| Low Blood Pressure: An Overview |
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Your blood is termed as low blood pressure when your systolic pressure and diastolic pressure are lower than the normal levels. It is possible that some individuals may have blood pressure levels at 90/50 mm Hg and show no symptoms of low blood pressure, while others who have normally have blood pressure levels at 130/80 mm Hg may show symptoms of low blood pressure when blood pressure falls down to 100/60 mm Hg. So it is clear that the low blood pressure varies from person to person. When the blood pressure is low, there is not sufficient flow of the blood to deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to vital organs such as brain, heart, and kidney and as a result of that the organs do not function normally and may be damaged permanently. Symptoms of low BP It is the brain of the human beings that starts malfunctioning when the blood pressure gets down and down. And when the blood pressure is too low all organs of the body starts malfunctioning. 1) Dizziness 2) Palpitations 3) Confusion 4) Nausea 5) Tiredness 6) General weakness 7) Light-headedness and fainting 8) Blurred vision 9) Temporary loss of consciousness. Causes of low blood pressure When the compensatory mechanism starts malfunctioning, the result is low blood pressure. There are several disorders and drugs that can throw the compensatory mechanisms out of whack. Some of the disorders include heart disease, heart valve disorder, tachycardia, bradycardia, kidney disorders, neurological disorders and many more. There are some more factors that can cause low blood pressure in you: 2) Alcohol 3) Medications used for surgery 4) Anti-anxiety agents 5) Dehydration 6) Changes in heart rhythm 7) Treatment for high blood pressure 8) Diuretics 9) Heart medicines 10) Anaphylaxis 11) Some antidepressants Diagnosis of low BP Generally your blood pressure is measured with inflatable cuff. The cuff is wrapped around the upper arm and then it is inflated. Doctor or nurse listens to the artery with the help of the stethoscope as the air is released. The first hearing of the heart beat is recorded as systolic pressure and when the sound disappears, it is recorded as diastolic pressure. To measure your blood pressure on own, you can use automatic blood pressure recording machine. Treatment for the low BP You may not go under treatment for correcting your low blood pressure always. To treat low blood pressure, the underlying cause of the condition is basically treated. So, the best way to treat low blood pressure is to get to the bottom of the cause and get it treated as soon as possible. Gone is low blood pressure, once the cause of the low blood pressure is done away with. |