Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the lateral pressure exerted by the column of blood while flowing through the network of arteries and veins of our body. In medical practice, blood pressure is recorded in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP). Systolic blood pressure corresponds with the beginning of ventricular contraction and diastolic blood pressure corresponds when the ventricles are filled with blood from the atria. Normal blood pressure is denoted by checking both the SBP and DBP and the figure is attributed to millimeter of Mercury and is recorded by a sphygmomanometer. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm of Hg (Mercury). In medical practice, low blood pressure (medically termed as Hypotension) is considered when the recorded blood pressure goes below 90/60 mm of Hg.

Low blood pressure, per se, is not a disease itself. It denotes many underlying diseases of our body. If the pressure of the column of blood is way too low, it cannot carry enough oxygen and other nutrients to various parts of our body including brain, kidneys, lungs, liver etc. If the patient is suffers from low blood pressure for a longer time, normal functioning of these organs reduce and they may become damaged permanently. The common symptoms of low blood pressure are:

• Dizziness – low oxygen concentration in our brain can often produce dizziness. It can even occur when a person gets up quickly form a lying down posture. When we lie down, most of our blood settles in the small arteries and veins away from our heart. Suddenly when we stand up from this position, the heart doesn’t have enough blood to pump to our brain. So, there is temporary low concentration of oxygen in the brain.

• Fainting – a person can even go into a fainting attack is the low state of oxygen concentration in our brain sustains for a longer time. There may be attention deficit, blurred vision, light-headedness, confusion state and even seizure attack.

• Palpitation – as the blood pressure is too low, the heart tries to send enough oxygen and nutrients to various parts of our body by beating at a faster pace. Therefore, the person may have palpitation.

• Breathlessness – due to lack of oxygen, a person may suffer from breathlessness either.

• Pale and cold clammy skin – as the pressure of blood is way too low, most of the peripheral organs like our skin doesn’t get enough blood and can become cold and clammy.

• Nausea – lack of oxygenation of our gastrointestinal system may lead to nausea and vomiting.

Let us know about the common causes of low blood pressure:

• Decrease is volume of blood – the commonest cause is bleeding from any part of our body.

• Prolonged illness.

• Anaphylactic shock – it is a severe type of inflammatory reaction to certain foreign substances

• Medication – overuse of certain anti hypertensive medicines can lead to hypo tension

• Heat stroke

• Pregnancy

• Severe fulminating infection

• Vulvular heart disease

• Vitamin B12 deficiency

• Endocrinal disorders like hypothyroidism and adrenal insufficiency

The list of causes of low blood pressure is not exhaustive. You should consult your doctor whenever you feel dizziness.

Author – Dr. Anupam Biswas