Our blood pressure tell the state of our hearts and can give signal to any underlying health condition. Abnormally high or low blood pressure should be a cause for concern. Though more attention is usually given to the silent killer hypertension, but low blood pressure can equally be dangerous especially when accompanied with health challenging symptoms. So this article is going to shed more light on low blood pressure.
LOW BLOOD PRESSURE
Low blood pressure is also known as hypotension. It is an abnormal fall in the pressure exerted by the blood in the arteries. Just like hypertension, hypotension is either primary (without any cause) or secondary (due to conditions such as tuberculosis, myocardial infarction, nervous disorders, etc.). A systolic blood pressure less than 90mmHg is said to be low. Occurrence of hypotension could be orthostatic (occurs when rising to an upright position), postprandial ( after eating), neurally mediated ( due to standing for a long time) and shock ( due to low blood volume)
Causes
1. Medications such as beta blockers and anti depressants
2. Pregnancy
3. Prolonged inactivity
4. Heart problems e.g bradycardia ( low heart rate) and myocardial infarction
5. Anemia
6. Nervous disorder
7. Blood loss
8. Severe allergic reactions
9. Diseases such as tuberculosis
Symptoms
For some people, low blood pressure may not cause any problem but having low blood pressure can be considered risky if it is accompanied by several factors such as;
1. Nausea
2. Often feeling weak
3. Syncope
4. Dehydration
5. Rapid shallow breathing
6. Cold and clammy skin
- Treatment
Treatment depends on the symptoms and the cause of hypotension. Generally treatments include
1. Medications such as fludrocortisone and midodrine to increase the blood pressure
2. Adequate hydration (Oral or Intravenous fluid)
3. Engaging in physical exercise
4. Healthy diet especially diet containing folic acid (Vit B12).
Further reading by the same author:
Oyewole Ibukun is currently a Medical student of Olabisi Onabanjo University. She has a passion for seeking knowledge with a creative, detail oriented and analytical mindset.
