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- What is hypotension?
- Symptoms of hypotension
- Causes of hypotension
- Prevention of hypotension
- Risk factors for hypotension
- Complications of hypotension
- When to see a doctor about hypotension
- Diagnosis of hypotension
- Conventional treatment of hypotension
- Alternative/complementary treatment of hypotension
- Living with hypotension
- Caring for someone with hypotension
What is hypotension (low blood pressure)?
Blood pressure is the force that is exerted against the walls of the arteries by the blood when is pumped though by the heart. Blood pressure is at its highest when the heart pumps the blood and is at its lowest when the heart rests between beats.
Low blood pressure is defined as the heart pumping out blood to the arteries in a weaker manner than normal. This means that the vital organs (such as the brain) may receive less of the nutrients they require because less blood is being pumped out than normal. If blood pressure is really low, it can cause health problems.
Some people have lower than normal blood pressure with no adverse effects (more women than men seem to be affected).
Low blood pressure is defined when blood pressure is lower than the following:
- Systolic - heart beat pressure
- Normal is between 90-120mmHg
- Diastolic - resting rate between heart beats
- Normal is between 60-80mmHg
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Facts about hypotension
- Some people have low blood pressure without having any adverse effects
- Some medications can lower blood pressure
- People with hypertension (high blood pressure) can have low blood pressure if they are prescribed high doses of medication and do not have any follow-up to adjust medication to blood pressure status
- Any type of lowered blood pressure should be checked to ensure it does not have any underlying (serious) causes
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