What is the range for low blood pressure?

Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
Updated on September 18, 2024
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Blood pressure below normal is clinically diagnosed as hypotension. Normal blood pressure ranges from 90 to 140 mm Hg systolic and 60 to 90 mm Hg diastolic. If the systolic pressure is below 90 mm Hg and the diastolic pressure is below 60 mm Hg, it is clinically diagnosed as hypotension. Symptoms of hypotension often include fatigue, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, and darkening before the eyes. Mild hypotension may not present any clinical symptoms, while severe hypotension requires treatment based on clinical symptoms and the underlying disease to correct it.

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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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Is low blood pressure serious?

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 Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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Rescue of hypotensive shock

Low blood pressure is an important clinical symptom and diagnostic indicator of shock. Regardless of what causes the shock, the presence of low blood pressure, along with cold limbs, cold sweat, reduced urine output, and an indifferent expression, indicates insufficient peripheral vascular perfusion. Prolonged insufficient perfusion can lead to damage to vital organs. Therefore, timely emergency treatment is essential to elevate blood pressure and save the patient's life. The initial steps include administering oxygen to ensure the oxygenation of vital organs, replenishing blood volume, using vasopressors, and providing timely emergency treatment to save the patient's life.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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How to deal with low blood pressure?

Low blood pressure in medicine refers to a systolic pressure below 90mmHg and a diastolic pressure below 60mmHg. So, what should one do after being diagnosed with low blood pressure? First, a formal examination is necessary, such as a blood test, to see if anemia might be causing the low blood pressure. Additionally, carrying out a cardiac ultrasound and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check for potential heart diseases is advisable. Second, if anemia, heart diseases, or other conditions are ruled out as causes of the low blood pressure, appropriate medication can be taken to raise the blood pressure. For instance, certain traditional Chinese medicines, ginseng, Codonopsis pilosula, Glehnia littoralis, and Pseudostellaria heterophylla, can be helpful. One can take Chinese herbal decoctions under the guidance of a qualified Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor to help increase blood pressure. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor; do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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Is low blood pressure dangerous?

Severe hypotension is very dangerous. Hypotension is a diagnostic indicator of shock. Excessively low blood pressure leads to insufficient perfusion of the microcirculation, especially in vital organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys, which can cause ischemia and hypoxia, leading to the failure of these organs and endangering life safety. Therefore, the occurrence of hypotension, especially severe hypotension, requires active resuscitation. Initially, it is necessary to administer fluids to supplement blood volume and make corrections, while also using some vasopressor medications to treat the disease causing the hypotension, achieving a blood pressure-raising effect to save lives.