LOW BLOOD PRESSURE

When the flow of blood is too low to deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to vital organs such as the brain, heart, kidney the organs do not function normally and may be permanently damaged.

People who have lower blood pressures have a lower risk of stroke, kidney disease, and heart diseases. Athletes, people who exercise regularly, people who maintain ideal body weight and non-smokers tend to have lower blood pressures. Therefore, low blood pressure is desirable as long as it is not low enough to cause symptoms and potentially damage organs of the body.

Cause: Conditions that decrease the volume of blood (for example, bleeding, dehydration), reduce cardiac output (for example, heart attack, cardiomyopathy), and decrease the tension in artery walls may cause low blood pressure. Medication side effects can cause low blood pressure, as can spinal cord injuries.

Septicemia is a severe infection in which bacteria (or other infectious organisms such as fungi) enter the blood. Commonly the initial infection may originate in the lungs (as pneumonia). Bladder (Urinary tract infection), or in the abdomen (diverticulitis). Untreated, the bacteria enter the bloodstream where they may release toxins and cause life-threatening and profound low blood pressure (septic shock), often with damage to several organs.

Signs and symptoms: If low blood pressure is the normal state for a patient, then there will be no symptoms. However, if low blood pressure is symptomatic, then the patient may feel lightheaded and dizzy, unsteadiness as blood flow to the brain is decreased. There may be blurring of vision, weakness, confusion, and nausea. Other organs may be involved causing chest pain, shortness of breath, cool, clammy skin, and passing out or fainting.

Treatment: Patients with symptoms that are possibly due to low blood pressure should be evaluated by a doctor. Patients who have had a major drop in blood pressure from their usual levels even without the development of symptoms also should be evaluated. Treatment will be based upon the cause of the low blood pressure reading. For example a person being treated for high blood pressure may need to have their medication adjusted.

                                                                                     By…Belinda Yeboah