It is considered low blood pressure when the systolic blood pressure (the top number) is below 90 mmHg and/or the diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) is below 60 mmHg.
Some people have low blood pressure but it doesn’t cause any symptoms and it isn’t a cause for concern. In fact, most doctors don’t consider low blood pressure a problem if there are no symptoms and no other warning signs.
Other people can have low blood pressure due to an underlying medical condition or medication which must be treated and addressed.
If you have low blood pressure or are experiencing symptoms of low blood pressure, talk to your health care provider.
What can cause low blood pressure?
There are many causes of low blood pressure. Some people naturally have lower blood pressure and it isn’t a cause for concern if they don’t have symptoms.
In other cases, low blood pressure is caused by something that needs to be treated. Some of the causes of low blood pressure include:
- Dehydration
- Medication side effects
- Heart disease
- Pregnancy
- Blood loss
- Severe infection (septicemia)
- Severe allergy (anaphylaxis)
- Endocrine problems
- Nutritional deficiencies
These causes can range from easily treatable conditions to medical emergencies in the case of severe infection or allergy. Severely low blood pressure can deprive the brain and body of oxygen and lead to organ damage.
If you have low blood pressure, talk to your healthcare provider to determine if it’s cause for concern and needs to be treated.
What are the symptoms of low blood pressure?
Symptoms of low blood pressure to look out for are:
- Dizziness / light headedness
- Weakness
- Loss of concentration / focus
- Fatigue
- Blurred or loss of vision
- Nausea
- Fainting