Is low blood pressure serious?

Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
Updated on September 07, 2024
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Low blood pressure is a common and frequently occurring disease clinically. It often occurs in physically weak individuals, middle-aged and elderly people, or women during their physiological period, as well as people who do not pay attention to nutritional intake while dieting. It can also be seen in some diseases that cause low blood pressure. Low blood pressure caused by reasons such as diet and age is generally not too serious and can be managed by adjusting daily routines and dietary structures. However, low blood pressure caused by blood loss, allergies, heart failure, trauma, and other factors is a manifestation of shock and is very serious. In severe cases, it can be life-threatening and requires immediate emergency treatment.

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Written by Cai Li E
Cardiology
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What blood pressure is considered low blood pressure?

Systolic pressure less than 90 mmHg and diastolic pressure less than 60 mmHg indicate low blood pressure. The normal blood pressure range for adult males and females of any age is a systolic pressure between 90 to 139 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure between 60 to 89 mmHg. High blood pressure is defined as having a systolic pressure of 140 mmHg or higher and/or a diastolic pressure of 90 mmHg or higher. Arterial blood pressure varies among individuals, as well as by age and gender, with a general trend of increasing pressure as age advances, and the increase in systolic pressure is more pronounced than that in diastolic pressure. Before menopause, women tend to have slightly lower blood pressure than men of the same age, but after menopause, their blood pressure generally aligns with or even slightly exceeds that of their male counterparts.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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Can people with low blood pressure drink tea?

People with low blood pressure can drink tea. Currently, there are many types of tea in daily life: green tea, oolong tea, black tea, Tieguanyin, as well as some medicinal teas such as ginseng tea, astragalus tea, and goji berry tea. Regular consumption of these teas is beneficial for health, as they provide essential nutrients. The active ingredients in tea can enhance mental alertness, promote blood circulation, and increase heart vitality. Additionally, some medicinal teas like astragalus tea and goji berry tea have the effects of replenishing qi, nourishing yin, and supporting kidney health. By nourishing yin and supporting kidneys, and adjusting the blood through replenishing qi, these teas can help raise blood pressure.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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How to care for low blood pressure

How to care for low blood pressure depends on the cause of the low blood pressure. For simple low blood pressure without any other diseases, it is necessary to pay attention to the reasonable adjustment of dietary structure in daily life. Consume more foods that are high in protein and nutrients. In daily life, commonly consumed broths such as high broth, shrimp soup, beef soup, black chicken soup, mutton soup, and fish soup not only provide essential proteins needed by the human body, increase the vitality of the heart, and enhance the body's resistance, but also contain a large amount of trace elements and minerals that can supplement usage and elevate blood pressure. Regularly avoid staying up late, rest on time, do not smoke or drink alcohol, which can normalize blood pressure.

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Written by Xiao Chang Jiang
Cardiology
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symptoms of low blood pressure

Next, let us introduce some symptoms of low blood pressure. Actually, low blood pressure is divided into physiological and pathological low blood pressure. Generally speaking, physiological low blood pressure is asymptomatic, while pathological low blood pressure might have six major types of symptoms: The first type is fatigue and weakness, especially in the morning. Patients may feel listless and weak in their limbs which can improve after a nap or rest, but the fatigue may return in the afternoon or evening; The second type of symptoms includes headaches and dizziness. Among patients with low blood pressure, headaches are a common complaint, often occurring after intense mental activity or physical exertion. The nature and severity of headaches can vary, often manifesting as dull pain in the temporal or occipital region, but can also be intense pulsating pain or numb pain. Dizziness can vary in severity; mild cases involve blackout vision and vertigo, while severe cases can lead to fainting spells and even collapse, often occurring during sudden changes in body position, or when moving from a squatting to a standing position; The third type of symptoms involves chest pain or discomfort in the cardiac area, where patients with low blood pressure often experience such discomfort; The fourth type involves neurological dysfunctions, which can manifest as lethargy, reduced memory, sleep disturbances or insomnia, and severe cases may show signs of autonomic dysfunction. Symptoms might include pale skin, mild cyanosis, fluctuations between feeling cold and hot, sensations of ants crawling, or numbness in hands and feet; The fifth type of symptoms is reduced endocrine function, primarily shown as insufficient levels of substances like adrenaline and noradrenaline. Some patients may exhibit reduced blood sugar levels or decreased sexual function; The sixth type of symptoms includes poor appetite, abdominal discomfort, indigestion, or increased red blood cell count, decreased white blood cell count, reduced immunity, making infections more likely, etc.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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What are the symptoms of low blood pressure?

Long-term low blood pressure can lead to general weakness, loss of appetite, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, and blackouts. Due to the excessively low blood pressure, the important organs suffer from ischemia and hypoxia, causing symptoms of ischemia and hypoxia in various organs, especially cerebral hypoxia, which can manifest as nausea, vomiting, headaches, blackouts, and even fainting. Therefore, low blood pressure should be actively treated and improved. Severe low blood pressure requires the use of medications, replenishment of blood volume, and appropriate application of certain vasopressor drugs to raise blood pressure and maintain adequate blood supply to important organs.