Posteral hypotension?

Question

I have irregular heart beats which can lead to periods of tachycardia with hypertension and ventricular arrhythmias.

I stood up twice today and felt dizzy.
Blood pressure when sitting down was about 115/75, pulse 66.
Standing up, it siad 117/78, pulse 75.

This should mean that the heart is working fine and that this is just the carotid pressure that is the problem.

This is an uncommon occurance, but happened twice today.

Answer 1

what condition do you have? are you on any medications?

i ask because ventricular arrhythmias are often treated with beta blockers, which can lower blood pressure. people on them often have postural hypotension. another possibility is that you are having a run of arrhythmia upon standing which is causing your blood pressure to drop temporarily.

i wouldn't necessarily say that your blood pressure is not dropping because of the two readings you have above. blood pressure swings can be volitile and rapid, and the body is designed to try to compensate for them very quickly. it is fairly unlikely that a peripheral (on your arm or leg) blood pressure monitor would be able to catch such rapid changes. also, peripheral number changes are often significantly delayed from central changes. this means that it might be many seconds between when you feel the symptoms of low blood pressure in your head, and when that low blood pressure is detectable in your arm. since most home machines require 45 seconds to one minute to complete the testing cycle, it is possible that your blood pressure could go down and back up during or between cycles.

that said, there are other things that can cause dizziness upon arising, such as vertigo, which have nothing to do with blood pressure. you need to discuss this with your doctor, and perhaps have further testing, if this is going to be an ongoing problem for you.

Answer 2

FORMORE INFO SEE:
Ordinarily, blood rushes towards your legs whenever you stand due to gravity, but your body compensates by constricting your blood vessels and increasing your heart rate. This in turn ensures that enough blood gets to your brain. In Orthostatic hypotension, this compensation mechanism fails for some reason and blood pressure falls.

Orthostatic hypotension be caused by hypovolemia (a decreased amount of blood in the body), resulting from the excessive use of diuretics, vasodilators, or other types of drugs, dehydration, or prolonged bed rest. The disorder may be associated with Addison's disease, atherosclerosis (build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries), diabetes, and certain neurological disorders including Shy-Drager syndrome and other dysautonomias. Symptoms, which generally occur after sudden standing, include dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision, and syncope (temporary loss of consciousness).

A decrease in standing systolic blood pressure >10 mmHg, when associated with dizziness or fainting, is more frequent in older patients with systolic hypertension, diabetes, and those taking diuretics, venodilators (e.g., nitrates, alpha-blockers, and sildenafillike drugs), and some psychotropic drugs. blood pressure in these individuals should also be monitored in the upright position.

Is there any treatment?

When orthostatic hypotension is caused by hypovolemia due to medications, the disorder may be reversed by adjusting the dosage or by discontinuing the medication. When the condition is caused by prolonged bed rest, improvement may occur by sitting up with increasing frequency each day. In some cases, physical counter pressure such as elastic hose or whole-body inflatable suits may be required. Dehydration is treated with salt and fluids.

Answer 3

It sounds so much like me I have pots postural orthostatic tachy cardia. I suggest you visit a website on pots. It only came out in the early 1990's so really physician are the only ones that know about this and some don't know alot a suggest you find a specialist or someone who can order you more test.

Answer 4

Im sorry, but I dont think you have postural hypotension. The blood pressure is almost the same both times. Its a normal variance.

Answer 5

It is not fun, I know. This happens to me a lot, also. Please try to remember to stand up slowly.

Have you talked to the doctor about it? In the interim, here is a website that you may want to look at b/c it seems to give good advice and information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthostatic_hypotension