Low BP
Low Blood Pressure: An Overview
Normal blood pressure falls in the range of
90/60 mm Hg to 130/80 mm Hg.
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.
Sometimes it is possible that one is with low
blood pressure and show no sign and symptoms at all. But here are
some of the general signs and symptoms of low blood pressure.
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:
1) Advanced diabetes
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.