Causes Of Low Blood Pressure

Low blood pressure, in medical term, is known as hypotension. People, who suffer from this condition usually, experience symptoms like nausea, fatigue, dizziness, breathlessness, lightheadedness, chest pain, and a propensity to faint. Low blood pressure patients can have severe problems of the endocrine and heart or may also have neurological disorders.

Severe low blood pressure can cause a condition known as ‘shock’ which is a life-threatening condition and is often the result of deprivation of nutrients and oxygen to the brain and other crucial body organs. So if you notice any of these signs and symptoms of low blood pressure, you should immediately call your health care provider.

There may be a number of causes for low blood pressure – some may be as mild as dehydration and some may be as severe as heart failure! Whatever be the causes of your low blood pressure, you should not get scared and must see a doctor and get proper diagnosis for this condition. Identifying the exact cause of your condition can help a lot in treatment.

Given below are some major causes of low blood pressure.

A few medical conditions can be the underlying causes of low blood pressure. Some of the most common conditions that often lead to low blood pressure are pregnancy, endocrine and heart problems. During pregnancy, there are chances of a drop in blood pressure because of the expansion of the circulatory system. But the blood pressure becomes normal once the expecting mother gives birth to her baby.

Heart valve troubles, heart failure, bradycardia i.e. exceedingly low heart rate, and heart attack are some of the heart conditions that may give rise to low blood pressure. These conditions usually hamper the proper circulation in the body and lead to low blood pressure.

Hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, diabetes, Addison’s disease are some other conditions that may cause low blood pressure. Sometimes, simple problems like dehydration can also lead to low blood pressure. You may notice the symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness and weakness in case of mild dehydration.

An individual can also have low blood pressure due to severe infection like septicemia, excess loss of blood caused by severe injury or intestinal bleeding. Anaphylaxis, which is a serious allergic reaction, is also a major cause of low blood pressure. Low BP can also be the result of many medications like alpha blockers, diuretics, certain antidepressants, beta blockers, etc.