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Effects of Low Blood Pressure
Blood pressure impacts multiple pathways in the human body. When it comes to bad news about blood pressure, most of us think about high blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension. However having severely low blood pressure can be problematic as well. The medical term for low blood pressure is hypotension. The side effects of low blood pressure can be serious and it should be taken care of immediately. Chronic low blood pressure has adverse effects on everything from your brain to basic everyday functions. Have you ever walked up a flight of stairs and felt dizzy or light headed? Or as a male, got lightheaded after a visit to the urinals? All those may be signs and effects of low blood pressure. One common factor for hypotension is having decreased blood volume that is known as hypovolemia, which is a constant state of low blood volume. Health issues that may lead to hypotension are: Advanced diabetes. Anaphylaxis Changes in heart rhythm Fainting Heart failure Dehydration Shock Also some medicines can cause temporary drops in blood pressure. That is why its important you pay close attention when mixing or using multiple medications. Effects of low blood pressure include: Fainting Blurry vision Sleepiness Confusion Dizziness Light-headedness Weakness The most common form of hypotension is orthostatic hypotension. This is also known as postural hypotension. It usually occurs because of a change in the bodys position. An example would be standing up quickly from a sitting or lying down position. The change can briefly lower the blood flow in the body. One of the effects of low blood pressure is the accompanying light headedness. Another type of hypotension that is less common in the US is postprandial hypotension. It generally occurs thirty to seventy minutes after eating a large meal. Your bodys digestion of food will send a large amount of blood to the digestive tract. Because of the diversion of blood, the autonomic nervous system must compensate and will pump out more blood for the body. This may result in a temporary drop in blood pressure. Chronic orthostatic hypotension may affect the autonomic nervous system in a negative manner. As you can see, the effects of low blood pressure can sometimes be as severe as high blood pressure. Even though the hypertension & hypotension may sound similar, their impact on the body are very different. However, both are cause for concern and should be checked out immediately by a physician. 
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