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What’s considered low blood pressure for one person might be OK for someone else. Low blood pressure might cause no noticeable symptoms, or it might cause dizziness and fainting. Sometimes, low blood pressure can be life-threatening. The causes of low blood pressure range from dehydration to serious medical conditions. It’s important to find out what’s causing low blood pressure so that it can be treated, if necessary.
This is a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing from a sitting position or after lying down. Causes include dehydration, long-term bed rest, pregnancy, certain medical conditions and some medications. This type of low blood pressure is common in older adults. This drop in blood pressure occurs 1 to 2 hours after eating. It’s most likely to affect older adults, especially those with high blood pressure or autonomic nervous system diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Eating small, low-carbohydrate meals, drinking more water, and avoiding alcohol might help reduce symptoms. This is a blood pressure drop that happens after standing for long periods.
This type of low blood pressure mostly affects young adults and children. It might result from miscommunication between the heart and the brain. Multiple system atrophy with orthostatic hypotension. Also called Shy-Drager syndrome, this rare disorder affects the nervous system that controls involuntary functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and digestion. It’s associated with having very high blood pressure while lying down. For some people, low blood pressure may be a sign of an underlying health condition, especially when it drops suddenly or occurs with symptoms.
A sudden fall in blood pressure can be dangerous. A change of just 20 mm Hg — a drop from 110 mm Hg systolic to 90 mm Hg systolic, for example — can cause dizziness and fainting. And big drops, such as those caused by uncontrolled bleeding, severe infections or allergic reactions, can be life-threatening. Extreme low blood pressure can lead to a condition known as shock. Most health care providers consider blood pressure to be too low only if it causes symptoms. Occasional minor dizziness or lightheadedness can be caused by many things, such as spending too much time in the sun or in a hot tub.
It’s important to see a health care provider to get a correct diagnosis. If you have consistently low blood pressure readings but feel fine, your provider may just monitor you during routine health checkups. It can be helpful to keep a record of your symptoms, when they occur and what you’re doing at the time. Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data.
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Certain health conditions and use of medications may cause low blood pressure. Changes during pregnancy cause blood vessels to expand rapidly. The changes may cause blood pressure to drop. Low blood pressure is common in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. Blood pressure usually returns to pre-pregnancy levels after giving birth. Conditions affecting the parathyroid or adrenal glands, such as Addison’s disease, may cause blood pressure to drop. This can cause blood pressure to drop.
Fever, vomiting, severe diarrhea, overuse of diuretics and strenuous exercise can lead to dehydration. Losing a lot of blood, such as from an injury or internal bleeding, also reduces blood volume, leading to a severe drop in blood pressure. When an infection in the body enters the bloodstream, it can lead to a life-threatening drop in blood pressure called septic shock. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction include a sudden and dramatic drop in blood pressure. Lack of nutrients in the diet. Drops in blood pressure on standing or after eating occur primarily in adults older than 65. Neurally mediated hypotension primarily affects children and younger adults.