Effects of Low Blood Pressure

When most people think of problems related to blood pressure, they immediately focus on hypertension, or high blood pressure. However, having a lower-than-average blood pressure is also cause for some alarm. Hypotension, as it is called, can be the result of a very serious medical problem. It should be looked at immediately, because having low blood pressure could affect the brain, which could, in turn, cause even more problems, many of which could be irreversible or fatal.

The most common reason for having hypotension is having a reduced blood volume, known as hypovolemia. There are many reasons that this problem could occur in such a way, though most of them have to do with problems regarding the nervous system of the brain. Other causes include certain medicines that could have hypovolemia as a side effect. In many ways, because low blood pressure affects and is a result of problems with such a vulnerable system of the body, it makes hypotension even more serious than having a high blood pressure.

One syndrome related to hypotension that should be noted is orthostatic hypotension. Also called postural hypotension, this is one of the most common forms of low blood pressure. Basically, it occurs mainly from a change in body position. For example, standing up from either a sitting or lying down position could momentarily reduce the blood flow in the body. As a result, dizziness may occur, which can be noticed on a daily basis by many people. However, a more serious version of the syndrome could be brought upon by medications, both of the physical and psychiatric persuasion.

Another form of hypotension is rarer than orthostatic hypotension. It is known as postprandial hypotension and occurs 30-75 minutes after eating. Digestion of the food sends a large amount of blood to the digestive system, and as a result the autonomic nervous system must compensate to increase the body’s heart rate and get more blood pumping. Orthostatic hypotension affects the autonomic nervous system, weakening it even more than it already is. It is also an indicator of a failing autonomic nervous system, perhaps due to age or something else entirely.

As you can see, hypotension is just as serious of a problem as it’s more common sibling, hypertension. Although the two may sound alike, their affects are vastly different. However, they are both cause for alarm and should be checked out immediately, especially since having low blood pressure could affect the brain, the most important part of the body.