What Do You Do For Low Blood Pressure

Medication Used To Treat Low Blood Pressure

In cases of more severe or recurrent symptoms of low blood pressure, doctors may prescribe drugs to stabilize the system. These may include:

Fludrocortisone: It is a steroid that is prescribed when the body is unable to produce enough by itself, and is often prescribed in conjunction with other steroids such as hydrocortisone. It reduces inflammation in the body and causes the body to retain more sodium. It may cause some water retention, but this is not a cause for concern since it is necessary to build blood pressure. To maintain the sodium-potassium balance, a doctor might recommend consumption of potassium-rich foods such as apricot, bananas, spinach and broccoli while on this prescription. Once the effects of low blood pressure are no longer witnessed, you may be asked to discontinue the steroid, while maintaining lifestyle and diet changes.

Midodrine: A counter to blood vessel dilation, midodrine is a what is called a vasopressor and constricts small blood vessels to increase blood pressure. It is usually prescribed in cases of postural hypotension and the dosage is gradually increased over time to prevent side effects.

Low Blood Pressure Definition And Facts

• Low blood pressure, also called hypotension, is blood pressure low enough that the flow of blood to the organs of the body is inadequate and symptoms and/or signs of low blood flow develop.
• Low pressure alone, without symptoms or signs, usually is not unhealthy.
• The symptoms of low blood pressure include lightheadedness, dizziness, and fainting. These symptoms are most prominent when individuals go from the lying or sitting position to the standing position .
• Low blood pressure that causes an inadequate flow of blood to the body’s organs can cause strokes, heart attacks, and kidney failure. The most severe form is shock.
• Common causes of low blood pressure include a reduced volume of blood, heart disease, and medications.
• The cause of low blood pressure can be determined with blood tests, radiologic studies, and cardiac testing to look for heart failure and arrhythmias.
• Treatment of low blood pressure is determined by the cause of the low pressure.

How Is High Blood Pressure Diagnosed

To figure out your blood pressure rate, your health care provider takes blood pressure readings at different times. You need more than 1 reading because blood pressure changes depending on what you are doing and varies during the day. For example, your blood pressure can increase when you are nervous or in a hurry.

If your blood pressure is high while with your health care provider but normal otherwise, you may just be nervous. This effect is common. Even people already being treated for high blood pressure go through this.

What matters is what happens to your blood pressure outside your health care providers office. If you have high blood pressure, you should use a home blood pressure monitor. Ask your health care provider how to use the monitor correctly.

Don’t Miss: Can Claritin Raise Your Blood Pressure

Low Blood Pressure With Aortic Dissection

Aortic dissection is a very dangerous medical condition and is a true medical emergency where every second counts. When you have low blood pressure with aortic dissection, you may not make it out alive unless your treatment is started right away. Aortic dissection is a tear in your aorta that results in blood rushing down in-between the torn layers. When you have low blood pressure along with aortic dissection, it means that your aortic dissection is on the verge of bursting or has bursted already. It could also mean that the bulging from being torn has compressed your heart, diminishing blood flow. In any case, low blood pressure with aortic dissection can result in death without urgent surgical repair.

Here are the symptoms of low blood pressure along with an aortic dissection:

Sudden onset sharp, tearing chest pain radiating to the back

Feeling dizzy or lightheaded at the same time

Sweating heavily while having the above two symptoms

If you have a combination of those symptoms, you have to think about low blood pressure with aortic dissection and need to call 911 right away.

What To Expect When Hospitalized With Low Blood Pressure Caused By A Medical Emergency

If you have low blood pressure from a major heart attack or an aortic dissection, you may be quickly transported for an urgent procedure to make you stable. If you are found to have a blood clot in the lungs with low blood pressure, you will get clot-busting medications to try to dissolve the clot. If that cant be done or if it doesnt work, you may need urgent surgery to take the clot out. For an adrenal crisis and sepsis with low blood pressure, you will get IV fluids and medications to push your blood pressure up. With internal bleeding, you may need an urgent blood transfusion along with IV fluids first. Eventually, you will need diagnostic procedures to pinpoint and treat the site of the bleeding.

In all of the medical emergencies, you can expect the following after being hospitalized:

Admission to the ICU with the close monitoring of blood pressures

Multiple IV lines with fluids and medication drips running

Potentially placed on a ventilator and other life support equipment

A team of doctors monitoring your different organ systems

In conclusion, it is important to recognize certain life-threatening medical emergencies associated with low blood pressure. In most situations, every second counts. Do not delay calling 911 if you have low blood pressure with symptoms suggesting life-threatening medical emergencies.

References:

Also Check: Pain And High Blood Pressure

How Can You Prevent Low Blood Pressure

You may be able to prevent hypotension by making changes to your lifestyle and diet, such as:

• Eating fewer carbohydrates and choosing small, healthy meals.
• Staying hydrated and avoiding alcoholic drinks.
• Rising slowly when youve been sitting or lying down.
• Taking a few deep breaths before you change position.
• Wearing compression stockings.

Diagnosis Of Low Blood Pressure

A familiar instrument for diagnosis of low blood pressure is a sphygmomanometer, which has an inflatable cuff that goes around your forearm while you are sitting and supported. This cuff is worn at the heart level and must be the right size since a too large or too small cuff would result in the wrong measurement.

The inflation and deflation causes the blood vessels to constrict and relax in conjunction, and a doctor uses a stethoscope near the crook of your elbow to determine when the blood flow is constricted, and the time that it starts. The pressure diagnosed at these two times is what is noted as your blood pressure.

The pulse rate is also an important indicator of any abnormalities in blood pressure, and a doctor may repeatedly measure your pulse in addition to measuring blood pressure. A rapid, shallow beating of the pulse may indicate inability of the heart to pump adequate blood through the body. Sometimes, an electrocardiogram may also be used for accurate measurement of the heart rate, or a blood sugar test may be prescribed to determine any symptoms or effects of low blood pressure. A “tilt-table test” that simulates a change in posture while lying down on a table may also be prescribed to check for orthostatic hypotension.

Diagnosis depends on the outcome of these tests and is relatively simple to do. Medical history is also a consideration when determining if a person has signs of low blood pressure, or a more short-term incident.

You May Like: Claritin Side Effects Blood Pressure

How To Raise Your Blood Pressure

Some of the healthy tips that can prevent or help you to raise your blood pressure include the following.

Fluid Intake. Increase the water intake, dont wait for the time you feel thirsty. Avoid alcoholic beverage, as they often cause more dehydration. Tomato juices or sports drink might also help.

Salt Intake. Sodium, which is present in salt, is necessary to help maintain blood pressure and must be consumed as per the daily requirement. For those who are consistently having low blood pressure and not suffering from high blood pressure, increasing salt intake can help.

Get a Leg Up. While rising from the bed, make a little bit up and down leg movement to get the blood flowing. This prevents pooling of blood in one area, warms up the muscles to improve blood circulation. This prevents sudden dropping of blood pressure on raising up.

Leg and Lower Belly Support. Pooling of blood , which is a common cause of low blood pressure on standing from a lying down position can also be relieved by using stockings. Compression stockings which are thigh high or waist-high are best to squeeze the legs, and prove to be really helpful in maintaining blood pressure, particularly for people with postural hypotension.

Eat Small Frequent Meals. Blood pressure also drops on eating large and heavy meals. Eating small frequent meals throughout the day help in maintaining blood pressure. So, in to raise your blood pressure if it is too low, have often, but make sure it is healthy food.

Also Read:

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Low Blood Pressure

The symptoms of low blood pressure may include:

• light-headedness
• fainting

These symptoms can occur when doing nothing. They are more likely to occur when changing position, such as standing up or when straining on the toilet.

However, often there are no symptoms and low blood pressure is often only identified as a result of a routine medical examination or during the course of an investigation for some other condition or underling illness.

Low blood pressure may be more serious in elderly people who may have an underlying illness or who may be at risk of a fall.

Check your symptoms with healthdirects Symptom Checker to get advice on when to seek medical attention.

Also Check: Pain Increase Blood Pressure

Should You Use Herbal Remedies To Treat Low Blood Pressure

Certain herbs like licorice18, arnica 19, guarana20, and Asian ginseng21 have been known to increase blood pressure. However, do keep in mind that these herbs may have significant side effects and may also raise your blood pressure to undesirable levels. High blood pressure, in turn, is associated with serious conditions like heart failure, kidney failure, and stroke. So, on balance, it might not be advisable to use herbal remedies to raise your blood pressure. In case you are considering it, get your doctors go-ahead and have them under the guidance of an expert practitioner.

References

Serious Injuries And Shock

Low blood pressure can also be caused by serious injuries or burns, particularly if you have lost a lot of blood. This can mean that there is less blood being pumped around your body. Low blood pressure can also occur if you go into shock after having a serious injury.

Other kinds of shock are described below.

Anaphylactic shock

Anaphylactic shock, or anaphylaxis, is caused by an allergic reaction to something – for example, a wasp sting or a peanut. During an allergic reaction, your body produces a large amount of a chemical called histamine, which causes your blood vessels to widen and leads to a sudden, severe drop in blood pressure.

Cardiogenic shock

Cardiogenic shock occurs when your heart cannot supply enough blood to your body, so your blood pressure drops. This can happen during a heart attack.

Also Check: High Blood Pressure And Shaking

When Should You Call Your Doctor About Low Blood Pressure

If you have recurring dizziness or fainting, or other symptoms of low blood pressure, you should visit your doctor. Sudden drops in blood pressure can be dangerous. It is important for your doctor to determine why your blood pressure is dropping and treat the cause.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 10/08/2019.

References

How Low Blood Pressure Is Treated

Low blood pressure is typically not a serious problem unless it causes symptoms and complications like fainting, dizziness, confusion, and shock. In many cases, simple adjustments to lifestyle, diet, and habits can treat low blood pressure successfully. Sometimes medication may be prescribed to raise the blood pressure to a normal range.

If your blood pressure suddenly drops due to a medical condition, such as bleeding, you will need urgent medical treatment,

Don’t Miss: Claritin D High Blood Pressure

Changing The Body’s Position

Blood pressure can vary throughout the body due to the direct action of gravity. When a person is standing, blood pressure is higher in the legs than in the head, much in the way that the water pressure at the bottom of a swimming pool is higher than that at the top. When a person lies down, blood pressure tends to be more equal throughout the body.

When a person stands up, blood from the veins in the legs has a harder time getting back to the heart. As a result, the heart has less blood to pump out, and blood pressure may temporarily drop throughout the body. When a person sits down or lies down, blood can more easily return to the heart, and cardiac output and blood pressure may increase. Elevating the legs above the level of the heart can increase return of blood to the heart, which increases cardiac output and raises blood pressure.

This Is What You Should Do When Your Blood Pressure Is Too Low

When hypertension is one of the worst conditions faced by Indian patients, low blood pressure might hardly seem like a problem, in comparison to high blood pressure. But blood pressure is very subjective, and for some people, it can be life-threatening. The usual BP reading is 120/80 mmHg, but anything lower than 90/60 mmHg for the systolic and diastolic pressure is problematic.

A lot of the time, low blood pressure goes unnoticed because the symptoms arent obvious and people arent aware enough about it.

Many factors can cause low blood pressure or hypotension. The only way effectively handle this condition is to learn about the causes affecting the BP and address it accordingly.

Read Also: Claritin And Blood Pressure Meds

Why You Might Have Low Blood Pressure

Low blood pressure has many possible causes, from lifestyle choices, to medication or an underlying health condition.

In some cases, it may just be the result of being healthy and active or a tendency you’ve inherited from your parents.

Throughout the day, it’s normal for your blood pressure to vary depending on what you’re doing. Stress at work, the temperature outside and your diet could all affect your blood pressure reading.

This is why it’s important your blood pressure is checked under similar conditions each time to make sure results are consistent.

Effective Home Remedies To Treat Low Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is cut out to be a villain, but did you know low blood pressure can be troublesome too? If your blood pressure is below 90/60 mmHg, its considered to be low.1 If blood pressure dips too low, it can reduce the amount of blood that flows to your brain and other organs. This can lead to symptoms like dizziness, fainting, nausea, blurred vision, and palpitations.

Low blood pressure comes in more than one form. For instance, some people experience low blood pressure when they change position for example, when they stand up . You could also experience the symptoms after you have a meal or when you stand for long periods of time .2

Recommended Reading: What Can U Take For High Blood Pressure

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 & 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.

Recommended Reading: How Does Alcohol Increase Blood Pressure Mechanism

Q How Do I Know If I Have Low Blood Pressure

If you suffer from any of the symptoms of low blood pressure as listed above, such as frequent palpitations, irregular breathing, instances of loss of consciousness, skin that is often cold and clammy to the touch, you may be suffering from low blood pressure. It is best to check with your doctor before implementing any low blood pressure diet or lifestyle change.

What Are The Symptoms Of Low Blood Pressure

Low blood pressure often has no symptoms, but can sometimes mean that not enough blood is flowing to your brain or organs. This can cause symptoms such as:

• feeling dizzy, faint or light-headed
• feeling unsteady
• suddenly noticing your heartbeat
• fainting

If you have these symptoms, stop what youre doing and sit down or lie down in case you fall, and drink some water.

Speak to your doctor or nurse if you experience these symptoms. As well as being unpleasant, they could mean youre at risk of having a fall. They could also be a sign of another health problem.

Recommended Reading: Calibrate Blood Pressure Monitor Omron