| Hypotension (low blood pressure) | |||||
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- What is hypotension?
- Symptoms of hypotension
- Causes of hypotension
- Treatment of hypotension
- Important hypotension facts
Blood pressure is the force that is exerted against the walls of the arteris 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 becaus eless 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 90-120mmHg
- Diastolic - resting rate between heart beats
- Normal is 60-80mmHg
- Cold skin
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Fatigue
- Feeling cold
- Feeling light-headed
- Feeling low or downhearted
- Inability to concentrate
Low blood pressure can be due to many factors (although in some people no underlying cause can be found):
- Acute and severe infection - fluid loss from fever and the actual infection can cause blood pressure to lower
- Adrenal gland dysfunction - these glands regular sodium levels in the body which if is too low cause cause blood pressure to lower
- Age - ageing causes blood pressure (and heart rate) to be lower due to stiffening of the arteries and less blood going through properly
- Alcohol - can somestimes cause lowering of blood pressure due to the dehydration it causes
- Anaemia - low levels of blood or haemoglobin can cause blood pressure to lower
- Blood pressure lowering medications - these medication may lower blood pressure too effectively in some people who may not go for regular check-ups to ensure correct dosage is taken
- Dehydration - this condition causes lowered levels of the electrolytes due to fever, vomoting or diarrhoea and this can cause low blood pressure
- Diabetes - causes low blood pressure in advanced diabetes in some people
- Disease of the nervous system - rare diseases of the nerves which control the reflexes in the arms and legs can also cause blood pressure to lower
- Heart attack - as a heart attack is usually caused by a lack of blood flow due to artery restriction, it lowers blood pressure to dangerous (and sometimes fatal) levels
- Heart disease - certain types of heart disease can cause the blood pressure to lower
- Hypoglycaemia - low blood glucose levels can cause lowered blood pressure
- Medications - many types of medications can lower blood pressure; diuretics lower electrolytes, beta blockers, narcotics
- Menstruation - some women who bleed heavily during menstruation (especially the first 3 days) feel light-headed and dizzy due to their menstrual blood loss that can cause lowered blood pressure
- Pregnancy - (slightly) lowered blood pressure in women who are pregnant is quite normal for some women in the first half of pregnancy term
- Severe blood loss - either from an accident or injury prevents enough blood to be pumped to the organs and tissues due to a decreasing amount of blood in the body; this can lead to shock and death if blood loss is life-threatening and not quickly replaced
- Shock - this medical condition happens when there is too little blood in the body to enable correct blood pressure and this can cause damage to the organs
- Standing up suddenly - if someone stands up suddenly after lying down it can cause a temporary lowering in blood pressure as the body takes time to adjust to the new position (which whappened to quickly)
Diagnosis and testing
Low blood pressure is discovered when a doctor takes the blood pressure during a routine examination.
Other tests can be performed to try to diagnose the reason for the low blood pressure:
- Blood test - can determine if conditions such as anaemia or hypoglaecemia are present which can both lower blood pressure
- Electrocardiogram - a machine which, when hooked up with cords and wires to specific parts of the bod tests the electrical activity of the heart
- Heart tests - various tests can be used to test the functioning of the heart to determine if that is the reason underlying the low blood pressure - test include echocardiogram, stress test
- Tilt test - involves being strapped to a table and being titled to determine if the low blood pressure is due to quickly standing up after lying or sitting down
Emergency treatment
- If a person faints from low blood pressure, seek immediate medical attention (call an ambulance on 000, if they do not respond or awaken)
- If a person passes out and stops breathing, immediately start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and call an ambulance on 000
Conventional treatment
The type of treatment given depends on the underlying cause of the low blood pressure. Some people may not require any type of treatment at all:
- Blood loss - when severe it is usually treated with intravenous fluids and blood transfusion, which will norlally return blood pressure back to normal; this is a serious condition and needs immediate medical intervention to prevent death
- Blood pressure medication - dosage will need to be adjusted by a doctor to get blood pressure back to normal
- Compression stockings - these can assist with better blood flow in the lower extremities and help with low blood pressure
- Diuretics - if these are medically prescribed, a doctor will need to adjust dosage (diuretics are not recommended to be taken unless professional prescribed and use is monitored)
- Electrolytes - this non-prescription powder is purchased over the counter in pharmacies and redresses the issue of low blood pressure due to dehydration
- Hormones - replacement of the hormones that cause the low blood pressure may help; thyroid and adrenal gland hormones are the ones that are usually required
- Medication - other medication may be required for treating the underlying problem
- More salt intake - salt (sodium) increases blood pressure and may be recommended for people with low blood pressure by a doctor
- Shock - this serious condition is treated with intravenous fluids and medication to return body status to non-critical and elevate blood pressure to normal
Alternative / completementary treatment
Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.
Any urgent, serious or life-threatenin situation should NOT be treated with alernative therapies but immediate medical treatment needs to be undertaken.
For other, non-serious causes of low blood pressure, the following are recommended:
- Diet - various strategies can be undertaken to assist with this condition
- Better nutition - incorporate more fresh vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds, low fat diary, fish, chicken and some red meat into the diet to ensure the dietary intake is healthy to provide better support for the body
- Less alcohol - people who drink too much alcohol can cause their body to become dehydrated and need to drink more water to replace lost fluids
- More salt - only incorporate more salt into your diet if your doctor advises this is safe to do so (high salt intake can cause high blood pressure and lead to heart problems); ensure to monitor blood pressure levels regularly
- Small meals - eat several small meals every day to ensure blood sugar and blood pressure levels are stable
- Herbs - there are a few herbs which can help with low blood pressure
- Ginseng - this herb has a protective and stimulating effect on the adrenal glands especially and may help with low blood pressure associated with dysfunction of the adrenal glands
- Lifestyle recommendations - certain strategies can be used to limit some of the symptoms of low blood pressure
- Exercise - this elevates the blood pressure and increases blood flow to every part of the body; only do as much as you can and ensure to consult a doctor prior to starting any exercise regime no matter how gentle it is
- Get up slowly - to prevent the dizziness caused by getting up too quickly from sitting or lying down; wait a moment, hold onto something for support and get up slowly
- Minerals - some minerals may be beneficial
in helping with symptoms of low blood pressure
- Iron - this is recommended if the cause of low blood pressure is due to anaemia caused by low iron levels; eat foods rich in iron - red meat, eggs and spinach
- Vitamins - some vitamins may be beneficial
in helping with symptoms of low blood pressure
- Folic acid - this is recommended if the cause of low blood pressure is due to anaemia caused by low folic acid levels; eat foods rich in folic acid - especially leafy green vegetables
- Vitamin B12 - this is recommended if the cause of low blood pressure is due to anaemia caused by low vitamin B12 levels; eat foods rich in vitamin B12
- Some people have low blood pressure without having any adverse effects
- Some medications can lower blood pressure
- People with hypotension (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
Last reviewed: 14 January 2007 || Last updated: 21 August 2007
Related Articles
references
- C Fisher & G Painter, Materia Medica Of Western Herbs For The Southern Hemisphere
To learn more, go to the following sites:
- Australian Heart Foundation
- Health First ACT (Australia)
- Blood Pressure Association (UK)
- American Heart Association
NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
