Blood pressure, or more commonly called blood pressure, is the measure of the force the heart uses to pump blood around the body. The blood pressure value consists of two different values such as 120/80 mmHg and 130/85 mmHg. The value called systolic blood pressure expresses the pressure when the heart pumps blood; diastolic blood pressure indicates the pressure of the heart at rest between beats.
What is Low Blood Pressure?
In healthy adults, blood pressure is usually lower than 120/80. Low blood pressure values include situations where blood pressure is less than 90/60. Low blood pressure, also known as hypotension, can occur due to different reasons. Finding and correcting these causes is important in balancing low blood pressure. Low blood pressure causes some problems in the body. Symptoms of low blood pressure:
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Sweating, clammy skin
- Blurred vision
- It can be counted as a decrease in concentration.
- Confusion of consciousness
- Cold, moist, pale skin
- Fast and shallow breathing
- Weak and rapid pulse.
What are the Causes of Low Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day. Many factors, from body position to stress level, from the foods consumed to the drugs used, cause changes in blood pressure. The time of day is also an important factor that changes blood pressure. Blood pressure usually rises at night when waking up from sleep.
In some people, blood pressure may be at normally low levels. This picture with constant low blood pressure values is not a problem as long as it does not cause any symptoms. A sudden drop in blood pressure can also cause symptoms of low blood pressure, even if blood pressure does not drop below 90/60 mmHg. Too much of this decrease can lead to the emergence of life-threatening situations.
The causes of low blood pressure form a wide spectrum: Pregnancy: The circulatory system undergoes rapid expansion. This causes a drop in blood pressure and is normal. Usually, after delivery, the mother's blood pressure returns to pre-pregnancy values. Heart Disorders: Conditions such as low heart rate, heart valve diseases, heart attack and heart failure; It causes the heart's force to pump blood around the body not creating enough pressure. Low blood pressure is seen as a result of inability to create pressure. Hormonal Problems: Endocrine causes such as parathyroid gland diseases, adrenal (adrenal) gland failure, decrease in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to low blood pressure. Dehydration: Losing a large amount of fluid from the body and not replacing this fluid can lead to dehydration. causes. dehydration; vomiting, diarrhea, fever, heavy exercise and diuretic group drug use may occur due to overdose. dehydration; It causes a drop in blood pressure and the appearance of symptoms such as weakness and dizziness. This decrease in volume causes a decrease in the amount of blood in the circulation and consequently a decrease in blood pressure. septic shock; In addition to low blood pressure, it also causes different symptoms such as fever, decreased urine output, and heart palpitations. Septic shock is a condition that requires urgent medical attention due to its high mortality rate. Anaphylaxis: Anaphylactic shock; It is a severe allergic reaction that develops as a result of exposure of a person who is allergic to substances such as food, drugs, latex, bees. A person with anaphylactic shock may experience conditions such as hypotension, itching, redness, swelling of the throat and obstruction of the airway. People with allergies should carry an epinephrine (adrenaline) shot with them against the possibility of anaphylactic shock. Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency: Conditions such as iron, folate and vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia (anemia). Anemia with fewer red blood cells than normal can lead to a decrease in blood pressure. The use of drugs can also cause low blood pressure.
Low blood pressure; It can be divided into different categories depending on factors such as the time and cause of the drop in blood pressure.
- Orthostatic hypotension is a type of low blood pressure that occurs when standing up from a sitting or lying position. It can be seen in all age groups, although it is usually in older people. It may occur as a result of conditions such as dehydration, pregnancy, and after prolonged bed rest. It is usually seen in the older age group. The risk of postprandial hypotension increases in diseases such as Parkinson's disease.
- Neurally mediated hypotension occurs as a result of standing for a long time. This type of low blood pressure, which is more common in children and teenagers, can also occur as a result of emotional stress.
What to Do for Low Blood Pressure?
Symptoms and signs of low blood pressure In cases where it does not cause symptoms or causes only mild symptoms, treatment is usually not needed. Treatment of low blood pressure varies according to the cause of low blood pressure. For example, in the treatment of a patient with low blood pressure due to a drug used, reducing the dose of the drug or discontinuing the drug completely comes to the fore. Medications can be used in the treatment of orthostatic hypotension, in which blood pressure drops when standing up from a sitting or lying position. Reducing the severity of symptoms by raising blood pressure. Nutrition and lifestyle changes can be beneficial for this.
What to Eat in Low Blood Pressure?
People with hypotension can increase their blood pressure by making changes in their diet list. The question 'What to eat to increase low blood pressure?' can be answered with many different foods. To increase blood pressure: Salty foods: Foods high in salt increase blood pressure. Consuming foods such as salty buttermilk, pickles, olives, and salted cheese increase low blood pressure. ar.Adequate fluid consumption: In order to replace the fluid lost by the body during the day, it is necessary to consume as much or more of the drink as the lost fluid. Drinks recommended for adequate fluid consumption are healthy alternatives such as water, soda, and ayran. Fruit: Fruits are foods with high liquid content. In this way, fruit consumption prevents dehydration and prevents blood pressure from falling. Caffeine: Caffeine is a substance that causes a temporary increase in blood pressure by increasing the heart rate. Consumption of beverages such as tea and coffee with high caffeine content causes an increase in blood pressure.
What Balances Low Blood Pressure?
- Dizziness, dizziness, In cases where it causes similar symptoms, applications such as consuming salted buttermilk can stabilize blood pressure.
- The decrease in blood pressure can be prevented with simple but effective practices that can be applied to prevent low blood pressure.
- The diet consists of frequent meals and small portions, daily fluid consumption is sufficient, alcohol consumption is limited; Helps prevent drops in blood pressure.
- It is necessary not to stay outside for a long time in hot and sweltering weather, and even if you stay, it is necessary to consume enough water to replace the fluid lost through sweating.
- It is helpful to be aware of the danger of dehydration in places such as saunas, steam rooms, and Turkish baths that increase fluid loss from the body.
- Avoiding sudden body position changes in order to prevent low blood pressure also has a positive effect.
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