Cut Down On Rapidly Digested Carbs
Foods like white rice, white bread, sugary drinks, and potatoes are quickly digested and passed from your stomach to your small intestine. This leads to postprandial hypotension. So cutting back on foods like this and adding more foods that are slowly digested for instance, protein, beans, and whole grains can help prevent your blood pressure from dipping too low after a meal.11
What To Do If Your Blood Pressure Is Too Low
Drops in blood pressure occur when less blood reaches the brain than usual and, therefore, oxygenation is also lower. Although some people have hypotension, drops in blood pressure or faintingnormally occur in a timely manner, being more common in summer. It is necessary to know what should be done if a person is in this situation, so on OneHowTo we explain what to do if your pressure is too low.
When a drop in blood pressure occurs, symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, nausea, blurred vision, weakness, fainting… are presented. At the appearance of the first signs it will be necessary that the person suffering from hypotension lies down on the floor with legs raised. Thus, they will help blood to flow more easily get to the brain.
Keep the person with their legs about 45 degrees to the ground for a few minutes to facilitate oxygenation, which has been reduced due to the lipothymy or drop in blood pressure.
It will also be convenient to loosen the clothing of the person who has suffered from a drop in blood pressure, to facilitate breathing. You may need to fan them and it will be essential to avoid crowds around them.
If conscious, give them a sugary or caffeinated drink -such as coke or some sweets to revitalize them and increase their blood glucose level.
If you want to read similar articles to What to do if your blood pressure is too low, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.
What To Do When Your Blood Pressure Drops Too Low & How To Raise It
Maintaining ideal blood pressure can be a difficult task for some. As very high as well as low blood pressure levels can be dangerous, it is necessary to maintain the normal range. So, while a healthy routine and medications are important for high blood pressure, it is also essential to know about the symptoms of very low blood pressure. Let us understand what to do when your blood pressure drops too low and how to raise it.
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Home Remedies To Treat Low Blood Pressure Naturally
Some people naturally have low blood pressure. This generally doesnt cause any symptoms and should not be a cause for worry. Remember, low blood pressure requires treatment only when its causing symptoms that affect your normal life. If your low blood pressure is caused by an underlying condition, your doctor may initiate treatment for it. And in some cases, medication may be prescribed for your condition. However, the symptoms of low blood pressure can usually be treated with home remedies and lifestyle changes. Here are some measures you can try.
What To Do When Your Blood Pressure Drops Too Low And How To Raise It
Falling down of blood pressure below the normal range is referred to as low blood pressure or hypotension. The normal blood pressure reading is 120/80mm Hg, and a person with low blood pressure shows a reading of 90/60mm Hg or low. Having a low blood pressure without any symptoms might not be much of a problem, but if the symptoms start showing up it means that the blood supply to the body is being affected. If this happens the doctor might diagnose the condition to get the cause.
It is important to know what to do if your blood pressure drops too low and how to raise it. But before that let us understand the causes of low blood pressure and understand why your blood pressure drops too low. Some of the conditions causing low blood pressure involve
- Chest pain or heart attack in a patient suffering from heart disease.
- Sitting and standing may lead to vertigo or dizziness in the patient with postural hypotension.
- Increase in urea and creatinine levels in the patient with kidney disease. This happens due to decreased blood supply to the kidney.
- Kidney failure, heart failure, lung failure, and brain failure.
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Other Causes Of False Blood Pressure Readings
The following are things you may be doing that will raise or lower your blood pressure temporarily. At the exact moment of measurement, your blood pressure will probably be different than what it is the rest of the day. This will give you a false indication of your blood pressure, even though it was accurate at the time of measurement .
- Dont exercise, drink caffeine or smoke within 30 minutes of taking your blood pressure.
- If you feel like you have to urinate or do a number two, go to the bathroom prior to measuring your BP. Anything that may stress your body or mind may raise your pressure.
- Dont talk while taking your blood pressure. I knew someone who would use their home monitor while talking on the phone. This can definitely change your BP, especially if the conversation is stressful.
- Make sure the 5 minutes prior to taking your measurement are restful and quiet.
- This is more of a tip than a mistake. At the initial Bp measurement, take readings in both arms. Its normal to have a slight difference between the two arms. The arm with the higher measurement should be used for all subsequent readings .
If you found this Blood Pressure topic interesting check out these related blood pressure articles also found in this same website:
My Own Blood Pressure Cuff Study
I wanted to conduct my own study about how my blood pressure was affected using my home monitor with a proper cuff size. First, I measured my blood pressure with the cuff wrapped with the proper tightness.
I measured my blood pressure three times to achieve accurate results. The following were my blood pressure measurements:
- 116/71
- 118/72
- 117/71
After resting for one minute, I immediately tightened the cuff too tight. I was barely able to slip one finger under the lower edge of the cuff. I measured my blood pressure three more times with the following results shown in the table below.
| BP With Proper Cuff Adjustment | BP With Cuff Too Tight |
| 116/71 |
The following were my average blood pressure readings:
- Proper Tightness: 117/71.3 mmHg
- Cuff Too Tight: 112.3/70.5 mmHg
After making the cuff too tight, the systolic blood pressure dropped almost 5 mmHg and diastolic almost dropped 1 mmHg. The results of my study confirmed the research saying blood pressure will measure lower when more of the arm circumference is squeezed by the cuff bladder.
A cuff secured too tight doesnt always indicate a lower reading. Remember, the cuff used in my study is the correct size for my arm. If the cuff is too tight for a different reason, as discussed in the articles next section, the measurement may be higher.
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Using An Inaccurate Home Monitor
Theres nothing worse than doing the right thing by checking your BP at home and youre getting false readings because your monitor is not accurate. This can create a whole bunch of problems like a wrong diagnosis or not knowing for sure if your treatments are working properly.
Whenever you buy a new home monitor, you should take it with you to your next doctor visit. The nurse can check the reading and compare it to their measurement. If for some reason, its not accurate, you can return it immediately and get a replacement. Every year, bring your monitor in and have it checked to make sure it remains accurate.
When A Cuff Too Small Is Secured Too Tight How Does It Affect Blood Pressure
A BP cuff too small squeezing tightly increases BP. The cuff bladder doesnt wrap around the upper arm as much as it should, making it more difficult to block the flow of blood in the artery. When the air pressure is released, the systolic pressure signal starts earlier which results in a higher BP measurement.
The air bladder inside the cuff should be at least 75% of the arm circumference 4. If the bladder isnt long enough, it wont cut off the blood flow properly when the cuff is inflating with air. In addition, if the cuff is too short, it may cause you to pull the cuff tighter than it should to secure it properly.
In a study evaluating cuff positioning, comparisons were conducted using a cuff too small for the upper arm. When the smaller cuff was used, systolic pressure increased 4.9 mmHg and diastolic pressure 4.0 mmHg 5.
I have an article, Blood Pressure Cuff Too Small, which dives into detail about the cuff being too small. It also discusses how obese arms is a major cause and how to correct it.
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What Are The Symptoms
Many people with low blood pressure have no symptoms. Their low blood pressure doesnt create problems in fact, it is a good thing, as they are less likely to develop issues with high blood pressure.
But some people with low blood pressure do have symptoms. The most common are sudden dizziness, light-headedness, or even fainting, especially when standing up from sitting, squatting or lying down.2 This is called postural or orthostatic hypotension and is caused by not enough blood getting to the brain. Usually it lasts only seconds. In the elderly, however, it can have a greater impact, resulting in more health problems and injuries.3
Other symptoms of low blood pressure can include:
- nausea
- inability to concentrate
- headache
The biggest risk of harm from low blood pressure comes from losing your balance or fainting and then falling an injury from a fall can be significant.
Some people, especially the elderly, experience low blood pressure after eating, as blood moves to the vessels that supply the stomach and intestines to aid digestion.4
In other people, mostly children and youth, a rare condition may result in low blood pressure when standing for too long.5
If you have low blood pressure and regularly experience difficult or distressing symptoms, or have had sudden onset of low blood pressure with symptoms, see your doctor for a full assessment.
What Is Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing on the artery walls as it is pumped out of the heart. Blood pressure is measured in two kinds of pressures. Systolic pressure is when the heart beats while pumping blood. Diastolic pressure is when the heart is at rest between beats.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury . Systolic pressure is listed first , then diastolic pressure .
Normal blood pressure in adults is less than 120/80 mmHg.Low blood pressure is a reading below 90/60 mmHg.
Most forms of hypotension happen because your body can’t bring blood pressure back to normal or can’t do it fast enough.
For some people, low blood pressure is normal. They have it all the time, with no symptoms or negative side effects.
In other people, abnormally low blood pressure is caused by certain medical conditions or factors. When this happens, less blood and oxygen flow to the body’s organs.
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Recent Findings Raise Concerns About Lowering Diastolic Blood Pressure The Second Number In Your Blood Pressure Reading Too Far
More of us than ever before are taking medications to lower our blood pressure. Longstanding guidelines suggest that most people should aim for a systolic blood pressure no higher than 140 millimeters of mercury . But in 2015, the results of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial suggested that reaching a target of 120 mm Hg could further reduce the risks associated with high blood pressure, including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and death.
Yet reaching that lower target often requires three blood pressure medications, which can increase the likelihood of side effects. Two observational studies and one clinical trial have raised concerns about lowering blood pressure particularly diastolic pressure too far. Diastolic blood pressure represents the pressure between beats when the heart relaxes. “When your systolic blood pressure gets too low, it can manifest as lightheadedness, fainting, and weakness. But low diastolic pressure by itself doesn’t have any symptoms,” says Dr. Paul Conlin, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and chief of medicine at the VA Boston Healthcare System.
What The Studies Found And What They Mean
In one of the observational studies, published Oct. 16, 2016, in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers analyzed the medical records of more than 11,000 adults collected over a period of three decades as part of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. They found that people who had low diastolic blood pressure were twice as likely to have subtle evidence of heart damage compared with people whose diastolic blood pressure was 80 to 89 mm Hg. Low diastolic values were also linked with a higher risk of heart disease and death from any cause over 21 years.
For the second, published Oct. 29, 2016, in The Lancet, researchers analyzed data from CLARIFY, a registry of more than 22,600 people with heart disease from 45 countries. They determined that, compared with people who had systolic blood pressure of 120 to 139 mm Hg and diastolic pressure of 70 to 79, people with a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher were more likely to experience heart attacks or strokes, to be hospitalized with heart failure, or to die within a five-year period. But the same was true for heart attacks, heart failure, and death in people with low blood pressure .
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Ayurvedic Remedies For Low Blood Pressure
According to Ayurveda, low blood pressure is caused by vitiation of vayu in the body. It considers a nutritious, balanced diet with proteins and carbohydrates to be helpful for people with this condition. Dry fruits, chicken, rabbit, mutton, soups of black gram and meat, legumes, and fruits like mangoes, apples, bananas, and grapes are especially recommended. People with low blood pressure are also advised to avoid strenuous exercise.17
What Is Low Blood Pressure
As can be seen from the blood pressure chart, below, low blood pressure is when your blood pressure measurements consistently fall below 90 systolic and 60 diastolic . This is written as 90/60 or spoken as 90 over 60. Although symptoms of low blood pressure may occur at higher levels, they most commonly occur below 90/60. To be fair, however, far more research and attention are devoted to high rather than low blood pressure, so there is greater variability in how hypotension is defined.
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Causes Of Low Blood Pressure
We always hear that low blood pressure is good for you. In most cases, this is true. You generally want to maintain a blood pressure equal to or lower than 120/80 mmHg, though this can vary slightly. If your blood pressure drops below 90/60, you may be at risk. There is a wide range of reasons why your blood pressure may have dropped. If you ever feel fatigued, dizzy, or other symptoms, one of these causes may be low blood pressure.
Causes Of False Blood Pressure Readings
Besides taking your pulse, blood pressure is probably the 2nd most common measurement taken. Unfortunately, many people dont know the proper way to measure it. This is causing many false blood pressure readings which can negatively affect your blood pressure goals.
What are causes of false blood pressure readings? The following are causes of false blood pressure readings:
- Incorrect cuff size
- A cuff that is too tight or loose
- Incorrect cuff location on the arm
- Incorrect cuff height
- Wrapping the cuff around clothing
- Wrong body position.
- Failure to take multiple readings
- Using an inaccurate home monitor
Many of you may be thinking I left some things off the list. One such example may be drinking caffeine right before measuring your blood pressure. While doing that is a mistake you should avoid, in realty it isnt giving you a false reading. Its giving you an accurate reading at that moment in time, but doesnt accurately reflect your normal blood pressure throughout the day. I will also list those mistakes later in this article. But first, here are the errors that can give you false blood pressure readings .
If you dont have your own home blood pressure monitor yet or youre thinking about replacing your current one, check out the blood pressure monitor I recommend on Amazon right here. I also wrote a blog post that recommends two other options for you in different price ranges. Check it out by clicking here.
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A Reaction To Medication
An adverse reaction to prescribed or over-the-counter medicine can drop blood pressure unexpectedly. Diuretics and other drugs designed to treat hypertension, some anti-depressants, and medication to help with erectile dysfunction can lower blood pressure to unsafe levels. You can also experience a drop in blood pressure if you combine high blood pressure medications with others.
Boost Your B12 Intake
Vitamin B12 performs a critical role in helping the body produce healthy red blood cells. Lack of this important vitamin can result in anemia, which lowers blood pressure and can result in excessive bleeding as well as organ and nerve damage. Foods that are rich in vitamin B12 include eggs, chicken, fish like salmon and tuna, and low-fat dairy products.
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