I have been feeling giddy for the past few days, with my BP reading at 96/68, and pulse rate at 88. Am I suffering from hypotension?
How do I improve my condition? Well your BP range varies on your individual norms. For example 96/68 is completely normal for me, right around what I usually run. That would be VERY low on the other hand for someone that usually runs around 130/80 resting. It just depends on other health issues or any medications that you might be taking. There are a lot of factors that go into you BP but one of them is fluid volume, if you feel it is low make sure you are drinking plenty of water (only if you aren't on a fluid restriction from your doc though). If you stand up and get a dizzy feeling that could be your BP dropping, that's called orthostatic hypotension, so make sure you take your time when standing or getting out of bed.
Hope this helps. If you don't feel your condition improves be sure to see your doc. yeah that is a little low, you could be dehydrated too. Drink plenty of water and check it again later.......if it doesnt resolve in a few days you may wanna go see a doctor Just a few decades ago, doctors thought a blood pressure reading of 160/95 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) was an acceptable target rate for most Americans. Today, those numbers are regarded as dangerously high, and blood pressure lower than 120/80 is considered optimal for good health.
The ongoing downward revision of blood pressure standards had led some people to assume that just as you can't be too thin or too rich, your blood pressure can't be too low. But that's not always the case.
Many people who have low blood pressure (hypotension) are healthy and have no signs or symptoms related to lower than normal readings. But for others, low blood pressure can cause dizziness and fainting or indicate serious heart, endocrine or neurological disorders. Severely low blood Low blood pressure that doesn't cause signs or symptoms rarely requires treatment. In symptomatic cases, the appropriate therapy depends on the underlying cause, and doctors usually try to address the primary health problem 鈥?dehydration, heart failure, diabetes or hypothyroidism, for example 鈥?rather than low blood pressure itself. When hypotension is drug-induced, treatment usually involves changing the dose of the medication or stopping it entirely.
If it's not clear what's causing hypotension or no effective treatment exists, the goal is to raise your blood pressure and reduce signs and symptoms. Depending on your age, health status and the type of hypotension you have, this may be accomplished in several ways:
Increased salt intake. Experts usually recommend limiting the amount of salt in your diet because sodium can raise blood pressure, sometimes dramatically. But for people with low blood pressure, that can be a good thing. Still, it's not quite as simple as dousing your salads with one of the new designer salts such as fleur de sel. Because excess sodium can lead to heart failure, especially in older adults, it's important to check with your doctor before upping your salt intake.
Increased water. Although nearly everyone can benefit from drinking more water, this is especially true of people with low blood pressure. Fluids increase blood volume and help prevent dehydration, both of which are important in treating hypotension.
Compression stockings. The same elastic stockings and leotards commonly used to relieve the pain, swelling, and blood stagnation of varicose veins may help reduce the pooling of blood in your legs.
Medications. Doctors traditionally have used the drug midodrine to raise standing blood pressure levels in people with orthostatic hypotension. But many of those people have high blood pressure when sitting or lying down and at night, when blood pressure typically declines. In addition to increasing standing blood pressure, midodrine also raises already-high supine pressure, leading to the possibility of strokes. Now it appears that another drug, pyridostigmine (Mestinon), increases standing blood pressure without affecting supine pressure.
Depending on the reason for your low blood pressure, you may be able to take certain steps to help reduce or even prevent symptoms. For instance, drinking more water may help prevent low blood pressure caused by dehydration. Other suggestions include:
Drink more water, less alcohol. Alcohol is dehydrating and can lower blood pressure, even if you drink in moderation. Water, on the other hand, combats dehydration and increases blood volume.
Follow a healthy diet. Get all the nutrients you need for good health by focusing on a variety of foods, including grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean chicken and fish. If your doctor suggests increasing your sodium intake but you don't like too much salt on your food, try using natural soy sauce 鈥?a whopping 1,200 milligrams of sodium per tablespoon 鈥?or adding dry soup mixes, also loaded with sodium, to dips and dressings.
Go slow. You may be able to reduce the dizziness and lightheadedness that occur with orthostatic hypotension by taking it easy when you move from a prone to a standing position. Instead of jumping out of bed in the morning, breathe deeply for a few minutes and then slowly sit up before standing. Sleeping with the head of your bed slightly elevated also can help fight the effects of gravity. If you begin to get symptoms while standing, cross your thighs in a scissors fashion and squeeze or put one foot on a ledge or chair and lean as far forward as possible. These maneuvers encourage blood to flow from your legs to your heart.
Eat small, low-carb meals. To help prevent blood pressure from dropping sharply after meals, eat small portions several times a day and limit high-carbohydrate foods such as potatoes, rice, pasta and bread. Drinking caffeinated coffee or tea with meals may temporarily raise blood pressure, in some cases by as much as 3 to 14 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). But because caffeine can cause other problems, check with your doctor before investing in a fancy espresso maker. |
