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Low Blood Pressure

In physiology and medicine, hypotension refers to an abnormally low blood pressure. It is often associated with shock, though not necessarily indicative of it.

symptoms of low blood pressure

Low blood pressure is often accompanied by the symptoms of:

  • 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

Causes of low blood pressure

Orthostatic hypotension is a common cause of low blood pressure, resulting from a sudden change in body position. Reduced blood volume, called hypovolemia, can also cause hypotension and often results from the use of diuretics or vasodilators such as nitric oxide or furosemide.

Indicators of low blood pressure

For most individuals, a healthy blood pressure lies between 90/60 mmHg to 130/80 mmHg. A small drop in blood pressure, even as little as 20 mmHg, can result in transient hypotension.

Posted by Staff at May 18, 2005 2:34 AM

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Comments Archive

Yestarday I went shopping and when I was leaving the store there were the community service clinic doing blood pressures and sugar test on blood, well they checked my blood pressure it was 90/62 and sugar 119 they said that i had a low blood preassure that a normal would be 120/70 is this right or do i have a good blood preassure?

Posted by: maria at July 25, 2005 12:47 PM

I have been getting a really bad headache every morning for the past week. Is it possible that my blood pressure is slightly low or high. It lasts for a couple of hours and returns towards the evening before I go to sleep.

Posted by: Frita at September 16, 2005 1:47 PM

i have been a little under weight for about 4 years now.i am 19 years old and am of 38kgs.i hav noticed that when ever i get my periods i hav a lower spine ache,lower neck ache which spreads to my arms,i cant eat properly n i have a serious problem of not being able to eat hen ever i am upset.also durng my periods it feels like the weight of my body pulls down for some reason.i got my blood preassure read by my cousin hu sed it was 90/40..it this bad??

Posted by: salma at December 9, 2005 10:21 AM

My BP has always been around 100/60 is this bad. What problems could I see from this.
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STAFF
The real question is what symptoms do you notice in your life currently? Do you have low energy, light headedness, dizziness around your period? If so, it could be an issue. If, on the other hand, you don't feel week, you never get light headed when you stand up, and you never feel dizzy, then all is probably well.

Posted by: Sheliah at January 31, 2006 9:23 PM

my blood pressure is 74/53. Should I be concerned?

Posted by: stacy at February 23, 2006 3:54 AM

My blood pressure has been low lately...last time checked it was 90/65. I also get lightheaded when standing and sometimes black out. I've also had a real lack of energy lately and pretty severe back pain. But when i last visited my doctor he had me checked for hypotension and did some other blood work and he said everything came back fine. My aunt is a diabetic and checked my sugar a couple times too and said it was somewhat low. What could be causing all of this?

Posted by: Jessica at March 28, 2006 8:40 PM

I had a couple days that I felt really tired, sleepy, and my head kind of heavy.
My body feels heavy. I was going to visit the ER
but I really don`t know if this is something that it needs attention rightaway

Posted by: Sandra Fuqua at April 7, 2006 10:35 PM

I don't have insurance and can't get checked out again. I have been to the ER with heart attack symptoms, eeg, ekg, treadmill test (all fine). Thing is, from time to time, I get a strong pain in the roof of my mouth, that goes to the jaw, then in between the shoulderblades, then to my chest, which is terribly painful. And I notice that my saliva is very thick. They are 10 to 15 minute attacks that do not happen after meals. I sweat and have trouble breathing. They say probably not a heart attack in my neck of the woods because I passed the treamill test. Nitrogen (I have an Rx in purse) works fast on it, sometimes need two or three to make the pain go away and resting. I have five children, and no insurance. Have you ever heard of anything like this? It's so painful and starting to happen more and more often. I'm afraid.

Posted by: Jeannie at April 13, 2006 9:10 PM

My blood pressure is 103/72 is that fine

Posted by: emily at April 28, 2006 2:55 AM

In August of 2004 my BP was 128/80, in August of 2005 it was 118/82, and in April of 2006 my BP was 110/70. These numbers came from my blood donor card. For a couple months, I have been feeling fatigued and achey. But when I went to the doctor, my bloodwork came back normal. Now for the past week, I have been feeling constantly slightly dizzy, like I just got off a rollercoaster. My head feels heavy and I usually have a dull headache. What could it be?

Posted by: Colleen at June 27, 2006 8:25 PM

BP = 120/60
Is it ok or not?
Usually it is arround 120/80, 110/90.
Why is it like that?

Posted by: Marinie at July 5, 2006 3:13 AM

I have had low blood pressure for about a month, I was high blood pressure, all of sudden my pressure dropped to 109/58. Now it is 127/68. I have been very tired and want to sleep. I am wondering what is causing this any idea

Posted by: pam at August 15, 2006 2:22 AM

Started sweating in a Hibachi stove Japanese restaurant while waiting for chef to start dinner. Drank a mouthfull no more of white wine. Ate two spoonsfulls of very hot clear Japanese soup. Was talking then head bobbed right then left, yawned frequently and layed my head down. I remember nothing of this. Ambulance called BP., 60/40, became coherent in ambulance, IV's, blood drawn for sugar, oxygen administered and EKG of some kind done. In hospital five tubes of blood, X/ray of chest, frequent monitoring and so/on.....Eight hours later was told everything was fine could go home....Very tired still and head feels funny and neck. Went to Doctors he said low pressure is fine and heart not being overworked. I am in my seventh decade of life. Prior to this episode had reasonable amount of energy for my age although caring for a sick husband...Should I be checking out my health further? BP today 94/65.....

Posted by: Mandy at August 20, 2006 8:32 PM

I am in Taekwondo and everytime we exercise hard--such as sparring (every Wednesday) or 3000 front kicks, I get a headache--I feel it starting and it just gets progresssively worse through the remainder of the day--I can take 6 tylenol in 10-12 hours and the headache will remain--my blood pressure has always been on the lower side--I try to drink more on the day before and the day of sparring--nothing seems to help--any suggestions?

Posted by: trish at September 7, 2006 3:51 PM

hi, sorry, I just posted and forgot that I also wanted to add that my mother passed when she was 64 and my grandmother at 65 of heart troubles--but from my understanding they had high blood pressure. thanks, trish

Posted by: trish at September 7, 2006 4:05 PM

I had my blood pressure taken and it was 90/43 and my heart rate was 43 beats a minute. Can this be why I'm having trouble with my vision. Can it cause my eyes to go blood shot and cause me to collapse.

Posted by: Jay at October 4, 2006 4:15 AM

I woke up with a chest pain. My blood pressure was 70/45. My husband checked again and it went up to 70/54. Is this serious? I'm normal now, but should I be worried it will come back?

Posted by: JEANNETTE ZARANDIN at October 5, 2006 7:39 PM

My blood pressure has been 95/65 to 100/68. I have always had a pressure of 120/70. I don't really have any medical problems except for 1. I have anticardiolipin Antibody syndrome. I have been experiencing palpations and chest pain. The cardiologist said it is not heart related. How dangerous are these numbers?
Thanks
Carol

Posted by: Carol at October 10, 2006 6:29 PM

My BP is 110/90 today. I have felt like my skin was stinging, light headed, a little headache, tired, no appetite. Should I be concerned?

Posted by: Amanda Harrington at February 16, 2007 1:48 AM