders and neurological disorders.

Some other causes of low blood pressure include:

1) Advanced diabetes
2) Alcohol
3) Medication used for surgery
4) Anti-anxiety agents
5) Dehydration
6) Changes in heart rhythm
7) Treatment for high blood pressure
8) Diuretics
9) Medication used for heart disorders
10) Anaphylaxis
11) Some antidepressants

Diagnosis of low blood pressure:
Blood pressure is measured by measuring both the systolic and the diastolic blood pressure levels. This can be measured manually with the help of an inflatable cuff or digitally with the automatic blood pressure recording machine. If the recorded blood pressure is lower than the normal range of blood pressure, then it is termed as low blood pressure.

Treatment for low blood pressure: Low blood pressure in itself is not treated. What is treated is the underlying reason that causes low blood pressure.

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