Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one medical term the average person has heard quite often in private conversations, during medical outreaches in religious settings and in workplaces. Home use medical devices now enable people measure their blood pressure and sugar level.

When they use a digital blood pressure meter and it gives a reading of 110/70 (110 over 70) or 120/80, for example, it gives them a sense of peace. But there is natural concern if they get a reading of 135/90 or higher, which prompts a visit to their doctor.

A person is said to have low blood pressure when the reading is lower than 90/60. However, hypotension or low pressure is not always a problem. Unlike high blood pressure, doctors usually don’t use a standard set of numbers to figure out if you’re ill. But if you also have symptoms like dizziness and nausea, it could be a sign that your blood pressure is too low for good health.

Your brain usually shows the first symptoms of hypotension. Besides dizziness and nausea, your spirits might be low, you might lack energy, and find it hard to think straight. Some people feel lightheaded enough to faint or notice cold, clammy skin, faster breathing, blurry vision, or chest pain. If your low pressure is caused by dehydration, you also might feel unusually thirsty.



Why it happens

There are a number of reasons why a person may have low blood pressure. One of such is when the blood vessels widen. What this means is that the blood vessel has more internal space, thereby allowing the blood to spread out and put less pressure on the walls of those vessels. Some drugs, especially the type called vasodilators, can cause this. So can spinal injuries that damage certain nerves, serious bacterial infections, and allergic reactions. Hormone problems like Addison’s disease, which weakens the adrenal glands, can also do it.

Again, having less blood means less pressure on the veins and arteries. An injury might cause the person to bleed, either outside the body where you can see it, or inside. It might also happen if you don’t get enough to drink, your blood vessels leak fluid, or you have a blood condition called anaemia. Sometimes your kidneys get rid of too much fluid because of illness or certain drugs, like diuretics.

Heart problems have been established to cause low blood pressure. The more blood the heart pumps per minute, the higher the blood pressure. Certain medications, along with hormone problems, heart damage, or misfiring electrical signals, can make the heart beat too slowly, which lowers that pressure. Or it could be that the heart is not as strong as it used to be because of a heart attack, heart failure, or problems with the valves, and so doesn’t pump as much blood per beat.

Normally, when a person stands up suddenly, the body sends a signal to the brain that says, “Hey! We just dropped a bunch of blood down to the legs and belly, and we need to pump some more back upstairs before you get dizzy and pass out!” But sometimes, your brain doesn’t get the message quickly enough and you start to feel lightheaded. You might even faint. Your doctor might call this problem “orthostatic hypotension” or “vasovagal syncope.”

Standing for long periods can also cause hypotension. What happens is that after a person has been on his feet for a long time, blood can start to pool in the legs. If the brain doesn’t tell your heart to pump enough to keep your blood pressure up, it might drop low enough to make you dizzy and nauseous. You might even pass out. Your doctor might call this “neurally mediated hypotension.” Like a bad relationship, the problem is poor communication, in this case, between the heart and brain.





What to do – get a diagnosis

Once your doctor knows your symptoms, blood tests can help diagnose the reason for your low blood pressure. An electrocardiogram, ultrasound, and other tests check the health of your heart. The Valsalva maneuver observes nerve signals that control your heart and blood vessels, and a “tilt table” test looks at how your body responds to position changes.

Treatment

The treatment to be administered by the doctor following diagnosis depends on the cause. You may need to the treat the conditions that are giving you low blood pressure. If medication is the problem, you may need to change it or lower the dose, but always talk to your doctor first. Other drugs can help increase your blood pressure if needed, and compression socks can help push blood up from where it pools in your legs. If you don’t have bothersome symptoms, you might not need treatment.



Lifestyle changes

As with most life issues, you can help lessen the symptoms of low blood pressure at home.

Add a bit more salt back into your diet, but discuss with your doctor first.

Drink more water (unless your doctor has restricted your fluid intake). It keeps your blood volume up, which raises blood pressure.

Cut back on alcohol. It can dehydrate you and lower blood volume and blood pressure.

Eat multiple, small meals that are low in carbohydrates, instead of three big ones, if your pressure drops after eating.



When to see a doctor

If you feel confused or notice fast, shallow breathing, a weak, rapid pulse, and cold, clammy skin, you may be in shock (extreme hypotension). Get to an emergency room right away. However, having lower blood pressure numbers, especially without other symptoms, isn’t usually a sign of a big problem. Talk to your doctor if you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded as well.