what are symptoms of low blood pressure?

Question

i can be sitting down/laying down then when i get up i feel dizzy everything gets dark and i get a headache that happens every time i sit down ......also i almost all the time have a head ache ....and ill get these i dont exactly know what they are .. like red blotches over my chest and body ...can any one tell me what that is or is symptoms of ...

Answer 1

Alternative names
Hypotension; Low blood pressure
Definition Low blood pressure is an abnormal condition in which a person's blood pressure (the pressure of the blood against the walls of the blood vessels during and after each beat of the heart) is much lower than usual. It can cause symptoms such as dizziness or lightheadedness.

Considerations
When the blood pressure is too low, there is inadequate blood flow to the heart, brain, and other vital organs.

A blood pressure level that is borderline low for one person may be normal for another. The most important factor is how the blood pressure changes from the normal condition. Most normal blood pressures fall in the range of 90/60 mm Hg to 130/80 mm Hg, but a significant change, even as little as 20 mm Hg, can cause problems for some people.

Common Causes
Low blood pressure is commonly caused by drugs such as:

Medications used for surgery
Anti-anxiety agents
Treatment for high blood pressure or coronary heart disease (CHD)
Diuretics
Heart medicines
Some antidepressants
Narcotic analgesics
Alcohol
Other causes of low blood pressure include:

Dehydration
Heart failure
Heart attack
Changes in heart rhythm (arrhythmias)
Fainting
Anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic response)
Shock (from severe infection, stroke, anaphylaxis, major trauma, or heart attack)
Advanced diabetes
Another common type of low blood pressure is orthostatic hypotension, which is brought on by a sudden change in body position, usually when shifting from lying down to standing upright.

Home Care
Follow prescribed therapy. Bed rest and assistance with daily activities as needed until the condition improves.

Call your health care provider if
Call your local emergency number (such as 911) if someone is unconscious. If trained in basic life support (BLS) or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), check the person's ABCs (airway, breathing, and circulation). If the person is NOT breathing or has NO pulse, begin CPR.

Call your doctor immediately if you:

Feel dizzy, lightheaded, or faint
Have black or maroon stools
Have chest pain, shortness of breath, an irregular heartbeat, fever higher than 101 degrees, headache, stiff neck, or severe upper back pain
Also call your doctor if you have:

Cough with phlegm
Prolonged diarrhea or vomiting
Inability to eat or drink
Burning with urination or other urinary symptoms
You are taking any new medications

What to expect at your health care provider's office
In emergencies, the seriousness of the condition will be determined first. Then, the health care provider will obtain your medical history and will perform a physical examination.

Frequent monitoring of vital signs (temperature, pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure) and/or hospitalization may be necessary.

Medical history questions documenting low blood pressure may include the following:

What is your normal blood pressure?
What medications do you take?
Have you been eating and drinking normally?
Have you have any recent illness, accident, or injury?
What other symptoms are also present?
Did you faint or become less alert?
Do you feel dizzy or light-headed when standing or sitting after lying down?
Diagnostic tests that may be performed include the following:
Blood studies (such as CBC, blood differential)
Cultures
ECG
Urinalysis
X-ray of the abdomen
X-ray of the chest

Update Date: 2/9/2006

Updated by: Frederic F. Little, M.D., Department of Allergy and Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

3 years ago, I was diagnosed - hypertension with a reading of 160/100. I used to feel dizzy a lot, my legs had awful cramps, and levels were very low in my potassium, causing my fingers and toes to always cramp together. One day I started to feel really faint while I was driving with my daughter in the back seat and I passed out, hitting 3 cars and ending up in a ditch. That moment,I knew I had to do something because my meds weren't working. I heard about this diet from a friend and thought I'd give it a shot. The results have been remarkable. In just 21 days, I honestly can't remember feeling this good, my blood pressure went from 175/110 to 125/70.

Answer 4

Normal blood pressure for an adult is around 120/80, hypotension (the posh medical term for low blood pressure) is anything under 90/60. Having a low BP would explain why you feel faint if you get up or lie down too fast. It takes longer for the oxygen you breath in to get to your vital organs, such as your brain, hence why you feel dizzy. If your doctor says it is safe then don't worry. Having high blood pressure is much more hazardous to your health.

Answer 5

I felt the same way for awhile but it was just because I wasn't eating right. Make sure your getting your daily nutritional value (get some vitamins atleast - I use Centrum), make sure your eating some good food then test it out. If you still have dizziness and what not then it's either low blood pressure or something else. Good luck.

Answer 6

low blood pressure, you will really know. you are light headed while laying, standing sitting, kind of like when you stand up too fast. and it is not fun. as for the red spots on your chest never heard of it doing that. your best bet is to physically be seen by a doctor so they can run test doing it over the computer or someone guessing on your condition is not safe at all

Answer 7

Drinking green tea causes my blood pressure to get too low sometimes. Once it was 70 over 30! I also had low thyroid contributing to that. Do you drink a lot of green tea? Are you at risk for tyroid insufficiency?

Answer 8

It sounds like you do have low blood pressure. Another symptom is fatigue.

Answer 9

Dizziness and floaters in the eyes. It can be induced by nutritional deficiencies or by hormonal fluctuations. That doesn't mean that it's a constant and needs treatment, except for possibly a vitamin regimin, but only your Dr. can determine whether it's serious or just a side effect of something else.

Answer 10

Low blood pressure a/k/a Hypotension
you feel dizzy, fainting, clammy