Ladies, have you ever felt dizzy when you stood up from sitting or lying down? If so, it may be a symptom of low blood pressure. Low blood pressure or hypotension is a condition when a person's blood pressure is below 90/60 mmHg. The normal blood pressure of an adult is generally in the range of 120/80 mmHg. We need to identify the cause of low blood pressure because it can be a symptom of a more serious health problem.
Low Blood Pressure Type
Low blood pressure can be divided into several types based on the cause, namely:
- Orthostatic hypotension
Postural low blood pressure is a condition in which blood pressure drops suddenly when standing up after being in a sitting or lying position. Causes can be dehydration, pregnancy, fatigue, and certain health conditions or medications.
- Postprandial hypotension.
In this type, blood pressure will decrease after 1-2 hours after eating. This condition is more common in elderly people who have high blood pressure or disorders of the autonomic nervous system, such as Parkinson's disease.
- Neurally mediated hypotension
This type of low blood pressure is often found in people at a young age to children who stand for too long. This condition is caused by a miscommunication between the brain and the heart.
- Multiple system atrophy with orthostatic hypotension
Postural low blood pressure is accompanied by problems with the nervous system. This type is also known as Shy-Drager syndrome which is a rare condition where there are disturbances in the nervous system that works involuntarily, such as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and digestion.
Conditions That Trigger Low Blood Pressure
The following are medical conditions that can cause low blood pressure:
- Pregnancy, to be precise in the first 24 weeks of gestation.
- Abnormal heart conditions and heart valves such as heart attack, heart failure, and a heart rate that is too low.
- Diseases related to hormones that affect the parathyroid glands and adrenal glands, such as Addison's disease, can lower blood pressure. Low blood pressure is sometimes also caused by low sugar levels and diabetes.
- Dehydration or lack of water intake can cause increased blood volume so that blood pressure decreases.
- Lack of intake of nutrients such as vitamin B-12, folic acid, and iron prevents the body from producing red blood cells which causes anemia.
- A severe infection or septicemia caused by the entry of infection into the body's bloodstream can cause blood pressure to drop to dangerous levels.
- Blood loss from cuts or internal bleeding can cause a drop in blood pressure.
A person's blood pressure is influenced by several factors such as body position, way of breathing, food, and drink intake, drugs consumed, physical condition, to stress levels. Blood pressure will be at its lowest point at night and will increase after waking up. To keep blood pressure within the normal range, around 120/80 mmHg, you can apply a balanced nutritional diet accompanied by adequate physical activity.
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Source :
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2022). Low blood pressure (hypotension). Mayo Clinic. [online]. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20355465