Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Hypotension is low blood pressure. When you have hypotension, the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of your blood vessels is lower than it should be. Blood pressure below 90/60 mm Hg is considered low.
Unlike high blood pressure symptoms, which are poorly defined and often totally absent, low blood pressure symptoms tend to be more upfront and easily recognizable. The development of hypotension symptoms is often a warning sign of a potentially serious underlying disorder.
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There is more than one type of hypotension:
Symptoms of low blood pressure can vary based on how quickly and/or steeply yourblood pressure drops. If it develops quickly, you may end up passing out (fainting). By contrast, if it develops gradually, you may feel tired and weak but be otherwise unaware of your condition.
Symptoms of low blood pressure may include:
Complications
Low blood pressure is usually most serious when it reduces the blood flow to critical organs, such as your heart or lungs, and this reduced blood flow continues for a long time. Within minutes, a reduced blood supply to the heart or brain can result in irreversible damage. Chronically low (or even borderline low) blood pressure can have an adverse effect on the kidneys as well.
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.
When you have low blood pressure, your heart may beat faster.This results in more blood moving through the blood vessels over time than if the heart was beating more slowly.
Over time, this compensation deprives the arms and legs of blood, which can lead to muscle atrophy and wasting. Blood flow to the intestines may also be diverted, which can result in tissue damage and severe gastrointestinal bleeding.
Moreover, a high resting heart rate can eventually compromise the heart muscle itself, increasing the risk of heart failure.
When to Call 911Call 911 or seek emergency care if you developsymptoms of shock, including clammy skin, a pale appearance, enlarged pupils, a rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, a weak pulse, confusion, nausea, vomiting, or fainting.
When to Call 911
Call 911 or seek emergency care if you developsymptoms of shock, including clammy skin, a pale appearance, enlarged pupils, a rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, a weak pulse, confusion, nausea, vomiting, or fainting.
Causes and Risk Factors
While there are a number of things that can cause a steep drop in blood pressure, one of the most common is taking too high a dose ofantihypertensive medication.
Other causes are related directly or indirectly to conditions that affect either the blood volume (how much blood circulates in the vessel) or the rate of circulation (how strongly the blood moves through the vessels).
When investigating the cause of your low blood pressure, your healthcare provider may look into the following possible causes:
You are more at risk for developing orthostatic hypotension if you areover the age of 65.
Symptoms of hypotension occur when the body is unable to compensate for the loss of blood volume due to dehydration, bleeding or another cause. It also occurs due to reduced blood circulation from heart failure, peripheral vascular disease or inappropriate dilation of the blood vessels.
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:
Hypotension is the point at which the blood pressure has dropped so low that the heart can no longer deliver an adequate supply of blood to the body. Because our bodies are all different, the actual point can vary from one person to the next.
For example, athletes in excellent physical shape may have a blood pressure of 85/50 and not be considered hypotensive. On the other hand, a person with coronary artery disease may be considered hypotensive with a blood pressure reading of 120/70.
Without adequate blood flow, the tissues of the body will be deprived of oxygen and nutrients needed to function normally. An inadequate supply of oxygen to the tissues — referred to astissue hypoxia— can eventually lead to cell death.
Other Tests
To pinpoint the underlying cause, your healthcare provider may order blood tests to check if you have diabetes, anemia, or conditions associated with hypotension.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) can be used to detect heartbeat irregularities, structural heart abnormalities, and problems with the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart muscle.Similarly, a type of ultrasound known as an echocardiogram can provide detailed images of your heart’s structure and function.
A stress test, performed on a treadmill or stationary bike, can evaluate your heart during activity with either an ECG or echocardiogram.A tilt table test can be used to assess changes in blood pressure at different angles; it is useful in diagnosing orthostatic hypotension and neurogenic-mediated hypotension.
Thetreatment for hypotensiondepends on the underlying causes. It is not uncommon for people prescribed high blood pressure medications to end up with blood pressure that is too low. A simple dose adjustment is all that may be needed to correct the condition.
If dehydration contributes to the problem, increased fluid intake would be needed based in part on yourbody mass index (BMI), a commonly used health metric despite its limitations.
For example, a person with a normal BMI would likely only need eight to 10 8-ounce glasses of water per day to maintain ideal hydration. People with a high BMI may need far more.Adding more salt to your diet may also aid in normalizing your blood pressure.
BMI is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Even though it is abiased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.
In some cases, medication may be prescribed to counteract physiological abnormalities that other interventions can’t. These include Florinef (fludrocortisone), which boosts your blood volume, and Orvaten (midodrine), which restricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure.
How to Cope With Low Blood PressureIf you have low blood pressure, there are some steps you can take to limit the symptoms it causes. For example, make sure to always get up slowly from a lying or sitting position. Stay active, even if it means just taking a few minutes every couple of hours to stretch your legs. Eating smaller, more frequent meals can also help.
How to Cope With Low Blood Pressure
If you have low blood pressure, there are some steps you can take to limit the symptoms it causes. For example, make sure to always get up slowly from a lying or sitting position. Stay active, even if it means just taking a few minutes every couple of hours to stretch your legs. Eating smaller, more frequent meals can also help.
Summary
If you have low blood pressure, you may experience symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness, and heart palpitations. Complications can include fainting and long-term problems like kidney disease and heart failure.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Low blood pressure.National Kidney Foundation.Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).British Heart Foundation.What causes low blood pressure and what are the symptoms?Ponikowski P, Spoletini I, Coats AJS, Piepoli MF, Rosano GMC.Heart rate and blood pressure monitoring in heart failure.Eur Heart J Suppl. 2019;21(Suppl M):M13-M16. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/suz217Rivasi G, Rafanelli M, Mossello E, Brignole M, Ungar A.Drug-related orthostatic hypotension: Beyond anti-hypertensive medications.Drugs Aging. 2020;37(10):725-738. doi:10.1007/s40266-020-00796-5Kloner RA, Goggin P, Goldstein I, et al.A new perspective on the nitrate-phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor interaction.J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2018;23(5):375-386. doi:10.1177/1074248418771896Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al.2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on clinical practice guidelines.Hypertension. 2018;71(6):e13-e115. doi:10.1161/HYP.0000000000000065Mallat J, Rahman N, Hamed F, Hernandez G, Fischer MO.Pathophysiology, mechanisms, and managements of tissue hypoxia.Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med. 2022;41(4):101087. doi:10.1016/j.accpm.2022.101087Johns Hopkins Medicine.Electrocardiogram.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Exercise electrocardiogram.Volcko KL, Carroll QE, Brakey DJ, Daniels D.High-fat diet alters fluid intake without reducing sensitivity to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist effects.Physiol Behav. 2020;221:112910. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112910Veazie S, Peterson K, Ansari Y, et al.Fludrocortisone for orthostatic hypotension.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 May 17;5(5):CD012868. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012868.pub2British Heart Foundation.5 tips to try if you have low blood pressure.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Low blood pressure.National Kidney Foundation.Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).British Heart Foundation.What causes low blood pressure and what are the symptoms?Ponikowski P, Spoletini I, Coats AJS, Piepoli MF, Rosano GMC.Heart rate and blood pressure monitoring in heart failure.Eur Heart J Suppl. 2019;21(Suppl M):M13-M16. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/suz217Rivasi G, Rafanelli M, Mossello E, Brignole M, Ungar A.Drug-related orthostatic hypotension: Beyond anti-hypertensive medications.Drugs Aging. 2020;37(10):725-738. doi:10.1007/s40266-020-00796-5Kloner RA, Goggin P, Goldstein I, et al.A new perspective on the nitrate-phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor interaction.J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2018;23(5):375-386. doi:10.1177/1074248418771896Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al.2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on clinical practice guidelines.Hypertension. 2018;71(6):e13-e115. doi:10.1161/HYP.0000000000000065Mallat J, Rahman N, Hamed F, Hernandez G, Fischer MO.Pathophysiology, mechanisms, and managements of tissue hypoxia.Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med. 2022;41(4):101087. doi:10.1016/j.accpm.2022.101087Johns Hopkins Medicine.Electrocardiogram.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Exercise electrocardiogram.Volcko KL, Carroll QE, Brakey DJ, Daniels D.High-fat diet alters fluid intake without reducing sensitivity to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist effects.Physiol Behav. 2020;221:112910. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112910Veazie S, Peterson K, Ansari Y, et al.Fludrocortisone for orthostatic hypotension.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 May 17;5(5):CD012868. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012868.pub2British Heart Foundation.5 tips to try if you have low blood pressure.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Low blood pressure.National Kidney Foundation.Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).British Heart Foundation.What causes low blood pressure and what are the symptoms?Ponikowski P, Spoletini I, Coats AJS, Piepoli MF, Rosano GMC.Heart rate and blood pressure monitoring in heart failure.Eur Heart J Suppl. 2019;21(Suppl M):M13-M16. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/suz217Rivasi G, Rafanelli M, Mossello E, Brignole M, Ungar A.Drug-related orthostatic hypotension: Beyond anti-hypertensive medications.Drugs Aging. 2020;37(10):725-738. doi:10.1007/s40266-020-00796-5Kloner RA, Goggin P, Goldstein I, et al.A new perspective on the nitrate-phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor interaction.J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2018;23(5):375-386. doi:10.1177/1074248418771896Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al.2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on clinical practice guidelines.Hypertension. 2018;71(6):e13-e115. doi:10.1161/HYP.0000000000000065Mallat J, Rahman N, Hamed F, Hernandez G, Fischer MO.Pathophysiology, mechanisms, and managements of tissue hypoxia.Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med. 2022;41(4):101087. doi:10.1016/j.accpm.2022.101087Johns Hopkins Medicine.Electrocardiogram.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Exercise electrocardiogram.Volcko KL, Carroll QE, Brakey DJ, Daniels D.High-fat diet alters fluid intake without reducing sensitivity to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist effects.Physiol Behav. 2020;221:112910. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112910Veazie S, Peterson K, Ansari Y, et al.Fludrocortisone for orthostatic hypotension.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 May 17;5(5):CD012868. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012868.pub2British Heart Foundation.5 tips to try if you have low blood pressure.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Low blood pressure.
National Kidney Foundation.Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).
British Heart Foundation.What causes low blood pressure and what are the symptoms?
Ponikowski P, Spoletini I, Coats AJS, Piepoli MF, Rosano GMC.Heart rate and blood pressure monitoring in heart failure.Eur Heart J Suppl. 2019;21(Suppl M):M13-M16. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/suz217
Rivasi G, Rafanelli M, Mossello E, Brignole M, Ungar A.Drug-related orthostatic hypotension: Beyond anti-hypertensive medications.Drugs Aging. 2020;37(10):725-738. doi:10.1007/s40266-020-00796-5
Kloner RA, Goggin P, Goldstein I, et al.A new perspective on the nitrate-phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor interaction.J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2018;23(5):375-386. doi:10.1177/1074248418771896
Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al.2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on clinical practice guidelines.Hypertension. 2018;71(6):e13-e115. doi:10.1161/HYP.0000000000000065
Mallat J, Rahman N, Hamed F, Hernandez G, Fischer MO.Pathophysiology, mechanisms, and managements of tissue hypoxia.Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med. 2022;41(4):101087. doi:10.1016/j.accpm.2022.101087
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Electrocardiogram.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Exercise electrocardiogram.
Volcko KL, Carroll QE, Brakey DJ, Daniels D.High-fat diet alters fluid intake without reducing sensitivity to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist effects.Physiol Behav. 2020;221:112910. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112910
Veazie S, Peterson K, Ansari Y, et al.Fludrocortisone for orthostatic hypotension.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 May 17;5(5):CD012868. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012868.pub2
British Heart Foundation.5 tips to try if you have low blood pressure.
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