Low Blood Pressure Part 2 #111

"Low blood pressure would seem to be something to strive for.  However in severe cases, low blood pressure can be life-threatening."  This according to an article by the Mayo Clinic staff.

There has been much interest from readers concerning low blood pressure and its effects.  Most of this in response to posting "Low Blood Pressure" #98.  I have been surprised how many have experienced dizziness and feeling lightheaded.  Based from what I have seen, I suspect a lot of those people do not take their blood pressure reading on a daily basis.   Some have not been able to associate the symptoms with their blood pressure.  As an example, when I first began feeling the symptoms it was not always near a time when I was taking my blood pressure. Therefore I did not put the two together in the beginning.  My blood pressure was and is fluctuating from readings of 125/75 to 97/50 or lower.   Only after talking to my cardiologist did I confirm low pressure being my problem.  Although by then I had begin to have readings well below normal and into the very low ranges.  I also begin to take my blood pressure immediately after I would experience the symptoms.  Taking all of that into consideration, I thought today we would go a little bit further into understanding more about low blood pressure.

A reading of 90 or below systolic (top reading), or 60 or less diastolic (bottom reading), is considered low blood pressure. Some symptoms are dizziness, light-headedness, fainting, lack of concentration, blurred vision, fatigue, depression.  My blood pressure this morning was 94/47 which is somewhat better than it has been. The top reading systolic, measures the pressure your heart generates pumping blood through the arteries. The bottom reading diastolic, is the pressure in your arteries when the heart rest between beats.   Many medical experts consider 115/75 to be the ideal blood pressure.  This being the opinion of the Mayo Clinic article on low blood pressure.  Your blood pressure is usually the lowest at night as you sleep and rest, and rises sharply as you wake up and in the mornings.

There are many conditions that can lead to low blood pressure as it relates to heart patients and heart attack survivors.  We will exclude the conditions of trauma, major loss of blood, dehydration. severe infection and others. Low heart rates, heart valve problems, diuretics, alpha blockers, and beta blockers, can all be causes associated with low blood pressure. That is why you should see your cardiologist if you are experiencing  low readings and the symptoms.  Drops in blood pressure on standing from a lower position are more common to those over 65 years of age.  Those taking certain high blood pressure medications have a greater risk of low blood pressure.

My most common and often symptom is when I stand from a sitting, stooped, or bent over position as you would in working in your yard or garden.   When this occurs, which is not now uncommon for me, it is more often as I stand from being bent down to a low position.  As I stand, I feel lightheaded and as if a tremendous weight or G-force is pushing against my body.  It normally lasts for no more than 5-10 seconds at the most and slowly you can feel the return to normal.   I have seen my cardiologist twice very recently about this problem.  Two of my blood pressure medications have been lowered and currently my pressure readings are being monitored every few weeks.  When I exercise there are some movements I do that are the same as going from a low or bent over position to a standing position.   I can recall only one time while exercising that I experienced the symptom of low blood pressure.  The conclusion I make from that is my heart is working harder and pumping with more force as I exercise and therefore my blood pressure is more in the normal range.  

If left untreated, continued low blood pressure can be a serious risk to your health.  Severe low blood pressure can deprive your body of enough oxygen to carry out its normal functions, leading to possible damage to your heart and or brain.

Well, I don't like to end on such a low note, however that's about all I have to go over.  Next time we will go into exercising for our heart health.