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- What is hypotension?
- Symptoms of hypotension
- Causes of hypotension
- Prevention of hypotension
- Risk factors for hypotension
- Complications of hypotension
- When to see a doctor about hypotension
- Diagnosis of hypotension
- Conventional treatment of hypotension
- Alternative/complementary treatment of hypotension
- Living with hypotension
- Caring for someone with hypotension
Causes of hypotension (low blood pressure)
Low blood pressure can be due to many factors (although in some people no underlying cause can be found):
- Acute and severe infection - fluid loss from fever and the actual infection can cause blood pressure to become lower than normal
- Adrenal gland dysfunction - the adrenal glands regulate sodium levels in the body, which if too low can cause cause blood pressure to lower
- Age - ageing causes blood pressure (and heart rate) to be lower due to stiffening of the arteries and less blood going through properly the blood vessels
- Alcohol - can sometimes cause lowering of blood pressure due to the dehydration it causes
- Anaemia - low levels of the red blood cells or haemoglobin in people who have anaemia, can cause blood pressure to lower
- Blood pressure lowering medications - these medications may lower blood pressure too effectively in some people who may not go for regular check-ups to ensure correct dosage is taken and blood pressure is not lowered too much
- Dehydration - this condition cause lowered levels of the electrolytes due to fever, vomiting or diarrhoea and this can cause low blood pressure
- Diabetes - causes low blood pressure in advanced diabetes in some people
- Disease of the nervous system - rare diseases of the nerves which control the reflexes in the arms and legs can also cause blood pressure to lower
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- Heart attack - as a heart attack is usually caused by a lack of blood flow due to artery restriction, it lowers blood pressure to dangerous (and sometimes fatal) levels
- Heart disease - certain types of heart disease can cause the blood pressure to lower
- Hypoglycaemia - low blood glucose levels can cause lowered blood pressure
- Medications - many types of medications can lower blood pressure; diuretics lower electrolytes, beta blockers, narcotics
- Menstruation - some women who bleed heavily during menstruation (especially the first 3 days) feel light-headed and dizzy due to their menstrual blood loss that can cause lowered blood pressure
- Pregnancy - (slightly) lowered blood pressure in women who are pregnant is quite normal for some women in the first half of pregnancy term
- Severe blood loss - either from an accident or injury prevents enough blood to be pumped to the organs and tissues due to a decreasing amount of blood in the body; this can lead to shock and death if blood loss is life-threatening and not quickly replaced
- Shock - this medical condition happens when there is too little blood in the body to enable correct blood pressure and this can cause damage to the organs
- Standing up suddenly - if someone stands up suddenly after lying down it can cause a temporary lowering in blood pressure as the body takes time to adjust to the new position (which happened to quickly)
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< 2: symptoms 4: prevention > Last reviewed: 10 November 2007 || Last updated: 3 January 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
