Low blood pressure
Values, symptoms and treatment for low blood pressure
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Low blood pressure (hypotension) affects many people and can have different causes. We explain which values speak for hypotension, what the symptoms are and what helps.
What is low blood pressure?
Low blood pressure (hypotension) refers to blood pressure readings below 100/110 to 60 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). Many people in Germany are affected, especially young, slim women. The phenomenon can cause discomfort, but it doesn’t have to. Typical symptoms are tiredness, dizziness and headaches. Unlike high blood pressure, low blood pressure is not considered a disease.
What blood pressure is normal?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a blood pressure of 120 to 80 mmHg than normal. In addition to low blood pressure as a deviation, there is also high blood pressure. This so-called hypertension is referred to as persistent values of over 140 to 90 mmHg.
How is low blood pressure caused?
The blood pressure refers to the pressure inside the large arteries leading away from the heart. Whether it is high or low essentially depends on three factors:
- elasticity and resistance of the vessel walls
- heart rate
- beating power of the heart
Normally, the body regulates blood pressure itself: Tiny pressure gauges are located in the carotid arteries, which check the blood pressure and send appropriate signals to the brain. If the pressure is too low, the brain orders the vessels to constrict in order to increase it again.
There are several causes of low blood pressure
have the complaints various causes that go back to the respective form:
- Primary hypotension: This form usually occurs without an identifiable cause, but experts assume that the tendency to it can be inherited. Primary hypotension is the most common form.
- Secondary hypotension: Here, the low blood pressure occurs as a result of a disease, including, for example, hypothyroidism, heart diseases such as cardiac insufficiency, salt deficiency and venous insufficiency. Blood pressure can also drop as a result of dehydration or special medication.
- Orthostatic hypotension: This is where low blood pressure occurs when you get up too quickly – this causes the blood to pool in your legs, which the body cannot compensate for quickly enough. Causes can be, for example, secondary hypotension or a disorder of the autonomic nervous system caused by diabetes.
Symptoms: What symptoms does low blood pressure cause?
Some sufferers do not experience any symptoms of low blood pressure. Those who have discomfort usually suffer from:
Treating Low Blood Pressure: What Helps?
Above all Affected people often struggle with symptoms when they get up in the morning. These home remedies help against low blood pressure:
- Exercise, for example endurance sports like swimming
- contrast showers
- Coffee, but also black and green tea
- compression stockings
- Several small meals a day rather than three large ones
- Medicines (prescribed by the doctor, but only in a few cases due to side effects)
Don’t know if your blood pressure is normal? Here we tell you how to measure your blood pressure.