Low blood pressure and dizziness

Introduction

Who does not know it? Frequent dizziness in the most unfavorable situations can be unpleasant and potentially dangerous. However, dizziness does not only occur then, but for example after getting up quickly.

The reasons for this are many and varied and cannot always be clearly identified. The actual cause can also be masked by other symptoms. However, low blood pressure is a common cause. If possible, low blood pressure should be clarified and treated. The therapy includes many options and ranges from conservative, drug-free therapy to supportive measures such as compression stockings and drug therapy.

Why does low blood pressure cause dizziness?

A low blood pressure does not necessarily lead to dizziness. Dizziness can also be caused by other diseases. Also, low blood pressure is not considered a disease in many countries.

However, low blood pressure is often associated with dizziness. Roughly speaking, this is due to the fact that the brain and other important organs are not supplied with sufficient oxygen for a short, but also sometimes longer period of time. The causes of low blood pressure are manifold and range from physical inactivity, hormonal causes or infections to insufficient pumping capacity of the heart or vegetative causes due to damage to the body’s own receptors.

In all cases, however, the blood vessels do not pump enough blood into the affected organ (the brain). As a result, the cells are undersupplied for a while, but they have a high demand for oxygen and are very sensitive to an undersupply, which means that they are not fully functional for a short time. Nevertheless, low blood pressure can have positive effects on the body and can be a sign of a healthy, active lifestyle.

Which accompanying symptoms still occur frequently?

Probably the most common concomitant symptoms of rapidly occurring dizziness caused by low blood pressure are In the case of tachycardia, this can be explained by an attempt by the body to compensate. The other symptoms are also caused by an undersupply of oxygen. In addition, concentration problems, a feeling of tightness in the chest, a depressed basic mood, ringing in the ears or even a reduced appetite and a high degree of irritability can also occur.

  • Tachycardia,
  • Shortness of breath,
  • Short unconsciousness
  • Headache,
  • Visual problems,
  • Gang insecurity,
  • Paleness and tiredness.

A rapid pulse, also known as tachycardia in the technical jargon, is a typical accompanying symptom that occurs when blood pressure is low. Low blood pressure precedes the rapid pulse. The reason for this rapid pulse is that the body tries to maintain the blood supply to the organs as compensation for low blood pressure.

When low blood pressure occurs quickly, it is usually referred to as blood saturation in the smaller vessels of the human body. This means that only a small amount of blood flows back to the heart and a large portion of the blood cannot be pumped through the heart because it is in the vascular system through the suddenly dilated arterial vessels. However, in order to supply the vital organs with oxygen, the heart is stimulated to beat or pulse faster.

As a result, the blood flow from the heart into the aorta is partially increased and a larger amount of blood and thus oxygen is available. Depending on the extent of the low blood pressure or its values, the pulse can reach a frequency of up to 200 beats per minute. Nausea is also a common symptom of low blood pressure.

Nausea usually occurs in connection with headaches, visual disturbances, weakness or dizziness. The nausea can be limited to a short moment. However, nausea in the context of low blood pressure can also cause you to feel unwell for several minutes or even vomit.

The cause of the nausea that occurs is also due to reduced blood flow to the brain. Here the undersupply of oxygen plays the main role. The brain cells are very sensitive to a reduced supply of oxygen.

If there is a lack of oxygen for their energy production, it can very quickly lead to a temporary loss of part of their function, which is why a reduced blood flow leads to a failure of the brain cells.Fatigue is also a common symptom associated with low blood pressure. In most cases, low blood pressure must be maintained for a period longer than a few hours or a few days. However, fatigue does not occur in every person with long-term low blood pressure.

It is also possible that it only appears irregularly. The causes of fatigue can still be more varied than low blood pressure alone. However, the explanation for low blood pressure fatigue is also that it leads to an undersupply of the brain and organs.

For example, affected persons are tired immediately after getting up or have to rest several times a day. Their performance is also significantly reduced and they are not as resilient as healthy persons. In addition, fatigue is often associated with reduced concentration and poorer reactions.

If fatigue persists for a long time and cannot be explained, a doctor should be consulted to clarify possible serious causes. Headaches are a frequently observed symptom associated with low blood pressure. Headache can manifest itself in many ways and can persist for a short or long time.

This also depends on whether the low blood pressure is short or long. Again, the headache may have other causes. The explanation for the headache is, as with the other symptoms, reduced blood flow to the brain, which ultimately leads to an undersupply of oxygen to the brain cells.

The therapeutic options for low blood pressure and the associated dizziness are very diverse and range from conservative, drug-free therapy to supportive measures such as compression stockings and drug therapy. Conservative therapy includes, for example, a change in lifestyle. More attention can be paid to sports activities and to switching to endurance sports.

Rest periods when getting up or alternating baths are also considered helpful. You should also drink enough fluids and take in salt. Caffeine can also stimulate the circulation. If all this is not helpful, a drug therapy can be considered. As soon as the low blood pressure is well treated for the first time, dizziness usually does not occur anymore.