Low blood pressure, also known as hypotension, is usually considered a sign of good health and low risk for cardiovascular disease. However, there are times when persistently low blood pressure or a sudden drop can be a sign of an underlying health issue that needs medical attention. Knowing when low blood pressure becomes a problem can help ensure timely intervention and proper care.

Blood pressure readings consist of two numbers:

Systolic pressure (the top number) indicates the pressure in your arteries when your heart pumps blood. Diastolic pressure (the bottom number) reflects the pressure in your arteries while your heart is resting between beats.

The normal reading is usually 120/80 mmHg or less. Hypotension is clinically defined as having blood pressure readings less than 90/60 mmHg. In some patients, low blood pressure will have no adverse health consequences and therefore does not need to be treated. In extreme cases, however, it can limit the flow of oxygen and nutrients to vital organs, resulting in potentially life-threatening complications, such as shock.

Causes of Low Blood Pressure

Hypotension can result from many factors. Some of the factors that cause hypotension are as follows:

• Insufficient fluid intake or excessive fluid loss can lead to decreased blood volume and hence hypotension.
• An injury or internal bleeding may result in hypotension. This happens because blood pressure becomes significantly reduced.
• Some hormonal changes along with the increased blood requirement during pregnancy also causes hypotension.
• Issues like heart failure or arrhythmias can impair blood circulation and result in low blood pressure.
• Certain drugs, including diuretics, antidepressants, and blood-pressure-lowering medications, can induce hypotension.

Symptoms of Hypotension

While low blood pressure may not always cause symptoms, it can sometimes be associated with:

- Dizziness or fainting

- Fatigue and weakness

- Blurred vision

- Nausea

- Confusion or difficulty concentrating

- Shallow breathing

- Palpitations

If the person experiences these symptoms, with the recorded blood pressure reading, the medical services have to be consulted.

Types of Low Blood Pressure

1. Orthostatic Hypotension: This is a kind of hypotension that appears as a result of decreased blood pressure when a person is standing up from lying down or sitting position and primarily affects elderly people.

2. Postprandial Hypotension: This is a drop in blood pressure after eating, more common in older people.

3. Neurally Mediated Hypotension: It is triggered by standing for long periods. This type can affect younger people and is associated with miscommunication between the brain and heart.

When Is Low Blood Pressure Dangerous?

There is no such thing as a universal threshold for very low blood pressure, but a blood pressure reading below 90/60 mmHg can be dangerous and require prompt medical assessment if accompanied by symptoms of fainting, confusion, or shortness of breath. Sudden falls in blood pressure may point to potentially serious underlying causes, which can include:

• Internal bleeding
• Sepsis (severe infection)
• Allergic reactions

Management and Treatment

Treatment of hypotension depends on its cause:

• Hydration Drinking more water can help against dehydration-related hypotension.
• Compression Stockings: These can improve circulation and reduce blood pooling in the lower limbs.
• Dietary Changes: Increasing salt intake under supervision can help increase blood pressure
• Medication Changes: The physician may need to reduce dosages of some medications or replace prescriptions.

For more severe cases, physicians might also administer fludrocortisone or midodrine to increase blood pressure. Shock from hypotension should be treated promptly to ensure proper function of organs.

Can Hypotension Cause Fatigue?

Chronic fatigue syndrome has also been associated with low blood pressure. Prolonged tiredness, despite adequate rest, may require reassessment of blood pressure levels. Fatigue secondary to hypotension will impact functionality and thus requires assessment and treatment of the cause.

When to Seek Medical Care

If your blood pressure readings are low consistently and without symptoms, you probably have nothing to worry about. If you do have symptoms like dizziness, fainting, or confusion, you need to go to the doctor. Blood pressure checks are usually conducted regularly. Once you are aware of your own normal baseline, you will know right away when there is something wrong.

Lifestyle Tips That Support Normal Blood Pressure

1. Other than directly treating hypotension, a healthy lifestyle overall would promote balanced blood pressure levels.
2. Exercise regularly; it promotes cardiovascular health and can help regulate blood pressure.
3. Focus on nutrient-dense foods rich in iron, B vitamins, and electrolytes to support circulatory health.
4. Excessive alcohol consumption dehydrates the body and lowers blood pressure.
5. Practices like yoga and meditation can help maintain a healthy blood pressure range.

A new analysis by the American Cancer Society observed that colon cancer or colorectal cancer has now become the leading cause of cancer death in US for people under 50. As per the report from the American Cancer Society, adults who are 65 or younger comprise nearly 45 per cent of all new colorectal cancer cases. This is a significant increase from 27 per cent in 1995.

Dr Timothy Cannon, director of the Molecular Tumor Board and co-director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Program at Inova in Virginia who spoke to Fox News Digital said, "Once considered a disease that primarily affected people over 50, we are now seeing increasing diagnoses in patients in their 20s, 30s and 40s — making it even more important not to dismiss symptoms based on age alone."

How Can You Detect Colorectal Cancer?

Doctors and experts across say that early screenings could help. Health officials recommended screenings to start at the age 45 and continue through age 75 for adults at "average risk".

Other ways could also be stool-based test that are used to detect blood or DNA changes, which could be potential indicators of colorectal cancer.

A colonoscopy is another method, a medical procedure that allows a doctor to examine the inside of a patient's colon and rectum. It uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera on the end. It is typically done every 10 years for adults at average risk.

"Colonoscopy remains the gold standard because it not only detects cancer early but can also prevent it by identifying and removing precancerous polyps," said Cannon.

Dr Michael Martin, who is a California-based physician, however, emphasized that colonoscopy is usually done for younger patients who are at higher risk.

As per Dr Martin, Stool-based tests are appropriate screening options for average-risk adults, but they are not the best choice for people with significant family history, inflammatory bowel disease, hereditary syndromes or alarm symptoms. If symptoms are present, the goal is not screening but diagnosis, and colonoscopy is usually the more appropriate test."

Who Should Get Screened For Colorectal Cancer Before 45?

There are three kinds of people who could get their colon cancer screened before turning 45. Experts suggest these people are as followed:

People With Strong Family History

The American College of Gastroenterology recommends early screening if one first-degree relative is diagnosed with colorectal cancer, or an advanced polyp before age 60, or if two first-degree relatives are diagnosed at any age.

Symptoms That Are Critical

There are red flags which could hint you to get the screening done before 45, they include:

• Rectal bleeding with bright red blood
• Dark or black stools
• Blood in stool
• Persistent changes in bowel habits like constipation or diarrhea
• Unexplained iron deficiency or anemia
• Ongoing abdominal pain or cramping
• Unexplained weight loss
• Persistent sensation that bowel is not emptying fully

Genetic Condition

Some people with certain genetic condition could have an increased risk of colon cancer, this includes people with Lynch syndrome. This is an inherited DNA mutation that increases lifetime risk. People with this condition should get a colonoscopy every one to two years starting from the age 20 to 25 years, or two to five years before the youngest diagnosed family case, note the National Cancer Institute.

Every year, on March 13, World Sleep Day is observed, with this year's theme being "Sleep Well, Live Better". In many ways, it is true, as the National Institutes of Health, US, notes that sleep helps with almost everything in your life. A good sleep helps with learning and the formation of long-term memories. Not getting enough sleep or enough high-quality sleep could lead to problems, affect your mood, immune system and your learning capabilities. So, to be true to the theme of "Sleep Well, Live Better", Health and Me, based on what experts told The New York Times (NYT), came up with six day-time habits that will help you sleep better.

Why is it important? Much conversation that happens around good sleep focuses on nighttime routine, but what you do throughout the day also impacts how well you sleep.

Speaking to NYT, Joseph Dzierzewski, senior vice president of research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation, noted that daily habits play a critical role in regulating sleep patterns. According to him, the choices people make during the day can be just as important as their bedtime routines.

Morning Sunlight Is Important

As per Dr Indira Gurubhagavatula, a professor of sleep medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, who also spoke to NYT, getting sunlight within an hour of waking helps suppress sleep-inducing hormones and signals the body to shift into "wake mode". This helps reset body's internal clock so that it naturally becomes tired again by bedtime.

While spending an hour outdoors may not always be feasible, experts say even short bursts of light exposure help. Opening the blinds, sitting by a window, or having morning coffee on a balcony can make a difference. Even about 10 minutes of sunlight is better than none.

Read: Not Boarded Any Flight And Still Monday Feels Like A Jetlag? You Are Not Alone

A Consistent Mealtime

Experts note that the body operates on a 24-hour internal clock known as the circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep and wake cycles. The digestive system also plays a role in this rhythm and responds to cues about when food is consumed.

Eating meals at inconsistent times may disrupt this rhythm and potentially affect sleep quality.

A consistent meal time also helps with healthy habits and helps you to avoid digestive discomfort and acid reflux during sleep.

Caffeine Habits: Is It Time To Rethink It?

Dr. Charlene Gamaldo, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Johns Hopkins Medicine, told NYT that caffeine stays in some people's systems much longer than others. In slow metabolizers, caffeine from a morning coffee could remain in the body for more than 12 hours, potentially interfering with sleep.

Time Your Medication For Early Hours

According to Dr. Gurubhagavatula, certain drugs, including decongestants such as phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine, medications used for ADHD and asthma, some antidepressants, and oral steroids, may have stimulating effects.

This is because some medication could make it harder for you to fall or stay asleep, when taken late in the day.

Be Consistent When You Wake Up

Experts say that frequently changing wake-up times, even on weekends, can disrupt the circadian rhythm and make it harder to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. However, the timing does not need to be exact. Staying within about 30 minutes of the usual wake-up time is generally sufficient to maintain consistency.

Be Attentive Towards Your Workout Timing

Regular exercise is widely associated with better sleep, and health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. However, for some people, exercising too close to bedtime may make it harder to fall asleep. Strenuous workouts can temporarily increase body temperature and raise stress hormones and endorphins, which may keep the body alert.

About 30 to 83.7 million adults in the United States have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), notes American Lung Association. Roughly 80 per cent of these cases remain undiagnosed. However, now, a simple daily pill, an old drug, could just be the solution.

Scientists in Sweden and other places too, have been studying the anti-seizure medicine sultiame as a treatment for OSA. In their latest Phase II trial, the scientists found that people on sultiame experienced an improvement in their apsea symptoms, and their sleep quality too improved as compared to those taking placebo.

The results points towards the potential of sultiame becoming an effective option for people with sleep apnea, especially those who cannot tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPACP) machines. The findings are published in The Lancet, and the researchers noted: "These findings offer perspective for a pharmaceutical approach to treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea."

Sleep Apnea Pill: What Is This Condition?

OSA is the most common form of sleep apnea, and it happens when airway muscles physically block a person's breathing during sleep. This could pause the body to wake up enough to start breathing again, only for the cycle to restart throughout the night, anywhere from five to 100 times an hour. This also causes low oxygen levels and disturb people's sleep and, over time, can raise the risk of other long-term health problems, which could include heart diseases and even dementia.

What CPAP machines do is they use air pressure to keep the airways open during sleep. While machines are an effective way, some people have trouble using them long term, which is why some companies use less cumbersome interventions, including medicines.

Read: Harish Rana Case Highlights Why Planning For A Living Will Is Important

Sleep Apnea Pill: What Was It Used For?

Sultimae or sulthiame was first launched in the 1960s by Bayger AG as an anticonvulsant - which means, it was a drug designed to treat epilepsy and prevent seizures by stabilizing nerve cell membranes and reducing abnormal, excessive electrical activity in the brain.

What the drug does is, it inhibits carbonic anhydrase, an enzyme that plays a role in regulating our breathing. Research also suggested that this could help people with sleep apnea by preventing airway collapse. The US-based Apnimed, in collaboration with the Japenese company Shionogi & Co., Ltd., have been looking to develop sultiame as a sleep apnea treatment.

How Well Has The Sleep Apnea Pill Been Tested?

The phase II of the trial involved 298 patients. Of them were untreated, moderate and people with severe sleep apnea. The people were observed for over a 15-week period, of them, half were randomized to a placebo pill to be taken right before bed, while rest were given varying doses of sultiame.

The results showed that people who took sultiame saw a noticeable decrease in apnea symptoms and also witnessed improvements in their sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. People in the highest dose group saw the most improvement, with apnea symptoms being reduced up to 47 per cent.

“It feels like a breakthrough, and we now look forward to larger and longer studies to determine whether the effect is sustained over time and whether the treatment is safe for broader patient groups,” said study researcher Jan Hedner, a senior professor of pulmonary medicine at the University of Gothenburg.