How to Tell If Your Low Blood Pressure Is Dangerously Low? All On Living With Hypotension
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.
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.
Hypotension can result from many factors. Some of the factors that cause hypotension are as follows:
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.
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.
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:
Treatment of hypotension depends on its cause:
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.
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.
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.
Credits: iStock
When you are burning up, even a simple shower can feel confusing. Should you cool your body quickly with cold water or soothe your aches with something warm? Fever is a natural defense mechanism, but the symptoms it brings can make you feel miserable. The right water temperature can help ease discomfort and support your recovery.
Below is a simple breakdown of how fever affects your body, followed by practical shower tips and additional ways to safely bring your temperature down.
During an infection, your immune system releases chemicals called pyrogens. These signals tell the hypothalamus, which is your internal thermostat, to raise your core temperature. The added heat slows the growth of certain viruses and bacteria and helps immune cells work more efficiently.
Knowing this matters because water that is too cold can trigger intense shivering, which drives your temperature higher. Water that is too hot can widen your blood vessels and increase sweating, which may worsen dehydration.
Each water temperature works differently with a fever. Understanding these differences helps you choose what your body needs at that moment.
Cold showers cool your skin quickly. They may feel refreshing if you are overheated, but they often trigger shivering. That shivering can raise your core temperature and is especially risky in children.
Lukewarm or tepid showers are the safest choice for most people with fever. This temperature allows gentle heat loss through the skin without causing shivering. It helps you cool down gradually while keeping your body comfortable.
Warm or hot showers can help relieve muscle aches or sinus congestion, especially for adults. However, they can increase sweating and may slightly raise your temperature. Avoid them if you are already overheated or dehydrated.
Your body is already working hard to fight the infection. Light activity can raise your temperature further, so give yourself time to rest and recover.
Fever increases the risk of dehydration, especially if you have vomiting or a poor appetite. Sip water, oral rehydration solutions, or electrolyte drinks. Chilled fluids can also help lower your temperature.
Keep your room slightly cool and wear loose, breathable clothing. If you have chills, use a light blanket but avoid overheating. You can place a cool cloth on your forehead or under the arms for short intervals.
Over the counter fever reducers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can safely lower fever. Always follow dosage guidelines. Avoid aspirin in children because it can lead to Reye's syndrome.
Credits: iStock
Turns out, kidney disease is not just a ‘kidney’ problem anymore, it can, in fact, affect other organs, and could even be linked to other chronic conditions, revealed a recent study.
In the US, more than 1 in 7 adults are affected by chronic kidney disease or (CKD). This means that 35.5 million Americans are affected by it, and what makes it worse is that 9 out of 10 people do not even know they have CKD, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Amid all these numbers thrown on to, something more concerning lies. A recent Lancet study shows a link between the rise in CKD and other chronic diseases. We are talking about chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.
The researcher saw that 14 percent of adults who are over the age 20 or older, which makes 788 million Americans who had CKD in 2022. The biggest problem is not the disease itself, but the unawareness. Doctors, experts, and researchers from time and again have pointed out how kidney disease is often asymptomatic, this is why it is ignored until it becomes advanced. However, at that point the patients could already need dialysis or even an organ transplant. This gap in early diagnosis and treatment is what has made CKD the ninth leading reason of death, worldwide.
When you kidney functions naturally, it works as the powerhouse of filtration. A pair of healthy kidneys are able to filter and process more than 150 liters of fluid from the blood. These organs are also responsible for filtering out the waste and toxins through your urine. Not just that, but your kidneys also help in red blood cells production that keeps you healthy. When all of that does not happen, it can eventually impact every other organ in your body.
Like they say, everything is connected, and it surely is. For instance, somewhere around 20% of the blood that your heart pumps goes to your kidneys. If someone has diabetes and high blood pressure, it could damage the blood vessels and lead to protein in the urine and a slower filtration rate. It can then lead to other chronic infections, autoimmune disorders, and even genetic variants.
If you leave your kidney disease untreated, it could lead to kidney failure. This is when you would be more in need of dialysis or a transplant. Doctors have pointed out that most people do not die of chronic kidney disease, rather it impacts their quality of life, worsening their cardiovascular conditions. It can lead to complications like a heart attack, a stroke, or a heart failure.
People who have kidney diseases are at an increased risk for high blood pressure. Due to hurdles in the process of filtration, plaque build ups and hardens the arteries. This in return increases stress on the heart. In fact, the American Heart Association also defined the link between kidney and heart as 'cardiovascular-kidney metabolic syndrome'. This defines a health disorder that is a condition of the overlap of obesity, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular diseases.
The bleed out of CKD is not just limited to your heart. The National Institute of Health, US points out that along with heart complications and high blood pressure, CKD could also lead to anemia, mineral and bone disorder, metabolic acidosis, malnutrition, and electrolyte imbalances in the blood.
The first way is to note any symptoms and get yourself diagnosed. Look for signs like loss of appetite, unexplained nausea or vomiting. Do you feel tired often? Are you having trouble concentrating? Is there any change in how often you go pee?
Other symptoms like a change in your urine color or texture, or feeling itchy or dry, muscle cramps, unexplained weight loss or skin conditions could also signal towards kidney diseases.
However, not always does CKD show symptoms, experts suggest that to be one step ahead, it is important to undergo regular health checkups, including blood culture. General guidelines usually point towards getting a blood test done every 3 to 6 months. For someone with high blood pressure, diabetes or any other disease, the current guidelines say that those people should get regular blood and urine tests to screen for kidney disease. But what really happens is that though these tests exist, they are still used far too little. Doctors point out that many patients skip them because collecting a urine sample feels inconvenient, and overall awareness about kidney disease remains low. As a result, research shows that only about 35 percent of people with diabetes, and just 4 percent of those with high blood pressure, actually end up getting the recommended urine screening.
A ray of hope is that there are now several effective tools to slow the progression of kidney disease. Along with traditional options like ACE inhibitors, newer classes of medications including certain heart failure drugs and GLP-1 drugs. These medicines have shown to help protect kidney function. Although these newer treatments are not widely used yet, their adoption is steadily increasing.
What is important to remember is to also always consult your GP to ensure all preventative measures are followed carefully.
Credits: Canva
Consuming enough water each day plays an important role in keeping the body working as it should. It helps digestion and metabolism, supports temperature control, aids waste removal, and keeps organs and tissues in good condition. Still, whenever blood pressure rises, many people look for quick fixes, and one of the most common questions is whether drinking cold water can calm the numbers.
The idea sounds straightforward, but the body reacts to cold in more layered ways. Knowing how cold water influences the heart and blood vessels can help separate fact from assumption. To understand this better, we spoke with Dr Rajeev Chowdry, Director of Internal Medicine at Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital, Sector 20, Faridabad.
Cold water may bring down blood pressure for a brief period. Drinking chilled water can activate the vagus nerve in some individuals, which slows the heart rate and leads to a short-lived drop in blood pressure. The body also triggers a “diving reflex” when exposed to cold, such as splashing cold water on the face, and this can cause a similar short-term response.
Dr Rajeev explained, “Cold water may lower blood pressure for a small amount of time, but not enough to replace someone’s prescribed treatment for hypertension or to be trusted as a method to manage the condition.” He added that for certain people, cold exposure might have the opposite effect, causing blood vessels to tighten and raising blood pressure instead.
According to Dr Rajeev, some groups are more vulnerable to a rise in blood pressure, added strain on the heart, or other problems linked to sudden cold exposure:
In summary, while water alone will not manage high blood pressure, staying well hydrated supports overall health and may contribute to better long-term blood pressure control. Anyone making changes to their routine should check with a healthcare professional, especially those already dealing with medical conditions or concerns about their blood pressure.
© 2024 Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited