How common is Orthostatic Hypotension and how can it be diagnosed?

Hi guest,

Stand up fast.  Do you get dizzy?  That is orthostatic hypotension, your blood pressure drops when you change position suddenly.  It's VERY common and not usually a concern.  But, at most it just lasts for a few seconds however. 

The blood vessels in your body have muscles and they contract to help keep the blood pressure up - and it takes some time for this to happen.

If it seems to be getting worse OR if your symptoms last much more than a few seconds you need to see your doctor.

 

The first time it happened to me I was 60 years old. I was working with a bunch of other old technicians in a new job where we were setting up work stations for testing electronic equipment. I had spent about a half hour laying on the floor wiring up a bench. When I got up it was like wooo, wooo, wooo and I thought I was going to pass out. I soon found most of the other old guys were familiar with it and we called it "the old man's high". That was 5 years after I had bypass surgery, I was on BP pills and they were too. So we figured it was mainly caused by the pills. Now 15 years later I still get it if I get up too fast. Just another one of those annoyances of age.

Hello everyone,

I'll agree with Nedic dan that this is quite a common thing in people. I believe that most of the people experienced this at least once in their lives.

Well, if you want to do some tests rather than keep it simple by doing what medic dan told you, you can have your blood pressure monitored, you can have blood tests done, you can do the electrocardiogram test, echocardiogram test, stress test, tilt table test or valsalva maneuver, all of these can help diagnose orthostatic hypotension.

But just like Medic dan wrote, you don't need to do any of these, just the simple trick that he mentioned will do.

Hello everyone,

This is a very mild condition and you won't have any problems with it. It cannot pass to you from your parents or grandparents, it is usually caused by dehydration, heart problems, endocrine problems, nervous system disorders or after eating meals.

You wouldn't need anything in order to treat this condition. If you notice that you are dizzy and that you might faint when you stand up suddenly, just don't move for a short period of time, sit back where you were sitting before you stood up or lie down. This is the only "treatment" that you need and you will feel better in seconds.

Hey again,

Actually, Adria, sometimes the doctors suggest people with orthostatic hypotension to do something about it.

The things that doctors are usually suggesting are lifestyle changes and compression stockings.

Lifestyle changes include drinking plenty of fluids, drinking little to no alcohol, avoiding walking during hot weather, elevating the head of your bed, standing up slowly and following certain exercise programs to strengthen your leg muscles.

Compression stockings and garments or abdominal binders may help reduce the pooling of blood in your legs and reduce the symptoms of orthostatic hypotension. There are some medications that are also used but there is no need for them.

Hi everyone,

It is pretty common actually, I happen to feel dizzy almost always after suddenly standing up and a lot of people do as well, but there is no need for me or any of them to do anything about it. The only case when you should be worried about this is when the feeling of dizziness lasts for more than just a couple of seconds. This could mean that you have more serious problems than just orthostatic hypotension.

It is quite easy to diagnose it, just like they wrote above, but Medic dan definitely gave you the easiest solution when it comes to diagnosing it.

Greetings there. First I want to thank you for quick answer. I am happy because I got it that soon. Now, I will try to answer on your questions. I don't know...I stand up and sometimes I feel dizzy, not all the time. I remember that one day this happened to me and I was thinking that I am going to faint. Luckily, my friend was there and nothing happened to me. I didn't follow does this happens all the time. I think that I don't have any so dangerous symptoms, but who knows. Maybe I am wrong. What to do about this? Thank you.

Let me continue with my post, so I will try to see how I can seek for some advice from you. You had 60 years old when this happened to you for the first time? I am younger and I can't deal with it. How did you do it? I don't know what to do, should I ask my doctor to help me a little bit about this, what test should I do about this? I didn't have any bypass surgery and generally I feel pretty much fine. But I am scared now when I am reading all your posts. How did you treated this issue?

We discussed it in cardiac rehab because some of them were having problems with it while I had not started to at that point in time, The only thing dangerous about it is if you should pass out and fall, hurting yourself. Obviously the prevention is to not get up too fast. Now I don't hop right out of bed in the morning, I sit up first for a few seconds before standing up, likewise if I've been on the ground and get up.

Hey. Well that is the problem - I always hop right out of the bed in the morning because I am always late to my work. Sometimes I feel dizzy, sometimes I don't and I always believe that this is because I didn't eat at all night before. Now I can see that maybe this is not a case. I will try to listen to your advice, but I remember that one day I was sitting in my bed, reading the book before I get out of my bed and I was feeling equal dizzy like when I get up. That is what worries me and that is what confuses me actually.

Hey there dear guest. My doctor teaches me one thing - you should never run or jump out of your bed if there is no need for it. I always feel dizzy when I am out of my bed but that is nothing that serious. At least, my doctor told me so. But I had those problems. I remember that one day I felt like I am going to feint and I just grab that guy (I don't know even who he is) in the train station. He told me that I am really pale and that I should visit the doctor. I don't know should I do some other researches or this one is just enough?

Orthostasis means upright posture and it also means that you are dealing with low blood pressure. According to that, orthostatic hypotension consists of symptoms of dizziness, faintness or lightheadedness which can appear only when you are standing. Like I already told you they are caused by low blood pressure.  Symptoms usually include chest pain, trouble holding the urine, sometimes the impotence, and very dry skin. It can be very common and I think that I was reading somewhere that it is very common in ladies that are less than 70 years old.

If you are dealing with dizziness seek for help immediately.