What Are the Ways To Prevent Orthostatic Hypotension & Does It Reoccur?

Orthostatic hypotension or postural hypotension refers to sudden failure in the blood pressure and it takes place whenever you stand up very fast. Hypotension is a terminology to mention low blood pressure and blood pressure implies the blood force against your arteries walls. Whenever you stand up, gravity pulls the blood in your legs and reduces your blood pressure. Certain reflexes present in your body compensate for the respective change. Your heart beats at a fast rate to pump a relatively high amount of blood, while the blood vessels constrict to avoid pooling of the same blood in the legs.

If you suffer from orthostatic hypotension because of a specific medicine, your doctor recommends you adjusting the dosage or switching you for other medicines. An effective way to treat orthostatic hypotension is to bring certain changes in daily life. These include the following-

• Consumption of fluids in enough amounts to avoid the condition of dehydration, especially before you stand up or involve in any of the intensive physical exercises.
• Make sure to stand slowly while you get out of your chair
• Never cross the legs at the time of sitting
• If you require staying in bed because of medical reasons and/or illness, you should make a habit to sit for at least a few minutes.
• You should raise your head while lying in bed and never stand for a long time.
• Whenever you get up from the bed, you should get up very slowly and simply sit on your bed’s edge for many minutes before standing up.
• You should involve in isometric exercises, like squeeze a towel or rubber ball for a while before you should assume the upright position. These exercises increase your blood pressure and thereby, avoid a significant drop in the blood pressure while you wake up.
• You should wear suitable compression stockings to apply enough pressure on your legs to achieve the required blood circulation.⁽³⁾

Now, the question that comes in our mind is whether orthostatic hypotension reoccurs or not. For this, we should discuss the outlook or prognosis of the disease in detail. In most of the cases, doctors treat the problem successfully. In some cases, you may experience the re-occurrence of orthostatic hypotension or episodes related to the condition. In such situations, you should look for medical treatment regularly to live a normal life.⁽⁴⁾

Most of the drugs may affect regular reflexes and cause orthostatic hypotension. These reflexes may even become weak with your age and hence, the problem is relatively common in elderlies. People suffering from orthostatic hypotension often feel dizzy while they stand up. The condition, in this case, is usually mild and may last for only a few minutes after you stand. A few people may even lose their consciousness and become faint.⁽¹⁾

When your brain fails to get blood supply in enough amounts, it starts shutting down. Accordingly, orthostatic hypotension involves the following major symptoms-

• Lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Passing out or fainting

Other than this, you may experience blurred vision, weakness, tremulousness or shaking and similar others.

In some cases, the symptoms resolve at a fast rate, as your body adjusts to your standing position slowly. However, in some of the cases, patients have to lie down or sit quickly to avoid falling or passing out.⁽²⁾

To conclude, we should say that one can easily manage his/her symptoms or complications related to orthostatic hypotension by following a few of the preventative measures, as we have discussed here. However, in some cases, the problem of orthostatic hypotension may reoccur. In such situations, you must undergo regular treatment and consultation with your doctor to manage your blood pressure levels.

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Also Read:

• What is Postural Hypotension & How is it Treated?
• What Is Hypotension?|Conditions That Can Result In Hypotension
• What Neurological Disorders Cause Low Blood Pressure?
• Can You Get Lightheaded From High Blood Pressure?
• Best Exercises Or Activities For Orthostatic Hypotension
• Home Remedies For Orthostatic Hypotension & Is It A Disability?