What to Do for Low Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure measures the amount of pressure in your arteries when your heart is both resting and active. Low blood pressure, or hypotension, is typically when your systolic pressure is lower than 90 and your diastolic pressure is lower than 60. In severe cases, it can be life threatening. There are treatments for low blood pressure, including both home remedies and prescription medications.

Understanding Your Numbers

• When your doctor takes your blood pressure, he receives two sets of numbers; they are referred to as systolic and diastolic. The systolic is the top number and tells your doctor the amount of pressure your heart provides while pumping blood. The diastolic is the bottom number and lets him know how much pressure is left in your arteries between heartbeats.

  A normal blood pressure is considered to be 120/80, though many doctors accept 115/75 as a healthy reading as well. It is important to remember that what is normal for one person may not be normal for another. Even if you have a blood pressure lower than these numbers, you may not be diagnosed with hypotension unless it is accompanied by symptoms.

Recognize the Symptoms

• Recognizing the symptoms of low blood pressure is the first step in receiving treatment. Some of the most common symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, rapid or shallow breathing, thirst, nausea, blurred vision and depression.

  In many cases, low blood pressure is not a serious problem unless you suffer from chronic symptoms. It is often not a question of how low your pressure drops, but how quickly that will concern your doctor. To help him determine the cause of your hypotension, keep a record of the symptoms you experience, what activities you participate in at the time of symptoms and when the symptoms occur.

Undergo Testing

• The purpose of testing once symptoms have been detected is to determine the underlying cause of your hypotension and treat it. There are a variety of tests that are used to do this.

  Blood tests are useful for determining if you have low or high blood sugar, both of which can cause low blood pressure.

  An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a non-invasive test that is performed right in your doctor's office. This particular test has the ability to detect structural abnormalities in your heart structure, irregular heart rhythms and problems with the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart.

  Echocardiograms are another non-invasive procedure. They, however, are capable of taking more detailed pictures of your chest, detailing functions and structure in ways an ECG cannot.

Treatment

• Once the underlying cause has been determined, treatment can begin. Your doctor will focus on treating your health problem rather than the hypotension itself. For instance, if the cause is diabetes, he may prescribe insulin injections. If it is medication you take, he may adjust dosages and the combination of medicines prescribed.

  He also may prescribe drugs to help lower your blood pressure, depending on your symptoms. The drug Fludrocortisone is given to people who suffer from low blood pressure when they stand. The drug works by increasing blood volume, which raises your blood pressure.

  Midodrine often is prescribed for those who suffer from chronic hypotension and works by expanding the blood vessels to help increase your blood pressure.

Home Remedies

• When a cause cannot be determined, the goal of your doctor is usually to raise your blood pressure. This can be done in a variety of ways.

  Increasing your salt intake will help decrease your hypotension. This can, however, be dangerous in older adults, leading to heart failure, and should be done in moderation.

  Increasing your water intake also may help because extra fluids can increase the volume of blood within your body and help prevent dehydration.

  Changing your position slowly may help, too, because it can reduce the dizziness which often accompanies low blood pressure. Rather than jumping right out of bed in the morning, take a few moments to breathe slowly and deeply, then sit up slowly, moving your legs carefully over the edge of your bed before standing.