Low blood pressure - blessing or illness?

Some physicians say that a low blood pressure is a blessing and not a disease. Considering the global epidemic of hypertension that is silently taking lives by damaging vital organs, this is very close to the truth. Low blood pressure is defined as a blood pressure that is lower than normally expected for a single person in the given conditions and is therefore a very relative term. Blood pressure that is borderline low for one person may be normal for another. Athletes and people who lead a healthy lifestyle often have lowered blood pressure. It can be hard to find the cause of low blood pressure if you do not have a family history of heart problems, you are not diabetic or pregnant, and you are not taking medications which effect blood pressure. In the case of mild disorders drug therapy is not required.
Severe problems with hypotension can occur because of atherosclerosis, heart failure, disturbances in heart rhythm, when taking sedatives, in case of treating hypertension with inappropriate medications or because of overdoses. Sometimes the cause may be unknown, such as colds, recovery from illness or person can have a congenital hypotension. In such cases, you should contact your doctor.
Treatment for hypotension includes minor physical activities (running, cycling, walking) or increasing activity during day (taking stairs instead of an elevator, combining periods of movement with periods of rest). This will stabilize blood circulation and increase the elasticity of blood vessels. Alpha-sympathomimetic drugs can also be given for treating hypotension. They narrow the blood vessels by stimulating alpha-1 receptors. It is not recommended to use alpha-sympathomimetics after 4 p.m. because they may cause sleep disturbances. You can help regulate your blood pressure by drinking a lot of fluids (mineral water) in order to maintain a stable blood volume, wearing compression stockings to support the flow of the blood from the leg veins back to the heart, avoiding alcohol and combining cold and hot showers. By taking enough vitamins and minerals you can also help relieve the symptoms of hypotension. The most important are vitamin C (preserves the function of blood vessels), vitamin E (ensures optimal supply of oxygen to tissues), and B vitamins, especially vitamin B5. Rich sources of these vitamins are eggs, bananas, oranges, avocados, broccoli, beans, sunflowers, soybeans, meat, milk and wheat germ. Alternative herbal treatments can also help a lot with your low blood pressure. One of them is rosemary ointment applied over the heart to increase blood pressure. Ginger and ginseng are also used to normalize blood pressure.

Low blood pressure - how to treat it

It is hard to define low blood pressure because sometimes it occurs naturally in people who are phsyically active, eat a healthy diet and maintain a normal weight. When defining hypotension many experts use the criteria of 90 mmHg and below for systolic, and 60 mmHg and below for diastolic blood pressure. But in some cases, especially in eldery people, low blood pressure may be a sign of life-threatening illness including dehydration, severe infection with septic shock, hormonal conditions, some heart diseases and can be caused by taking certain medication. Hypotension can  also cause an inadequate blood flow to the brain, heart and other vital organs.

The cause of a low blood pressure can be associated with pregnancy, an overdose of high blood pressure drugs, heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms, hormonal problems such as an underactive thyroid, overactive thryoid, diabetes or hypoglicemia. Even though low blood pressure is rarely a serious condition, sudden drops in blood pressure can be dangerous. This type of low blood pressure is caused by low or high body temperature, loss of blood from bleeding, heart failure, a severe blood infection (sepsis), severe dehydratation (from vomiting, fever or diarrhea), a reaction to alcohol or medication and allergic reactions.

One form of low blood pressure is orthostatic hypotension. It is a result of a sudden change in body position, usually from sitting or lying to standing. It lasts only a few seconds or minutes. It mostly effects those with high blood pressure, eldery people and people with Parkinson's disease. Symptoms of a low blood pressure may include confusion, dizziness, fainting, sleepiness, weakness and a blurry vision. Treatment of hypotension is not requiered if a person is healthy and does not have any problems. If you have some symptoms of hypotension you may avoid alcohol and standing for a long time. You should also drink enough of fluids and get up slowly after sitting or lying down. In order to get your blood pressure under control and avoid the symptoms of a low blood pressure you may change your diet. Focus on eating a variety of foods, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean chicken and fish. You should also increase your salt and caffeine (such as coffee, tea and soda) intake and eat low-carb meals. If you dont like using a lot of salt you can replace it with soy sauce or dry soup mixes.

Dialysis and low blood pressure - not good combination

A new study shows patients who have low blood pressure or experience a sudden drop in blood pressure while undergoing dialysis are at an increased risk of blood clotting at the point where the blood vessels are connected to the dialysis machine, which is known as vascular access.
"Vascular access is their lifeline. It's required for dialysis, and without dialysis, they'll die," Tara Chang, M.D., a Stanford nephrologist and lead author of the study, was quoted as saying.
In dialysis, blood is cleaned by exchanging fluid and electrolytes across a membrane during a three- to four-hour session. One of the most common forms of vascular access is a fistula, which is created surgically from the patient's own blood vessels. The tubes to take blood to and from the body to the dialysis machine are connected to the body at this access point. Clotting is a major complication of an access point. It can lead to its closure.
"These access points don't last forever," Chang said. "Many patients go through multiple access points moving from the right to left arm, or into the legs if necessary after repeated failures in the arms. When a patient runs out of access points, it becomes an emergency situation. Anything you can do to extend the life of the access point is important."
The investigators found patients who had the most frequent low blood pressure episodes during dialysis were two-times more likely to have a clotted fistula than those with the fewest episodes. According to the researchers, low blood pressure during dialysis occurs in about 25 percent of dialysis sessions.
Previous research has shown a dip in blood pressure during dialysis can lead to strokes, seizures, heart damage, and even death. Patients experiencing this problem are also at risk for short-term troubles like gastrointestinal, muscular and neurologic symptoms.

Excersise for low blood pressure

Simple exercises can supports the treatment of low blood pressure, which helps the heart to work effectively, increase the muscle strength and limit blood pressure fluctuations.
Low blood pressure exercise along do not do much, but when combined with low pressure home remedies and low BP foods then the result will be amazing.
The below said Low pressure exercises makes the heart & lungs work harder and provides enough blood & oxygen to your body. Thus most of the annoying low bp symptoms vanishes.
Walking
Beginners should start by walking 5 to 10 minutes at a time gradually increase up to at least 30 minutes per session.
Squats

Keep the feet shoulder width apart and the back straight. Bend the knees and lower the rear as if sitting down in a chair, keeping the knees over the ankles. Tips: Practice squats with a chair to master this move. First, sit all the way down in the chair and stand up. Next, don't sit on the chair; barely touch the chair's seat before standing back up. Finally, graduate to doing squats without a chair.
Lunges

Take a big step forward, keeping the spine straight. Bend the front knee to approximately 90 degrees. Keep weight on the back toes and drop the back knee toward the floor - but don't let it touch the floor.
Push-ups

Face down, place hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Place toes or knees on the floor, creating a smooth line with the body, from shoulders to knees or feet. Keeping rear-end muscles and abdominals engaged, lower and lift the body by bending and straightening the elbows, keeping the torso stable throughout the move.
Abdominal Crunches

Begin by lying on your back with feet flat on the floor and palms supporting your head. Press your low back down. Contract abdominals and raise first your head (tucking your chin slightly), then your neck, shoulders, and upper back off the floor. Tips: Do crunches with your feet off the floor and knees bent. This technique may help you avoid arching your back; it also engages your hip flexors.
Simplified pushups for beginners
Wall push up

Dramatically reduces the pressure on the arms, upper back and abs. Stand closer to the wall, it is easier to perform, but remember, it's still important to be aware of the body alignment. As once gain strength and confidence, move the feet slightly further away from the walls to make the workout more challenging. Feel free to consider moving knee style push ups once the initial strength has increased.
Knee push up

Reduce the lifting load by about 50% for the same exercise, but do it on the knees. Keeping a straight line from neck to torso is still important, so please pay attention to correct body alignment when performing workout. Feel free to consider moving to actual push ups once strength and confidence has increased.
This low blood pressure exercises can strengthen muscles and nerves, which in turn helps to prevent sudden blood pressure variations. But be cautious when practicing don't change positions suddenly do every thing slowly.

Danger also comes from too-low blood pressure

Don't think that low blood pressure is not harmful for you.
There is a new study of 10,001 people with coronary artery disease found what statisticians call a J-shaped curve of mortality, which means there is higher death rate for people with the lowest blood pressure. Dr. Franz H. Messerli, a professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University Medical Center and director of the hypertension program at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, reported on the finding Thursday at the American Society of Hypertension meeting in San Francisco.
"It stands to reason that there has to be a J-shaped curve," Messerli said. "If your blood pressure were zero, you would be dead."
He acknowledged that the people in the study were a bit out of the ordinary, with already-diagnosed coronary artery disease. The study was aimed at determining the effect of treatment with different amounts of a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, with blood pressure measured as a matter of routine.
When the results were in, the lowest rate of deaths and major coronary problems such as heart disease was seen not in the participants with the lowest blood pressure but in those slightly to the right on the curve, with a reading of 139.9 for systolic pressure (the reading when the heart contracts) and 79.2 for diastolic pressure.
Though Messerli stressed that this was "a unique population, with coronary artery disease, where the coronary arteries are compromised," he noted that "there has to be a point where lowering blood pressure is counterproductive."
That point can be seen on the curve of systolic pressure in this group, he said. "When you go from 120 to 130, even from 110 to 130, there is very little difference," Messerli said. "When it goes below 110, then all of a sudden it becomes very obvious."
The effect is more pronounced for diastolic pressure readings. "If you go to 70 or below, say to 60, there is a fourfold higher risk in the primary outcomes," he said.
A too-low reading, he noted, could mean that the brain is not getting enough blood. "Obviously, if there is a lack of blood, there can be danger similar to that when there is too much blood," Messerli said.
The finding in this particular group certainly doesn't mean that most people should worry about blood pressure being too low, he said. "By and large, within reason, lower is better," Messerli said.
But that might not be true in special cases, he said. "You can have a funny situation where one organ in the body is demanding more blood than is good for the rest of the body," Messerli said. "What is OK for the kidney and OK for the brain may not be OK for the heart."
Controlling high blood pressure remains a major concern for physicians, Messerli said. "There are a lot of patients who are untreated and uncontrolled," he said. "We need to do a better job."
Dr. Alan H. Gradman, professor of medicine at Temple University, said that the study should be treated with caution because the number of people with very low blood pressure was small, but he said that "it does suggest that there may well be a J curve in people with coronary artery disease."
Though many other studies have not shown a J curve, "which is why the idea that you can't go too low is out there," the new study results might mean a slight revision of that rule in some cases, Gradman said.
"If you treat people with coronary artery disease for hypertension, you don't want to go too low, to diastolic pressure below about 70," he said. "That's the take-home message here."

12 Ways to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

High blood pressure is one of the most preventable conditions.

But it plays a contributing role in more than 15% of deaths in the United States, according to a new Harvard study. Although it causes no symptoms, HBP boosts the risks of leading killers such as heart attack and stroke, as well as aneurysms, cognitive decline, and kidney failure. In fact, 28% of Americans have high blood pressure and don’t know it, according to the American Heart Association. If you haven’t had yours checked in 2 years, see a doctor.

Fortunately, most people can reduce their blood pressure without medication. First get to a healthy weight. Then add these strategies.

1. Go for power walks

Hypertensive patients who walked at a brisk pace lowered pressure by almost 8 mmhg over 6 mmhg. Exercise helps the heart use oxygen more efficiently, so it doesn’t work as hard to pump blood. Get a vigorous cardio workout of at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. Try increasing speed or distance so you keep challenging your ticker.

2. Breathe deeply

Slow breathing and meditative practices such as qigong, yoga, and tai chi decrease stress hormones, which elevate renin, a kidney enzyme that raises blood pressure. Try 5 minutes in the morning and at night. Inhale deeply and expand your belly. Exhale and release all of your tension.

3. Pick potassium-rich produce

Loading up on potassium-rich fruits and vegetables is an important part of any blood pressure–lowering program, says Linda Van Horn, PhD, RD, professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medical. Aim for potassium levels of 2,000 to 4,000 mg a day, she says. Top sources of potassium-rich produce include sweet potatoes, tomatoes, orange juice, potatoes, bananas, kidney beans, peas, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and dried fruits such as prunes and raisins.

4. Read food labels for sodium

Certain groups of people—the elderly, African Americans, and those with a family history of high blood pressure—are more likely than others to have blood pressure that's particularly salt (or sodium) sensitive. But because there's no way to tell whether any one individual is sodium sensitive, everyone should lower his sodium intake, says Eva Obarzanek, PhD, a research nutritionist at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. How far? To 1,500 mg daily, about half the average American intake, she says. (Half a teaspoon of salt contains about 1,200 mg of sodium.)

Cutting sodium means more than going easy on the saltshaker, which contributes just 15% of the sodium in the typical American diet. Watch for sodium in processed foods, Obarzanek warns. That’s where most of the sodium in your diet comes from, she says. Season foods with spices, herbs, lemon, and salt-free seasoning blends.

5. Indulge in dark chocolate

Dark varieties contain flavanols that make blood vessels more elastic. In one study, 18% of patients who ate it every day saw blood pressure decrease. Have 1/2 ounce daily (make sure it contains at least 70% cocoa).

6. Take a supplement

In a review of 12 studies, researchers found that coenzyme Q10 reduced blood pressure by up to 17 mmhg over 10 mmhg. The antioxidant, required for energy production, dilates blood vessels. Ask your doctor about taking a 60 to 100 mg supplement up to 3 times a day.

7. Drink alcohol—but not too much

According to a review of 15 studies, the less you drink, the lower your blood pressure will drop—to a point. A study of women at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, for example, found that light drinking (defined as one-quarter to one-half a drink per day for a woman) may actually reduce blood pressure more than no drinks per day. One "drink" is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of spirits.

Other studies have also found that moderate drinking—up to one drink a day for a woman, two for a man—can lower risks of heart disease. "High levels of alcohol are clearly detrimental," says Obarzanek. "But moderate alcohol is protective of the heart. If you are going to drink, drink moderately."

8. Go decaf

Scientists have long debated the effects of caffeine on blood pressure. Some studies have shown no effect, but one from Duke University Medical Center found that caffeine consumption of 500 mg—roughly three 8-ounce cups of coffee—increased blood pressure by 4 mmhg, and that effect lasted until bedtime. For reference, 8 ounces of drip coffee contain 100 to 125 mg; the same amount of tea, 50 mg; an equal quantity of cola, about 40 mg.

Caffeine can raise blood pressure by tightening blood vessels and by magnifying the effects of stress, says Jim Lane, PhD, associate research professor at Duke and the lead author of the study. "When you're under stress, your heart starts pumping a lot more blood, boosting blood pressure," he says. "And caffeine exaggerates that effect." If you drink a lot of joe, pour more decaf to protect your ticker.

9. Take up tea

Lowering high blood pressure is as easy as one, two, tea: Study participants who sipped 3 cups of a hibiscus tea daily lowered systolic blood pressure by 7 points in 6 weeks on average, say researchers from Tufts University—results on par with many prescription medications. Those who received a placebo drink improved their reading by only 1 point.

The phytochemicals in hibiscus are probably responsible for the large reduction in high blood pressure, say the study authors. Many herbal teas contain hibiscus; look for blends that list it near the top of the chart of ingredients—this often indicates a higher concentration per serving.

10. Work (a little) less

Putting in more than 41 hours per week at the office raises your risk of hypertension by 15%, according to a University of California, Irvine, study of 24,205 California residents. Overtime makes it hard to exercise and eat healthy, says Haiou Yang, PhD, the lead researcher. It may be difficult to clock out super early in today’s tough economic times, but try to leave at a decent hour—so you can go to the gym or cook a healthy meal—as often as possible. Set an end-of-day message on your computer as a reminder to turn it off and go home.

11. Relax with music

Need to bring down your blood pressure a bit more than medication or lifestyle changes can do alone? The right tunes can help, according to researchers at the University of Florence in Italy. They asked 28 adults who were already taking hypertension pills to listen to soothing classical, Celtic, or Indian music for 30 minutes daily while breathing slowly. After a week, the listeners had lowered their average systolic reading by 3.2 points; a month later, readings were down 4.4 points.

12. Seek help for snoring

It’s time to heed your partner’s complaints and get that snoring checked out. Loud, incessant snores are one of the main symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). University of Alabama researchers found that many sleep apnea sufferers also had high levels of aldosterone, a hormone that can boost blood pressure. In fact, it’s estimated that half of all people with sleep apnea have high blood pressure.

If you have sleep apnea, you may experience many brief yet potentially life-threatening interruptions in your breathing while you sleep. In addition to loud snoring, excessive daytime tiredness and early morning headaches are also good clues. If you have high blood pressure, ask your doctor if OSA could be behind it; treating sleep apnea may lower aldosterone levels and improve BP.

Home remedies to cure low blood pressure

While high blood pressure is much talked about and people are aware of its symptoms and effects, not many know about low blood pressure.
In fact, it affects a large number of people worldwide. Very often people don't realise they are suffering from it and often dismiss it as an one-off case of feeling dizzy or ill. It could be a sign of a serious issue with the heart, endocrine or even signal neurological disorders. Severe low blood pressure can block oxygen and vital nutrients from flowing to the brain and hence shouldn't be taken lightly.

Causes
There can be plenty of reasons why you may be suffering from low blood pressure.
Dehydration : Drinking enough water is extremely essential for your well-being. If you are one of those who gets dehydrated easily, you must do something about it. One needs to drink more fluids than one loses. If you are one of those who works outdoors, ensure you keep sipping on liquids like nimbu paani. This will help keep the weakness in check.
Pregnancy : If you are pregnant, there's a good chance your pressure might drop. This is normal but get yourself checked if it becomes too frequent.
Heart issues : Some heart problems could cause blood in your body to not circulate properly.
Deficiency of nutrients: A lack of some essential vitamins such as B-12 and iron can lead to anaemia, which is turn can result in low blood pressure.
Solution
- Increase your salt intake: Generally people are told to avoid using too much salt in their diet. For people suffering from low blood pressure, salt can help. Check with your doctor though before turning to salty foods.
- Drink more water: Water is necessary for your basic body functioning. It also helps prevent dehydration. Don't forget to increase your water intake if you're constantly feeling giddy.
Home remedies : Take a cup of the raw beetroot juice twice daily. It is one of the best home remedies for low blood pressure. Drinking a cup of strong black coffee can also help. Some people suggest making a paste of almonds and drinking with lukewarm milk.
Exercise : Include a little exercise in your daily regime. A walk or a quick swim can help circulate the blood.

Types of Hypotension and how to treat them

Treatment depends on the type of hypotension (low blood pressure condition) you have and the severity of your signs and symptoms. The goal of treatment is to bring blood pressure back to normal to relieve signs and symptoms. Another goal is to manage any underlying condition causing the hypotension.
Your response to treatment depends on your age, overall health, and strength. It also depends on how easily you can stop, start, or change medicines.
In a healthy person, low blood pressure without signs or symptoms usually isn't a problem and needs no treatment.
If you have signs or symptoms of hypotension, you should sit or lie down right away. Put your feet above the level of your heart. If your signs or symptoms don't go away quickly, you should seek medical care.

Orthostatic Hypotension

Many treatments are available for orthostatic hypotension. If you have this condition, your doctor may advise making lifestyle changes, such as:

• Drinking plenty of fluids, such as water or sports drinks that contain nutrients like sodium and potassium.
• Drinking little or no alcohol.
• Standing up slowly.
• Not crossing your legs while sitting.
• Slowly increasing the amount of time you sit up if you've been immobile for a long time because of a medical condition. The term "immobile" refers to not being able to move around very much.
• Eating small, low-carbohydrate meals if you have postprandial hypotension (a form of orthostatic hypotension).

Talk with your doctor about using compression stockings. These stockings apply pressure to your lower legs. The pressure helps move blood throughout your body.
If medicine is causing your low blood pressure, your doctor may change the medicine or adjust the dose you take.
Several medicines are used to treat orthostatic hypotension. These medicines, which raise blood pressure, include fludrocortisone and midodrine.

Neurally Mediated Hypotension

If you have neurally mediated hypotension (NMH), you may need to make lifestyle changes. These may include:

• Avoiding situations that trigger symptoms, such as standing for long periods. Unpleasant, upsetting, or scary situations also can trigger symptoms.
• Drinking plenty of fluids, such as water or sports drinks that contain nutrients like sodium and potassium.
• Increasing your salt intake (as your doctor advises).
• Learning to recognize symptoms that occur before fainting and taking action to raise your blood pressure. For example, sitting down and putting your head between your knees or lying down can help raise blood pressure.

If medicine is causing your hypotension, your doctor may change the medicine or adjust the dose you take. He or she also may prescribe medicine to treat NMH.
Children who have NHM often outgrow it.

Severe Hypotension Linked to Shock

Shock is a life-threatening emergency. People who have shock need prompt treatment from medical personnel. If a person has signs or symptoms of shock, call 9–1–1 right away.
The goals of treating shock are to:

• Restore blood flow to the organs as quickly as possible to prevent organ damage
• Find and reverse the cause of shock

Blood or special fluids are put into the bloodstream to restore blood flow to the organs. Medicines can help raise blood pressure or make the heartbeat stronger. Depending on the cause of the shock, other treatments—such as antibiotics or surgery—may be needed.

Hypotension - low blood pressure

Low blood pressure, or hypotension, occurs when blood pressure during and after each heartbeat is much lower than usual. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body do not get enough blood.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Blood pressure that is borderline low for one person may be normal for another. Most normal blood pressures fall in the range of 90/60 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) to 130/80 mm Hg. But a significant drop, even as little as 20 mm Hg, can cause problems for some people.
There are three main types of hypotension:

• Orthostatic hypotension, including postprandial orthostatic hypotension
  
• Neurally mediated hypotension (NMH)
  
• Severe hypotension brought on by a sudden loss of blood (shock), infection, or severe allergic reaction

Orthostatic hypotension is brought on by a sudden change in body position, most often when shifting from lying down to standing. This type of hypotension usually lasts only a few seconds or minutes. If this type of hypotension occurs after eating, it is called postprandial orthostatic hypotension. This form most commonly affects older adults, those with high blood pressure, and persons with Parkinson's disease.
NMH most often affects young adults and children. It occurs when a person has been standing for a long time. Children usually outgrow this type of hypotension.
Low blood pressure is commonly caused by drugs such as:

• Alcohol
  
• Anti-anxiety medications
  
• Certain antidepressants
  
• Diuretics
  
• Heart medicines, including those used to treat high blood pressure and coronary heart disease
  
• Medications used for surgery
  
• Painkillers

Other causes of low blood pressure include:

• Advanced diabetes
  
• Anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic response)
  
• Changes in heart rhythm (arrhythmias)
  
• Dehydration
  
• Fainting
  
• Heart attack
  
• Heart failure
  
• Shock (from severe infection, stroke, anaphylaxis, blood loss, or heart attack)

Symptoms

Symptoms may include:

• Blurry vision
  
• Confusion
  
• Dizziness
  
• Fainting (syncope)
  
• Light-headedness
  
• Sleepiness
  
• Weakness

Signs and tests

The health care provider will examine you and try to determine what is causing the low blood pressure. Your vital signs (temperature, pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure) will be checked frequently. You may need to stay in the hospital for a while.
The doctor will ask questions, including:

• What is your normal blood pressure?
  
• What medications do you take?
  
• Have you been eating and drinking normally?
  
• Have you had any recent illness, accident, or injury?
  
• What other symptoms do you have?
  
• Did you faint or become less alert?
  
• Do you feel dizzy or light-headed when standing or sitting after lying down?

The following tests may be done:

• Basic metabolic panel
  
• Blood cultures to check for infection
  
• Complete blood count (CBC), including blood differential
  
• ECG
  
• Urinalysis
  
• X-ray of the abdomen
  
• X-ray of the chest

Treatment

Hypotension in a healthy person that does not cause any problems usually doesn't require treatment.
If you have signs or symptoms of low blood pressure, you may need treatment. Treatment depends on the cause of your low blood pressure. Severe hypotension caused by shock is a medical emergency. You may be given blood through a needle (IV), medicines to increase blood pressure and improve heart strength, and other medicines, such as antibiotics. For more details, see the article on shock.
If you have orthostatic hypotension caused by medicines, your doctor may change the dose or switch you to a different drug. DO NOT stop taking any medicine before talking to your doctor. Other treatments for orthostatic hypotension include increasing fluids to treat dehydration or wearing elastic hose to boost blood pressure in the lower part of the body.
Those with NMH should avoid triggers, such as standing for a long period of time. Other treatments involve drinking plenty of fluids and increasing the amount of salt in your diet. (Ask your doctor about specific recommendations.) In severe cases, medicines such as fludrocortisone may be prescribed.

Expectations (prognosis)

Low blood pressure can usually be treated with success.

Complications

• Shock
  
• Injury from falls due to fainting

Falls are particularly dangerous for older adults. Fall-related injuries, such as a broken hip, can dramatically impact a person's quality of life.
Severe hypotension starves your body of oxygen, which can damage the heart, brain, and other organs. This type of hypotension can be life threatening if not immediately treated.

Calling your health care provider

When you have symptoms from a drop in blood pressure, you should immediately sit or lie down and raise your feet above heart level.
If low blood pressure causes a person to pass out (become unconscious), seek immediate medical treatment or call the local emergency number (such as 911). If the person is not breathing or has no pulse, begin CPR.
Call your doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Black or maroon stools
  
• Chest pain
  
• Dizziness, lightheadedness
  
• Fainting
  
• Fever higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit
  
• Irregular heartbeat
  
• Shortness of breath

Also call your doctor if you have:

• Burning with urination or other urinary symptoms
  
• Cough with phlegm
  
• Inability to eat or drink
  
• Prolonged diarrhea or vomiting

Prevention

If you have low blood pressure, your doctor may recommend certain steps to prevent or reduce your symptoms. This may include:

• Avoiding alcohol
  
• Avoiding standing for a long time (if you have NMH)
  
• Drinking plenty of fluids
  
• Getting up slowly after sitting or lying down
  
• Using compression stockings to increase blood pressure in the legs

How is low blood pressure treated?

Low blood pressure in healthy subjects without symptoms or organ damage needs no treatment. However, all patients with symptoms possibly due to low blood pressure should be evaluated by a doctor. (Patients who have had a major drop in blood pressure from their usual levels even without the development of symptoms also should be evaluated.) The doctor needs to identify the cause of the low blood pressure; remedies will depend on the cause. For example, if a medication is causing the low blood pressure, the dose of medication may have to be reduced or the medication stopped, though only after consulting the doctor. Self-adjustment of medication should not be done.

• Dehydration is treated with fluids and minerals (electrolytes). Mild dehydration without nausea and vomiting can be treated with oral fluids and electrolytes. Moderate to severe dehydration usually is treated in the hospital or emergency room with intravenous fluids and electrolytes.

• Blood loss can be treated with intravenous fluids and blood transfusions. Continuous and severe bleeding needs to be treated immediately.

• Septic shock is an emergency and is treated with intravenous fluids and antibiotics.

• Blood pressure medications or diuretics are adjusted, changed, or stopped by the doctor if they are causing low blood pressure symptoms.

• Bradycardia may be due to a medication. The doctor may reduce, change or stop the medication. Bradycardia due to sick sinus syndrome or heart block is treated with an implantable pacemaker.

• Tachycardia is treated depending on the nature of the tachycardia. Atrial fibrillation can be treated with oral medications, electrical cardioversion, or a catheterization procedure called pulmonary vein isolation. Ventricular tachycardia can be controlled with medications or with an implantable defibrillator.

• Pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis is treated with blood thinners, intravenous initially with heparin, and oral warfarin (Coumadin) later.

• Pericardial fluid can be removed by a procedure called pericardiocentesis.

• Postural hypotension can be treated with changes in diet such as increasing water and salt intake*, increasing intake of caffeinated beverages (because caffeine constricts blood vessels), using compression stockings to compress the leg veins and reduce the pooling of blood in the leg veins, and in some patients, the use of a medication called midodrine (ProAmatine). The problem with ProAmatine is that while it increases blood pressure in the upright position, the supine blood pressure may become too high, thus increasing the risk of strokes. Mayo Clinic researchers found that a medication used to treat muscle weakness in myasthenia gravis called pyridostigmine (Mestinon) increases upright blood pressure but not supine blood pressure. Mestinon, an anticholinesterase medication, works on the autonomic nervous system, especially when a person is standing up. Side effects include minor abdominal cramping or increased frequency of bowel movements. *Note: Increasing salt intake can lead to heart failure in patients with existing heart disease and should not be undertaken without consulting a doctor.

• Postprandial hypotension refers to low blood pressure occurring after meals. Ibuprofen (Motrin) or indomethacin (Indocin) may be beneficial.

• Vasovagal Syncope can be treated with several types of drugs such as beta blockers [for example, propanolol (Inderal, Inderal LA)], selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [fluoxetine (Prozac), escitalopram oxalate (Lexapro), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa), fluvoxamine (Luvox)], fludrocortisone (Florinef) (a drug that prevents dehydration by causing the kidney(s) to retaining water). A pacemaker can also be helpful when a patient fails drug therapy.

Is low blood pressure bad for your health?

People who have lower blood pressures have a lower risk of stroke, kidney disease, and heart disease. Athletes, people who exercise regularly, people who maintain ideal body weight, and non-smokers tend to have lower blood pressures. Therefore, low blood pressure is desirable as long as it is not low enough to cause symptoms and damage to the organs in the body.

What are low blood pressure signs and symptoms?

When blood pressure is not sufficient to deliver enough blood to the organs of the body, the organs do not work properly and can be temporarily or permanently damaged. For example, if insufficient blood flows to the brain, brain cells do not receive enough oxygen and nutrients, and a person can feel lightheaded, dizzy, or even faint.
Going from a sitting or lying position to a standing position often brings out symptoms of low blood pressure. This occurs because standing causes blood to "settle" in the veins of the lower body, and this can lower the blood pressure. If the blood pressure is already low, standing can make the low pressure worse, to the point of causing symptoms. The development of lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting upon standing caused by low blood pressure is called orthostatic hypotension. Normal individuals are able to compensate rapidly for the low pressure created by standing with the responses discussed previously and do not develop orthostatic hypotension.
When there is insufficient blood pressure to deliver blood to the coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood to the heart's muscle), a person may develop chest pain (a symptom of angina) or even a heart attack.
When insufficient blood is delivered to the kidneys, the kidneys fail to eliminate wastes from the body, for example, urea (BUN) and creatinine, and increases in their levels in the blood occur.
Shock is a life-threatening condition where persistently low blood pressure causes organs such as kidney(s), liver, heart, lung, and brain to fail rapidly.

Low Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. It constitutes one of the critically important signs of life or vital signs which include heart beat, breathing, and temperature. Blood pressure is generated by the heart pumping blood into the arteries modified by the response of the arteries to the flow of blood.
An individual's blood pressure is expressed as systolic/diastolic blood pressure, for example, 120/80.The systolic blood pressure (the top number) represents the pressure in the arteries as the muscle of the heart contracts and pumps blood into them. The diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) represents the pressure in the arteries as the muscle of the heart relaxes following its contraction. Blood pressure always is higher when the heart is pumping (squeezing) than when it is relaxing.
The range of systolic blood pressure for most healthy adults falls between 90 and 120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Normal diastolic blood pressure ranges between 60 and 80 mm Hg. Current guidelines define normal blood pressure range as lower than 120/80. Blood pressures over 130/80 are considered high. High blood pressure increases the risk of developing:

• heart disease,
  
• kidney disease,
  
• hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis),
  
• eye damage, and
  
• stroke.

Low blood pressure (hypotension) is pressure so low it causes symptoms or signs due to the low flow of blood through the arteries and veins. When the flow of blood is too low to deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to vital organs such as the brain, heart, and kidney, the organs do not function normally and may be temporarily or permanently damaged.
Unlike high blood pressure, low blood pressure is defined primarily by signs and symptoms of low blood flow and not by a specific blood pressure number. Some individuals routinely may have blood pressures of 90/50 with no symptoms and therefore do not have low blood pressure. However, others who normally have higher blood pressures may develop symptoms of low blood pressure if their blood pressure drops to 100/60.