Hypotension is low blood pressure.
Blood pressure below 90/60 mm Hg is considered low.
The development of hypotension symptoms is often a warning sign of a potentially serious underlying disorder.
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If it develops quickly, you may end up passing out (fainting).
Within minutes, a reduced blood supply to the heart or brain can result in irreversible damage.
If the drop is sudden and severe, people will often describe a feeling of “impending doom.”
In rare instances, a dramatic drop can lead to syncope, shock, coma, and even death.
Even a relatively mild drop in blood pressure while standing can bedangerousif you lose consciousness and fall.
Medications That Cause Low Blood Pressure
Let your healthcare provider know about any medications you are taking.
Certain drugs can cause low blood pressure as a side effect.
These include:
Diagnosis
Hypotension can be diagnosed by using a blood pressure cuff.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t fully represent what low blood pressure really means.
Because our bodies are all different, the actual point can vary from one person to the next.
An inadequate supply of oxygen to the tissues referred to astissue hypoxia can eventually lead to cell death.
Treatment
Thetreatment for hypotensiondepends on the underlying causes.
A simple dose adjustment is all that may be needed to correct the condition.
BMI is a dated, flawed measure.
It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age.
Compression socks may also help by forcing pooling blood in the legs back toward the core.
This is a common treatment for people with heart failure and other circulatory disorders.
In some cases, medication may be prescribed to counteract physiological abnormalities that other interventions can’t.
For example, double-check to always get up slowly from a lying or sitting position.
Eating smaller, more frequent meals can also help.
Summary
Blood pressure lower than 90/60 is considered hypotension.
Complications can include fainting and long-term problems like kidney disease and heart failure.
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