Overview

Low blood pressure might seem desirable, and for some people, it causes no problems. However,
for many people, abnormally low blood pressure (hypotension) can cause dizziness and fainting. In
severe cases, low blood pressure can be life-threatening.

A blood pressure reading lower than 90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) for the top number (systolic)
or 60 mm Hg for the bottom number (diastolic) is generally considered low blood pressure.

The causes of low blood pressure can range from dehydration to serious medical or surgical
disorders. It's important to find out what's causing your low blood pressure so that it can be treated.

Symptoms

For some people, low blood pressure signals an underlying problem, especially when it drops
suddenly or is accompanied by signs and symptoms such as:

 Dizziness or lightheadedness

 Fainting (syncope)

 Blurred vision

 Nausea

 Fatigue

 Lack of concentration
Shock

Extreme hypotension can result in this life-threatening condition. Signs and symptoms include:

 Confusion, especially in older people

 Cold, clammy, pale skin

 Rapid, shallow breathing

 Weak and rapid pulse

When to see a doctor

If you have indications of shock, seek emergency medical help.

If you have consistently low blood pressure readings but feel fine, your doctor is likely just to monitor
you during routine exams.

Even occasional dizziness or lightheadedness may be a relatively minor problem — the result of mild
dehydration from too much time in the sun or a hot tub, for example. Still, it's important to see your
doctor if you have signs or symptoms of hypotension because they can point to more-serious
problems. It can be helpful to keep a record of your symptoms, when they occur and what you're
doing at the time.

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Causes

Blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure in your arteries during the active and resting
phases of each heartbeat.

 Systolic pressure. The top number in a blood pressure reading is the amount of pressure your
heart generates when pumping blood through your arteries to the rest of your body.

 Diastolic pressure. The bottom number in a blood pressure reading refers to the amount of
pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest between beats.

Current guidelines identify normal blood pressure as lower than 120/80 mm Hg.

Throughout the day, blood pressure varies, depending on body position, breathing rhythm, stress
level, physical condition, medications you take, what you eat and drink, and time of day. Blood
pressure is usually lowest at night and rises sharply on waking.

Blood pressure: How low can you go?

What's considered low blood pressure for you may be normal for someone else. Most doctors
consider blood pressure too low only if it causes symptoms.

Some experts define low blood pressure as readings lower than 90 mm Hg systolic or 60 mm Hg
diastolic. If either number is below that, your pressure is lower than normal.

A sudden fall in blood pressure can be dangerous. A change of just 20 mm Hg — a drop from 110
systolic to 90 mm Hg systolic, for example — can cause dizziness and fainting when the brain fails to
receive an adequate supply of blood. And big plunges, such as those caused by uncontrolled
bleeding, severe infections or allergic reactions, can be life-threatening.
Conditions that can cause low blood pressure

Medical conditions that can cause low blood pressure include:

 Pregnancy. Because the circulatory system expands rapidly during pregnancy, blood pressure
is likely to drop. This is normal, and blood pressure usually returns to your pre-pregnancy level
after you've given birth.

 Heart problems. Some heart conditions that can lead to low blood pressure include extremely
low heart rate (bradycardia), heart valve problems, heart attack and heart failure.

 Endocrine problems. Thyroid conditions such as parathyroid disease, adrenal insufficiency

(Addison's disease), low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and, in some cases, diabetes can trigger
low blood pressure.

 Dehydration. When your body loses more water than it takes in, it can cause weakness,
dizziness and fatigue. Fever, vomiting, severe diarrhea, overuse of diuretics and strenuous
exercise can lead to dehydration.

 Blood loss. Losing a lot of blood, such as from a major injury or internal bleeding, reduces the
amount of blood in your body, leading to a severe drop in blood pressure.

 Severe infection (septicemia). When an infection in the body enters the bloodstream, it can
lead to a life-threatening drop in blood pressure called septic shock.

 Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Common triggers of this severe and potentially life-
threatening reaction include foods, certain medications, insect venoms and latex. Anaphylaxis
can cause breathing problems, hives, itching, a swollen throat and a dangerous drop in blood
pressure.

 Lack of nutrients in your diet. A lack of the vitamins B-12 and folate can keep your body from
producing enough red blood cells (anemia), causing low blood pressure.
Medications that can cause low blood pressure

Some medications can cause low blood pressure, including:

 Water pills (diuretics), such as furosemide (Lasix) and hydrochlorothiazide (Maxzide, Microzide,
others)

 Alpha blockers, such as prazosin (Minipress)

 Beta blockers, such as atenolol (Tenormin) and propranolol (Inderal, Innopran XL, others)

 Drugs for Parkinson's disease, such as pramipexole (Mirapex) or those containing levodopa
  Certain types of antidepressants (tricyclic antidepressants), including doxepin (Silenor) and
imipramine (Tofranil)

 Drugs for erectile dysfunction, including sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra) or tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis),
particularly when taken with the heart medication nitroglycerin
Types of low blood pressure

Doctors often break down low blood pressure (hypotension) into categories, depending on the
causes and other factors. Some types of low blood pressure include:

 Low blood pressure on standing up (orthostatic, or postural, hypotension).This is a

sudden drop in blood pressure when you stand up from a sitting position or after lying down.

Gravity causes blood to pool in your legs when you stand. Ordinarily, your body compensates
by increasing your heart rate and constricting blood vessels, thereby ensuring that enough
blood returns to your brain.

But in people with orthostatic hypotension, this compensating mechanism fails and blood
pressure falls, leading to dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision and even fainting.

Orthostatic hypotension can occur for various reasons, including dehydration, prolonged bed
rest, pregnancy, diabetes, heart problems, burns, excessive heat, large varicose veins and
certain neurological disorders.

A number of medications also can cause orthostatic hypotension, particularly drugs used to
treat high blood pressure — diuretics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and angiotensin-
converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors — as well as antidepressants and drugs used to treat
Parkinson's disease and erectile dysfunction.

Orthostatic hypotension is especially common in older adults, but it also affects young,
otherwise healthy people who stand up suddenly after sitting with their legs crossed for long
periods or after squatting for a time.

It's also possible to have delayed orthostatic hypotension, with signs and symptoms developing
5 to 10 minutes after a change in posture. This might be a milder form of the condition, or it
could be an early stage of it.

 Low blood pressure after eating (postprandial hypotension). This sudden drop in blood
pressure after eating affects mostly older adults.

Blood flows to your digestive tract after you eat. Ordinarily, your body increases your heart rate
and constricts certain blood vessels to help maintain normal blood pressure. But in some
people these mechanisms fail, leading to dizziness, faintness and falls.
 Postprandial hypotension is more likely to affect people with high blood pressure or autonomic
nervous system disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

Lowering the dose of blood pressure drugs and eating small, low-carbohydrate meals might
help reduce symptoms.

 Low blood pressure from faulty brain signals (neurally mediated hypotension). This
disorder, which causes a blood pressure drop after standing for long periods, mostly affects
young adults and children. It seems to occur because of a miscommunication between the
heart and the brain.

 Low blood pressure due to nervous system damage (multiple system atrophy with
orthostatic hypotension). Also called Shy-Drager syndrome, this rare disorder causes
progressive damage to the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions
such as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and digestion. It's associated with having very
high blood pressure while lying down.

Risk factors

Low blood pressure (hypotension) can occur in anyone, though certain types of low blood pressure
are more common depending on your age or other factors:

 Age. Drops in blood pressure on standing or after eating occur primarily in adults older than 65.
Neurally mediated hypotension primarily affects children and younger adults.

 Medications. People who take certain medications, for example, high blood pressure
medications such as alpha blockers, have a greater risk of low blood pressure.

 Certain diseases. Parkinson's disease, diabetes and some heart conditions put you at a
greater risk of developing low blood pressure.

Complications

Even moderate forms of low blood pressure can cause dizziness, weakness, fainting and a risk of
injury from falls.

And severely low blood pressure can deprive your body of enough oxygen to carry out its normal
functions, leading to damage to your heart and brain.