Low Blood Pressure (Hypotension) at Night Sleeping. Details you should know.

   Low Blood Pressure at Night Sleeping.

When heart activity rate increases, blood pressure speed also rises especially during the day and vice versa especially during sleeping hours, blood pressure drops. It occurs for several reasons including dehydration; prolong bed rest, pregnancy, diabetes, heart problems, burns, excessive heat, large varicose veins and some other neurological discomforts which will be detaily analyzed within this article. Low blood pressure at night sleeping should be well analyzed to know what is causing it so that it can be treated or managed.

A blood pressure reading lower than 90 (mm Hg) for the top number (systolic) or lower than 60 mm Hg for the bottom number (diastolic) is generally considered low blood pressure. Current guidelines identify normal blood pressure to range from 90 to 130 mmHg for the top number and 60 to 90mmHg for the bottom number.

Hypotension might seem good, for some people because it causes no problems. However, for many people, abnormally low blood pressure can cause severe health problems as can be seen below.

Signs of Hypotension.

For some people, low blood pressure signals an underlying problem, especially when it drops suddenly or is accompanied by signs and symptoms such as:

·         Dizziness or lightheadedness

·         Fainting (syncope)

·         Blurred vision

·         Nausea

·         Fatigue

·         Lack of concentration

·         Confusion, especially in older people

·         Cold, clammy, pale skin

·         Rapid, shallow breathing

·         Weak and rapid pulse

What's considered low blood pressure for you may be normal for someone else. Most doctors consider blood pressure too low only if it causes symptoms as above

After witnessing the above symptoms it vital to get the services of a Doctor especially when a shock signs are inclusive. It can be helpful to keep a record of your symptoms, when they occur and what you're doing at the time. If the low blood pressure readings are consistent but you feeling fine, your doctor is likely just to monitor you during routine exams.

Blood pressure varies within a day, depending on body posture, breathing rhythm, stress level, physical condition, medications you take, food you eat and what you drink, and time of day. Blood pressure is usually lowest at night and rises sharply on waking up.  

Low blood pressure (hypotension) is divided into four main types mainly guided by their causal factors... Some types of low blood pressure include:

·          Orthostatic, or postural, hypotension. This is a sudden drop in blood pressure when you stand up from a sitting position or after lying down.

Gravity causes blood to pool in your legs when you stand. Ordinarily, your body compensates by increasing your heart rate and constricting blood vessels, thereby ensuring that enough blood returns to your brain.

But in people with orthostatic hypotension, this compensating mechanism fails and blood pressure falls, leading to dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision and even fainting.

Orthostatic hypotension can occur for various reasons, including dehydration, prolonged bed rest, pregnancy, diabetes, heart problems, burns, excessive heat, large varicose veins and certain neurological disorders.

Some medicines can also cause orthostatic hypotension, particularly drugs used to treat high blood pressure — diuretics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors — as well as antidepressants and drugs used to treat Parkinson's disease and erectile dysfunction.

Orthostatic hypotension is especially common in older adults, but it also affects young, otherwise healthy people who stand up suddenly after sitting with their legs crossed for long periods or after squatting for a time.

It's also possible to have delayed orthostatic hypotension, with signs and symptoms developing 5 to 10 minutes after a change in posture. This might be a milder form of the condition, or it could be an early stage of it.

·          Postprandial hypotension. This sudden drop in blood pressure after eating affects mostly older adults.

Blood flows to your digestive tract after you eat. Ordinarily, your body increases your heart rate and constricts certain blood vessels to help maintain normal blood pressure. But in some people these mechanisms fail, leading to dizziness, faintness and falls.

Postprandial hypotension is more likely to affect people with high blood pressure or autonomic nervous system disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

Lowering the dose of blood pressure drugs and eating small, low-carbohydrate meals might help reduce symptoms.

·         Low blood pressure from faulty brain signals (neurally mediated hypotension). This disorder, which causes a blood pressure drop after standing for long periods, mostly affects young adults and children. It seems to occur because of a miscommunication between the heart and the brain.

·         Low blood pressure due to nervous system damage (multiple system atrophy with orthostatic hypotension). Also called Shy-Drager syndrome, this rare disorder causes progressive damage to the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and digestion. It's associated with having very high blood pressure while lying down.

Low blood pressure has many causes as can be seen below

·        Pregnancy. Because the circulatory system expands rapidly during pregnancy, blood pressure is likely to drop. This is normal, and blood pressure usually returns to your pre-pregnancy level after you've given birth.

·        Heart problems. Some heart conditions that can lead to low blood pressure include extremely low heart rate, heart valve problems, heart attack and heart failure.

·        Endocrine problems. Thyroid conditions such as parathyroid disease, adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease), low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and, in some cases, diabetes can trigger low blood pressure.

·        Dehydration. When your body loses more water than it takes in, it can cause weakness, dizziness and fatigue. Fever, vomiting, severe diarrhea, overuse of diuretics and strenuous exercise can lead to dehydration.

·        Blood loss. Losing a lot of blood, such as from a major injury or internal bleeding, reduces the amount of blood in your body, leading to a severe drop in blood pressure.

·        Severe infection (septicemia). When an infection in the body enters the bloodstream, it can lead to a life-threatening drop in blood pressure called septic shock.

·        Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Common triggers of this severe and potentially life-threatening reaction include foods, certain medications, insect venoms and latex. Anaphylaxis can cause breathing problems, hives, itching, a swollen throat and a dangerous drop in blood pressure.

·         Lack of nutrients in your diet. A lack of the vitamins B-12 and folate can keep your body from producing enough red blood cells (anemia), causing low blood pressure.

·         Medications .Water pills such as furosemide (Lasix) and hydrochlorothiazide (Maxzide, Microzide, others), Alpha blockers, such as prazosin (Minipress), Beta blockers, such as atenolol (Tenormin) and propranolol (Inderal, Innopran XL, others).

Summarily.

If this article is followed carefully, you will learn and understand what causes your  low blood pressure and how to adequately handle it.