What causes low blood pressure?

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the pressure against the walls of your blood vessels, which is created as your heart pumps blood around your ​​body. 

This pressure goes up and down throughout the day, depending on what you’re ​​doing. It rises during exercise and typically falls when you’re a​​sleep. 

It also goes up and down with every heartbeat, rising as the heart squeezes blood out into the arteries and falling as the heart relaxes and fills with blood ​​again. This is why blood pressure readings consist of 

 

What is low blood pressure?

Low blood pressure is when the pressure of the blood circulating around the body is lower than what’s typically considered ‘​​normal’. 

While optimal blood pressure is regarded as being ​120/80mmHg, hypotension is when blood pressure is below 90/​60mmHg.  

What causes low blood pressure?

A few different things can lead to low blood pressure, which is also known as ​hypotension, including high ​fitness levels. 

Other causes include:

• certain medications, such as those used to manage depression, high blood pressure and some heart conditions
• pregnancy
• some ​​types of heart conditions
• a serious infection
• nutritional ​​deficiencies.

Some events can also cause temporary hypotension, including: 

• donating blood
• being dehydrated
• becoming overheated 
• experiencing extreme stress, fear or pain
• blood loss due to an ​accident
• having an allergic ​​reaction.

What are the symptoms of low blood pressure?

Low blood pressure usually develops over time and may eventually cause you to feel:

• weak
• light-headed or dizzy
• unsteady on your feet
• ​​​fatigued.

Fainting, pale clammy skin, and blurry vision can be other symptoms of low blood ​​pressure. 

While these symptoms can occur at any time, they’re often felt when you move your body into a different position, such as standing up ​​quickly. 

There’s even a specific type of low blood pressure that’s called ‘postural hypotension’. This is when blood pressure is normal when sitting or lying down, but drops quickly upon standing, triggering sudden light-headedness or ​​dizziness. 

However, it’s important to note that low blood pressure often doesn’t cause any ​​symptoms at all. 

How to treat low blood pressure?

Management of low blood pressure depends on what’s causing it. For example, if dehydration is a factor, your doctor might simply suggest drinking more water, particularly when it’s hot or you’re ​exercising. 

It’s also true that while high blood pressure always ​​needs to be managed due to being a risk factor for heart ​disease, low blood pressure isn’t necessarily a problem and can even be a sign of good health for some ​people.

However, if you regularly experience any of the hypotension symptoms listed above, see your doctor. Not only can these symptoms increase the risk of having a fall or an accident, it’s also important to rule out or treat any of the underlying health conditions that can cause low blood ​​pressure.

It’s ​​wise to have your blood pressure checked regularly because it is possible to have low blood pressure without experiencing any ​​symptoms. 

You can also have your blood pressure measured during a ​​Heart Health Check. This is a 20-minute appointment with your GP that involves different checks and measures to assess your heart-disease ​risk. Heart Health Checks are recommended at least once every 2 years for both men and women aged 45 years and over, or 30 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ​​peoples. Heart Health Checks are free of charge if you visit a GP clinic that bulk ​​bills this service.