Hypotension (Low Blood Pressure)

Postural hypotension (low blood pressure) is not a disease process, but a condition associated with several different medical problems.
 
This problem is characterized by a temporary drop in blood pressure when there is an abrupt change in body position (when a person stands or sits up from a prone position). This may cause the patient who suffers from postural hypotension to feel faint, or actually lose consciousness upon standing.

Risk Factors

• Dehydration
• Diabetics with Diabetic Neuropathy
• Drug Side Effects (beta-blocker medications, antihypertensives, and diuretics are the common culprits)
• Elderly Patient (advanced age)
• Blood Loss (gastrointestinal bleeding is common and frequently unnoticed by the patient)