What is orthostatic hypotension?

Orthostatic hypotension is a medical condition where blood pressure drops significantly when a person stands up or sits down. It happens because lower-body blood vessels fail to constrict properly, causing blood to pool in the legs and reducing blood flow to the brain. Treatment ranges from increasing salt and water intake to wearing compression stockings and using specific medications.

What we know

• Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a fall in systolic blood pressure of at least 20 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of at least 10 mmHg after 3 minutes of standing. [2]
• The condition occurs predominantly due to delayed or absent constriction of lower body blood vessels when changing position to standing, which is also a factor discussed in autonomic regulation disorders like POTS. [2, 4]
• Causes for orthostatic hypotension include certain medications, autonomic neuropathy, decreased blood volume, multiple system atrophy, and age-related blood-vessel stiffness. [2]
• Treatments can include increasing salt and water intake, wearing compression stockings, and taking medications such as fludrocortisone or midodrine. [2]

Still open

• It is unclear whether chronic orthostatic hypotension is a causative factor in dementia or merely associated with cerebral hypoperfusion that may accelerate its pathophysiology.

Where to go next

• the bigger pictureWhat causes hypotension generally?
• compared withHow does postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome compare?
• how it workedWhat role does autonomic neuropathy play in blood pressure drops?
• what followedWhat are the effects of severe blood pressure drops on the brain?
• an unexpected connectionWhat is orthostatic hypertension?

Sources

• [1]orthostatic hypotension (Wikidata Q7104966) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Orthostatic hypotension · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Hypotension · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Orthostatic hypertension · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

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2. /What is orthostatic hypotension?