Hypotension

1
Hypotension

• Systolic lt 90 mmHg
• Relative to normal

2
Symptoms
According to Wikipedia Low blood pressure is
often accompanied by (Most of these are related
to causes rather than effects of hypotension.)

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Irregular heartbeat
• Fever higher than 101 F (38.3 C)
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Severe upper back pain
• Cough with phlegm
• Prolonged diarrhea or vomiting

• Inability to eat or drink
• Burning with urination
• Foul-smelling urine
• Adverse effect of medications
• Acute, life-threatening allergic reaction
• Dizziness, or light-headedness
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness
• Profound fatigue

3

4
Orthostatic Hypotension

• Cardiogenic (arrhythmia, heart failure,
  deconditioning, and pregnancy)
• Low blood volume
• Medication related
• Primary adrenal insufficiency
• Neurogenic
• Sensory neuropathies (diabetes, alcohol,
  syphilis, Holmes-Adie syndrome, carotid sinus
  obliteration by endarterectomy, Riley-Day
  syndrome)
• Central
• Peripheral

5
Postprandial hypotension

• 3075 minutes after eating
• increase heart rate and vasoconstriction to
  compensate
• caused by a disordered or aging autonomic nervous
  system not compensating appropriately while
  digestion takes place

6
Treatment

• Depends on the cause

7
Heres a few

• Dehydration fluids. Mild dehydration without
  nausea and vomiting can be treated with oral
  fluids and electrolytes. Moderate to severe
  dehydration, IV fluids and electrolytes.
• Blood loss IV fluids/blood. If bleeding is
  continuing, it needs to be treated as well.
• Septicemia is treated with intravenous fluids and
  antibiotics.
• Blood pressure medications or diuretics adjust,
  change, or stop.
• Pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis
  anti-coagulation, intravenous heparin initially
  and oral warfarin later.
• Pericardial fluid pericardiocentesis.
• Postural hypotension can be treated by
  increasing water and salt intake using
  compression stockings to compress the leg veins
  and reduce the pooling of blood in the veins
  Meds, proamatine (Midodrine), pyridostigmine
  (Mestinon) an anticholinesterase.