Pressure (Hypotension)
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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
Conventional treatment of hypotension (low blood pressure)
Emergency treatment
- If a person faints from low blood pressure, seek immediate medical attention (call an ambulance on 000, if they do not respond or awaken)
- If a person is seriously injured and bleeding, call an ambulance on 000
- If a person passes out and stops breathing, immediately start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and call an ambulance on 000
Treatment of serious causes of low blood pressure:
Severe blood loss
Severe blood loss, which normally happens after a serious accident or injury is a serious condition and needs immediate and urgent medical intervention to prevent death.
Treatment involves the following:
- Intravenous fluids - to rehydrate the body fluids back to normal levels and usually includes all the electrolytes and glucose
- Blood transfusion - to replace the blood that has been lost through the trauma
Shock
Shock is a serious condition which can be life threatening. Shock usually happens when the body has undergone a serious trauma through accident or injury and needs immediate and urgent medical intervention to prevent death.
Treatment involves the following:
- Intravenous fluids - to rehydrate the body fluids back to normal levels and usually includes all the electrolytes (chloride, potassium, sodium) in certain levels together with glucose to help rehydrate the body
- Medication - intravenous vasopressors will be given to increase blood pressure by increasing the diameter of the blood vessels to allow more blood to flow through and reduce the effects of the shock from injury
- Treatment of injury - the injury will be treated either with surgery, medications or a combination of both, depending on the nature of the injury
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Other than an emergency situation, the treatment of low blood pressure depends on the underlying reason for the condition. Some causes of low blood pressure do not require any treatment, while others need medication and other treatments.
The main types of treatment for low blood pressure are:
- Blood pressure medication - people who have hypertension (high blood pressure) and experience symptoms of low blood pressure need to have the dosage of their blood pressure medication adjusted by their doctor to get blood pressure back to normal
- Compression stockings - these can assist with better blood flow in the lower extremities and help with low blood pressure for people with general low blood pressure symptoms, especially older people or those with any underlying heart problems
- Diuretics - these medications, if prescribed by a doctor for a number of different medical conditions, can lower blood pressure through the dilution of sodium levels in the body. The usage of diuretics needs to be closely monitored by a doctor and should not be self-prescribed for any reason
- Electrolytes - this non-prescription powder contains the electrolyte minerals (chloride, sodium and potassium) and is purchased over the counter in pharmacies and redresses the issue of low blood pressure due to dehydration, usually caused by infection or fever
- Hormones - replacement of the hormones that have caused the low blood pressure may help reduce symptoms. The thyroid and adrenal gland hormones are the ones that are usually required
- Medication - other types of medication may be required for treating the underlying problem
- More salt intake - salt (sodium) increases blood pressure and may be recommended by a doctor for people with low blood pressure
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