Orthostatic hypotension means a sudden lowering of the blood pressure when a person gets into an upright position.
A person suffering from orthostatic hypotension, for example, will feel dizzy and lightheaded standing up suddenly. Their alarm goes off in the morning, they swing their feet to the floor, stand up, and suddenly want to collapse again. A person suffering from orthostatic hypotension could even be sitting at the dinner table and perform a simple task like standing up to get more water, and suddenly feel chest pains and lightheadedness.
The heart and the blood vessels regulate the flow of blood in the body. If the heart’s not getting enough blood, and therefore not pumping out enough to sustain the rest of the body, orthostatic hypotension occurs. Blood vessels help to regulate blood pressure by constricting. Persons suffering from orthostatic hypotension can paralyze this constricting function if they stand up too quickly.
There are lots and lots of causes of orthostatic hypotension, including anemia and certain kinds of heart and blood pressure medications. Taller persons are usually more at risk of orthostatic hypotension than others. Persons with diabetes are more at risk than others. A person with orthostatic hypotension can make the disorder even worse by staying in bed too long, allowing themselves to become dehydrated, lifting heavy objects, and eating the wrong sorts of food. Food high in fat tends to build fatty substances in the arteries. When the arteries are plugged up with fat, blood flow becomes slow and sluggish, thus resulting in orthostatic hypotension.
A person suffering from the symptoms of orthostatic hypotension (dizziness, lightheadedness, faintness, etc., upon standing up) should see their doctor before taking any drastic steps. Your doctor can help you figure out what’s really going on, and, if orthostatic hypotension is ultimately diagnosed, help you to come up with a plan to combat it. Combative measures may include changes in sleeping patterns, changes in eating and exercise, and changes in medication.
Persons suffering from orthostatic hypotension can have difficulty urinating. Orthostatic hypotension can lead to impotence and dry, flaky skin from being dehydrated. Orthostatic hypotension can cause blurred vision.
Some of the things you doctor will ask you to do may include regularly and routinely checking your blood pressure while standing up or lying down. The key will be to check it when suffering the effects of orthostatic hypotension. Getting accurate measurements will be crucial in knowing just the right approach to take in trying to recover from orthostatic hypotension.
Other methods of combating hypotension include standing slowly rather than quickly. That way your heart and blood vessels will have time to adjust to the sudden change in your body. The same thing applies to getting up in the morning. Try lying there awake for five minutes, try gradually coming awake, instead of jumping out of bed first thing. Allow your heart and body to adjust to new conditions.
When it comes to diet, eating several small meals throughout the day rather than two or three big ones is a help when it comes to orthostatic hypotension. Eating lowers blood pressure, so it’s best to do it in increments rather than all at once. And drinking plenty of fluids and having enough salt is important. You want to avoid dehydration as much as possible. Again, work with your doctor on these and other steps for reducing the effects of orthostatic hypotension in your life. Every case is different, of course, so that methods will vary according to the person in need of them. If you experience lightheadedness and faintness when in an upright position, contact your doctor immediately and so begin the process of recovery.