Blood pressure

The pressure with which the blood flows in the body is known as blood pressure. Normal adult blood pressure should be 120/80 mmHg. But it fluctuates many times in a day. The lowest blood pressure can be measured when we are sleeping or in a relaxed state, but if the blood pressure goes below 90/60 mmHg then this condition can be considered as low blood pressure. Low blood pressure is also known as hypotension. There are several side effects of low blood pressure. If not taken care of on time, it may take you to dangerous consequences.

Depending upon the causes and the condition of the individuals body the side effects of low blood pressure can be mild or dangerous. Some of the causes of low blood pressure are dehydration, severe bleeding due to injury, inflammation of any organ, heart diseases, heart blockage, low pulse rate, pregnancy, etc. It may also be caused due to the drug toxicity or due to the side effects of some medication. Age can also be a factor responsible for low blood pressure. It is very important to keep an eye on these causes so as to understand the risk factor of low blood pressure.

Low Blood Pressure: Side Effects

If the blood pressure is low, the organ will not be able to get enough oxygen. This may result in many complications and life threatening consequences. Hence it becomes very important to understand the side effects of low blood pressure. Following are some of them.

Nausea
This is one of the most common signs of low pressure. As the blood flow slows down in low blood pressure, there is a deficiency of blood and oxygen in the brain. This usually results in nausea. It can be caused due to the gastrointestinal distress.

Dizziness
Low blood pressure can result in dizziness and lightheadedness. Sudden change in the posture like immediately getting up from the bed after sleeping can also cause dizziness. This condition is also known as hypotension. It is mostly seen in people above the age of 60. It can also be a result of severe dehydration.

Fainting
Low blood pressure is considered as the most common cause for fainting. Insufficient amount of blood flow and scarcity of oxygen causes fainting. Due to this the people are at a greater risk of getting injured, as they can faint whenever their blood pressure drops drastically.

Effects on Heart
As the blood flow becomes slow and there is not enough pressure for the heart to pump blood to different parts of the body, it may result in many heart diseases. It may even result in heart attacks.

Effects on Brain
Due to the low blood pressure the brain is unable to get proper blood and oxygen. This may affect the nervous system and may result in confusion, metal illness, strokes, nerve damage etc. It may also affect the functioning of other parts of the body as every part of the body receives command from the brain.

Effects on Kidney
The work of a kidney is to eliminate the toxins from our body. But low blood pressure can hinder its work and may result in toxin build up in the kidney. This may even damage the kidney and increase the toxicity in the blood.

Now that you know about various side effects of low blood pressure you may need to go for a proper check up to find out the cause behind it. If the cause behind it is diagnosed, then treatment for low blood pressure will be easy but should be immediately. As it may take a life threatening turn, you should not ignore it at all.
By Niharika Arya
Published: 10/1/2010