- Last Updated On: September 9, 2024
Low Blood Pressure: Symptoms, Causes, and Types
Table of Contents:
- What is Low Blood Pressure?
- Nine common symptoms of low blood pressure
- Understanding the Causes of Low Blood Pressure
- Hypotension Variants: Types of Low Blood Pressure
- Risks associated with low blood pressure
- Conclusion
Your blood pressure level has a severe impact on your health. From minor discomfort to chronic illness or even death, abnormal levels of blood pressure pose several concerns. However, low blood pressure, which has many severe consequences, doesn’t get as much attention as high blood pressure.
Low blood pressure (BP) reduces blood flow to organs, causing fatigue, weakness, unconsciousness, heart illness, and life-threatening shock. Hence, awareness about low blood pressure symptoms, causes, and types is essential. This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about hypotension.
What is Low Blood Pressure?
Diagnosis of blood pressure status is done through the assessment of the body’s systolic and diastolic pressure levels. Systolic readings indicate the pressure present in arteries during heartbeat and blood circulation. Its normal range is between 90-120 mm Hg. Diastolic pressure refers to the pressure in arteries when the heart is quiet and healthy diastolic pressures are from 60-80 mm Hg. Therefore, a blood pressure reading of 120/80 mmHg is considered normal. Now, the question is, what is low blood pressure? When the blood pressure reading is lower than 90/60 mmHg, it is considered low blood pressure. Low blood pressure or hypotension occurs when blood pressure against the arteries is too low. This low force obstructs the needed blood supply to major functioning organs like the brain, heart, and kidney. Its most common symptoms include unconsciousness, cold and pale skin, or dizziness.
Nine Common Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure
Several symptoms indicate blood pressure levels lower than the normal healthy level. It is essential to be aware of the low blood pressure symptoms to take immediate steps during emergencies like shock. Below are the most common symptoms to check if the person has low BP and needs medical attention:
- Dizziness
Dizziness is the most common symptom of gradually decreasing blood pressure. If you or anyone in your known circle feels sudden lightheadedness, especially when standing up quickly, hypotension could be a reason for this.
Because of gravity, blood stays in the legs when you stand quickly. If you have very low blood pressure, it may take time before enough blood reaches the brain, causing dizziness.
- Syncope
Syncope, also known as fainting, indicates an abnormal decline in blood pressure. When blood pressure drops low enough to deprive the brain of the required blood and oxygen supply, a person can faint. This is a dangerous aftereffect of low BP since a person can faint suddenly at any time or anywhere.
- Blurred Vision
Sometimes, a person with low blood pressure doesn’t faint immediately but experiences blurred or fading vision. When standing up too quickly or performing any rigorous physical activity, the sudden drop in blood pressure impacts the blood flow to the eyes. Hence, this insufficient blood flow to the eyes can reduce vision clarity.
- Fatigue and Weakness
Fatigue and weakness are common symptoms in those people who have frequent low BP issues. Since too-low blood pressure reduces the oxygen-rich blood supply to other organs, this impacts your energy level. As a result, you find it hard to sustain normal activity levels due to constant feeling of tiredness.
- Nausea
A sudden drop in blood pressure also results in nausea and a feeling of unsteadiness. The nausea further leads to vomiting and excessive weakness, complicating the condition more. The person may also get a headache and neck or back pain, followed by nausea.
- Cold and Pale Skin
When blood pressure is lower than the normal BP level, the body tries to compensate by diverting blood from the skin to more vital organs. This insufficient blood supply to the rest of the body parts results in cold, clammy, or pale skin. Besides, one may experience sweating, even if not in a hot environment.
- Rapid Breathing
Breathing becomes quick when the body tries to make up for decreased blood flow by taking in more oxygen. The condition can get worse, resulting in shock, if blood pressure continues to drop. Rapid breathing, accompanied by chest pain or a racing heart, indicates that the person needs immediate medical help.
- Poor Concentration
Inadequate blood flow to the brain results in confusion or difficulty concentrating. This mental alteration is a common symptom of consistent low blood pressure. Nonetheless, compared to young persons, senior hypotension sufferers experience it more frequently.
- Depression
Hypotension or low blood pressure harms mental well-being. The constant struggle with dizziness, fatigue, and nausea increases one’s stress level and leads to the feeling of hopelessness, causing depression. Though it is not as common as the other listed symptoms, it is a major issue faced by those who struggle with low blood pressure frequently.
Understanding the Causes of Low Blood Pressure
Besides knowing symptoms, you should also know the cause responsible for hypotension to mitigate the risks associated with it. The common causes of low blood pressure are listed below.
- Dehydration:
Extensive physical activities or a hot environment result in excessive sweating, causing dehydration. In addition, poor diet, insufficient fluid intake, vomiting, or diarrhea are some of the common conditions that reduce the required fluid from the body. Dehydration decreases the blood volume, leading to a drop in blood pressure. When dehydration causes low BP, symptoms like dizziness and weakness show up.
- Heart Problems:
When the heart rate is too slow to pump blood effectively, the blood pressure level drops. Besides, malfunctioning heart valves or heart attacks disrupt the blood flow, causing a sudden fall in blood pressure. The hypotension is more common in people with the following heart conditions:
- Bradycardia (slow heart rate)
- Heart Valve Problems
- Heart Failure
- Heart Attack
Hence, managing the underlying heart condition is essential to controlling blood pressure.
- Endocrine Disorders:
A person suffering from hormonal imbalances or disorders like adrenal insufficiency, hypothyroidism, and diabetes is more prone to low BP issues. Adrenal Insufficiency impacts the glands that produce hormones like cortisol and aldosterone, which help regulate blood pressure.
Hypothyroidism slows the body’s metabolism and reduces blood pressure, whereas diabetes can damage the autonomic nervous system, which controls blood pressure regulation.
- Severe Infection or Septicemia:
Sepsis, also known as Septicemia, is a widespread infection that spreads via the bloodstream. It causes inflammation and septic shock, where blood pressure drops extremely low. Septic shock requires immediate first aid steps followed by timely professional medical support.
- Excessive Blood Loss:
Excessive bleeding due to injury, surgery, or internal bleeding causes body fluid loss. This body fluid loss leads to reduced blood volume, causing low blood pressure. To prevent serious complications, emergency medical treatment is required.
- Nutritional Deficiencies:
Nutrients like Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid produce red blood cells; hence, their deficiency can cause anemia. Anemia reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen and drops blood pressure.
- Medications:
Some medications, specifically high-BP treatment drugs, can reduce the BP level lower than the normal level. The side effects of the following medication lead to low blood pressure due to the given reasons:
- Diuretics encourage the body to expel excess water and salt, resulting in low blood volume.
- Beta-blockers decrease heart rates and lower blood pressure.
- Tricyclic antidepressants impact the autonomic nervous system and interfere with blood pressure regulation, causing hypotension.
Hypotension Variants: Types of Low Blood Pressure
Your blood pressure can drop lower than 90/60 mmHg due to various reasons. The low BP issue not only varies in causes, but it also differs in risks and treatment procedures. Here are the main types of low blood pressure:
- Orthostatic Hypotension
Orthostatic hypotension is one of the most prevalent but least dangerous forms of hypotension. When a person stands up from a sitting or lying position and experiences sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision, or gets unconscious, these symptoms point towards orthostatic hypotension.
Dehydration, prolonged bed rest, certain heart or high BP medications, Parkinson’s disease, or diabetes can cause orthostatic hypotension.
- Postprandial Hypotension
After your meal, your body directs more blood to your digestive system. As a result, the heart rate increases, and blood vessels constrict to maintain blood pressure. In postprandial hypotension, this compensatory mechanism fails. In such a situation, there is a drastic fall in blood pressure.
Aging is the leading cause of postprandial hypotension. Aging degrades the autonomic nervous system’s ability to regulate blood flow effectively. Chronic conditions, such as diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, can also cause such failure. However, while postprandial hypotension is often found in elderly people or those with medical conditions, it still affects 33% of healthy individuals.
- Neurally Mediated Hypotension
Abnormal reflex interaction between the heart and the brain is known as neurologically mediated hypotension. It is more common after standing for long periods or in response to a stressful situation.
Emotional strain, heat exposure, or fear can cause neurally mediated hypotension. It mainly affects young people going through stress and can be recognized by symptoms like dizziness, fainting, and nausea.
- Severe Hypotension
Out of all the hypotension variants, the most life-threatening condition is severe hypotension or shock. When blood pressure drops to the level where body organs and tissues struggle to get oxygen and nutrients, the patient suffers shock.
Shock due to low BP can lead to organ failure and, if not treated promptly, death. Severe body fluid loss, sepsis, allergic reactions, and heart failure are common reasons for severe hypotension. It requires immediate action, quick first aid, and emergency medical intervention.
Risks Associated with Low Blood Pressure
One must not avoid hypotension symptoms and take immediate steps for treatment to prevent the following risks associated with low blood pressure:
- Sudden dangerous falls due to fainting or low vision
- Escalated heart problems, including the risk of heart stroke
- Higher possibilities of life-threatening shocks
- Poor eye-sight and altered medical condition
- Depression and anxiety issues
Knowing the CPR techniques and first aid for shock treatment helps save a life and avoid the scary consequences of low BP.
Wrapping up
Low blood pressure is often overlooked, but it has many severe complications. It can cause shock and elevate heart issues if one neglects the symptoms and treatment.
Awareness regarding low blood pressure symptoms, causes, types, and first-aid steps empowers you to lessen these risks and maintain a normal BP. Besides, you should also consistently monitor your BP level and follow a healthy diet and lifestyle to ensure your blood pressure is within the normal range.
