What is postural hypotension? Who is most likely to get it?

When people reach a certain age, as their body mechanisms age, their resistance will gradually decline, and their ability to resist disease will be much weaker than before. Even if they do not have a serious illness, they will be troubled by various minor symptoms, among which orthostatic hypotension is more common in this group of people.

Why does orthostatic hypotension occur?

First, let's look at how blood pressure is regulated when body position changes. When we move from lying or sitting to standing, due to the effect of gravity, blood will be distributed more to the lower limbs and abdominal pelvic cavity, which are located lower, and the amount of blood flowing back to the heart will decrease, and the heart cannot output enough blood. At this time, the human body will activate the emergency regulation mechanism, which stabilizes blood pressure by increasing sympathetic nerve excitability, causing vasoconstriction, faster heart rate, and increased cardiac contraction. When this emergency regulation mechanism weakens or even fails, postural hypotension will occur.

What is prone to orthostatic hypotension?

Elderly people are most likely to suffer from postural hypotension because their body functions decline and their ability to regulate blood pressure decreases. People who are less active or have been bedridden for a long time will also have a weakened ability to regulate blood pressure. Some patients with nervous system diseases, diabetes, etc. are also prone to postural hypotension due to the weakening of sympathetic nerve excitability. Patients taking certain medications such as antipsychotics, tricyclic antidepressants, drugs for Parkinson's disease, antihypertensive drugs, diuretics, nitrates, etc. are also prone to postural hypotension because of the impact on the regulation mechanism of blood pressure. Excessive sweating, hot water baths, diarrhea, drinking, etc., can cause postural hypotension because of reduced blood volume or dilation of blood vessels.

In daily life, we should pay attention to the following aspects:

① Change body positions slowly: Do not change directly from lying flat to standing upright. Instead, you should first sit up, rest for 1 minute or even longer, and then stand up slowly from sitting to prevent a sudden drop in blood pressure. Similarly, do not stand up too quickly after defecation. Getting up at night to go to the toilet is most likely to cause postural hypotension, so be extra careful when going to the toilet at night and try to avoid standing up and walking at night.

②Avoid hot and stuffy environments and avoid overwork: Avoid overwork and standing for long periods of time, especially avoid standing for too long in a hot and stuffy environment. The bath water temperature should not be too hot, because the heat of the body can dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure.

③ Wearing elastic socks and abdominal belts can increase pressure on the lower limbs and abdomen and reduce blood retention in these areas.

④ Raise the head of the bed when sleeping: it can reduce the changes in blood pressure in the supine position.

⑤ Eat a moderate high-salt diet and drink more water: You can drink 2.0 to 2.5 liters of water every day, but avoid drinking a lot of water within 1 hour before going to bed. The amount of salt you consume can be twice that of an average person, that is, 10 to 12 grams of salt per day. You can drink light salt water after exercise and before activities to increase blood volume.

⑥ Physical confrontation: If symptoms occur during standing activities, you can overcome them by bending over, squatting, tightening the lower limb muscles, etc.