Causes Of Low Blood Pressure
Low blood pressure may be a normal condition for some people, but when it occurs suddenly, the causes of low blood pressure need to be examined for possible underlying causes.
A sudden drop in blood pressure can be indicative of a number of health issues. There are several symptoms that are associated with low blood pressure:
●Depression
●Fatigue
●Dizziness
●Blurred vision
●Nausea
●Lack of concentration
●Rapid breathing
●Clammy and cold skin
●Thirst
Causes of low blood pressure that result in dizziness, lightheadedness and fainting in an average adult may be attributed to postural hypotension. When a rapid drop in blood pressure occurs in an individual from the simple act of standing up from a prone or sitting position, the body is not compensating as it should from blood pooling to extremities by supplying additional blood to the brain. This might be a result of something as simple as dehydration, prolonged bed rest and extreme heat, or it could be from a more serious disorder such as heart problems or diabetes.
Damage to the nervous system, one of the rare causes of low blood pressure, can affect other bodily functions such heart rate, digestion and breathing. An extremely unusual and uncommon condition called Shy-Drager Syndrome is the leading culprit in this instance, which proves to be fatal.
A defective signal to the brain is one of the causes of low blood pressure that affects young people. Blood pressure drops after standing for extended periods of time as blood pools to the lower extremities. Instead of the body remedying by sending blood upward, a miscommunication between the heart and the brain makes the brain believe blood pressure is too high. Decreasing the heart rate lowers blood pressure even more, creating dizziness, fainting and nausea.
Older adults face yet another obstacle, as one of the causes of low blood pressures affects them almost exclusively. Normally after eating a meal, the brain directs the heart to send blood flow to the digestive tract to help these organs to function effectively. The heart rate is increased during this process, and certain vessels closed off which maintains a normal blood pressure. However, in some older adults, this process fails, resulting in dizziness, fainting and falling. Individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease are particular susceptible to this disorder, which can be regulated by tweaking medications.
While there are people who naturally have a lower blood pressure reading, there are many causes of low blood pressure that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly. These are usually indicators of disorders within our bodies; natural processes that have ceased to function correctly for a variety of reasons. While most require a physician’s care, they are rarely catastrophic and can be regulated to ensure a stable blood pressure and healthier individual.