OverviewSome possible symptoms of low blood pressure.What is low blood pressure?Hypotension, or low blood pressure, is when your blood pressure is much lower than expected. It can happen either as a condition on its own or as a symptom of a wide range of conditions. It may not cause symptoms, but when it does, it can require medical attention. Show
Hypotension has two definitions:
Measuring blood pressure involves two numbers, top and bottom, in mm/Hg.
*Thanks to technological advances, many modern devices can measure your blood pressure automatically. These devices are now recommended for use instead of measuring blood pressure with the traditional stethoscope method. What is the difference between hypotension vs. hypertension?Hypotension and hypertension are opposite conditions.
Who does it affect?Hypotension can affect people of any age and background, depending on why it happens. However, it's more likely to cause symptoms in older people (especially orthostatic hypotension). It can also happen with no symptoms to people who are very physically active, which is more common in younger people. How common is this condition?Because low blood pressure is common without any symptoms, it’s impossible to know how many people it really affects overall. However, orthostatic hypertension seems to be more and more common as you get older. An estimated 5% of people have it at age 50, while that figure climbs to more than 30% in people over 70. How does this condition affect my body?Under normal circumstances, your body can automatically control your blood pressure and keep it from dropping too much. If it starts to drop, your body tries to compensate for that, either by speeding up your heart rate or constricting blood vessels to make them narrower. Symptoms of hypotension happen when your body can’t compensate enough to offset the drop in blood pressure. For many people, hypotension doesn't cause any symptoms. Many people don't even know their blood pressure is low unless they get their blood pressure measured. For people with symptoms, the effects depend on why hypotension is happening, how fast it develops and what caused it. Slow decreases in blood pressure happen normally, so hypotension becomes more common as people get older. Fast decreases in blood pressure can mean certain parts of your body aren’t getting enough blood flow. That can have effects that are unpleasant, disruptive or even dangerous. Symptoms and CausesWhat are the symptoms?The most common symptoms of low blood pressure happen because your brain isn't getting enough blood flow. These include:
What causes low blood pressure?Hypotension can happen for a wide range of reasons.
Is hypotension contagious?No, hypotension isn’t contagious, so you can’t get it from someone else or pass it to others. Diagnosis and TestsHow is it diagnosed?Hypotension itself is easy to diagnose. All it takes is taking your blood pressure. However, figuring out why you have hypotension is another story. If you have symptoms, a healthcare provider will likely use a variety of tests to figure out why it’s happening and if there’s any danger to you because of it. What tests will be done to diagnose this condition?Tests that are likely with hypotension include those listed below. Lab testingTests on your blood and urine can look for any potential problems like:
ImagingIf doctors suspect a heart or lung problem behind your hypotension, they’ll likely use imaging tests to confirm or rule out those suspicions. These tests include:
Diagnostic testingThese tests look for specific problems with your heart or other body systems.
Management and TreatmentHow is it treated, and can it be cured?Treating hypotension usually starts with finding out why it’s happening. If that cause is treatable directly, hypotension will usually get better on its own. An example of this is hypotension that happens because of an injury and blood loss. Repairing that injury and replacing the lost blood (such as with a blood transfusion) will stop hypotension as long as the repair to the injury holds. If you take medications that affect your blood pressure, your healthcare provider may change your dosage or have you stop taking that medication entirely. If the cause remains a mystery, it’s also possible to treat it directly. However, curing hypotension is only possible if there’s an underlying cause that’s curable. What medications/treatments are used?Treating hypotension directly usually happens in one of three ways:
Complications/side effects of the treatmentThe complications of either treatment depend on the exact medication or treatment you receive. Your healthcare provider can best explain the possible complications or side effects. That’s because they can consider your specific circumstances, including other health conditions, medications you take and more. How to take care of myself?If your healthcare provider diagnoses you with hypotension, they may do the following:
How soon after treatment will I feel better?Depending on the cause of your hypotension, you may feel better as you receive treatment. In some cases, it may take longer — days or even weeks — for medication or other treatments to help you feel better consistently. PreventionHow can I reduce my risk of developing this or prevent it entirely?It's usually not possible to reduce your risk of or prevent hypotension. The only exception is avoiding circumstances or actions that can lead to it, such as taking recreational drugs or supplements/herbal remedies that can lower your blood pressure. Outlook / PrognosisWhat can I expect if I have this condition?If you have hypotension, what you can expect depends on what causes it and if you have symptoms. If you don’t have symptoms, it’s unlikely that hypotension will be a problem for you. If you have symptoms, hypotension can interfere with your ability to stand up, care for yourself, cook, drive and do many other activities. That's why understanding the condition and following a healthcare provider's guidance are so important to minimizing this condition's impact on your life. How long does hypotension last?How long this condition lasts depends very much on what caused it. If you have hypotension because of normal aging, it will probably be a lifelong concern. What’s the outlook for hypotension?If you have low blood pressure but don’t have symptoms, this condition usually isn’t harmful and shouldn’t impact your life. If you do have symptoms, the underlying cause is usually what determines the outlook for this condition. Your healthcare provider is the best person to tell you what to expect from this condition and what you can do to manage those effects. Complications that can happen because of hypotension include:
Living WithHow do I take care of myself?If you have hypotension with symptoms, the best thing you can do is follow your healthcare provider's guidance on managing this condition. Their recommendations may include any of the following:
When should I call or see my healthcare provider?If you know you have hypotension, you should see your healthcare provider if you start to notice symptoms affecting your life or disrupting your usual routine and activities. If you don't know you have hypotension, you should see a healthcare provider if you have repeated dizziness or fainting episodes. This is especially important because those symptoms are possible with many other health conditions, some dangerous. When should I go to ER?If you have hypotension, you should go to the hospital for the following:
A note from Cleveland Clinic Hypotension is a condition that can have no symptoms, and many people don’t even know they have it. For others, it can cause symptoms that are unpleasant and even disruptive to your daily life and activities. If you suspect you have it, getting it diagnosed and treated is essential and can help you avoid falls and other complications. Fortunately, this condition is often treatable, and there are many things your healthcare provider can explain to you that can help you care for yourself. Why would the bottom number of blood pressure be low?Cause of Low Diastolic Blood Pressure
Pregnancy and heart conditions, such as low heart rate, heart valve disorders, and heart failure, can lead to low diastolic blood pressure. Aging is another risk factor, as well.
What is a dangerously low bottom number for blood pressure?A 2016 study that lasted more than 3 decades and involved more than 11,000 people found that a diastolic blood pressure below 60 mm Hg is dangerous. People with this level are 50 percent more likely to have heart damage. This is compared with those who have a low diastolic pressure level between 80 and 89 mm Hg.
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