Symptoms of low blood pressure in the elderly

Many elderly people sleep very little after they turn 50, and rarely have the habit of taking a nap. Because they don’t do much exercise every day except taking care of children at home, they eat relatively little, so low blood pressure has become a very common phenomenon among the elderly. So it is good that square dancing is very popular now. At least the elderly have something to do, and they can eat more if they exercise. However, it is still necessary to understand the symptoms of low blood pressure in the elderly.

Although many people know that people with weak bodies are prone to symptoms of low blood pressure, few people understand what the common symptoms of low blood pressure are among the elderly. In fact, it is very necessary to understand these symptoms, especially for the care of the elderly.

According to the onset of hypotension, it can be divided into two categories: acute and chronic.

1. Acute hypotension

Acute hypotension refers to a sudden and significant drop in the patient's blood pressure from a normal or high level. Clinically, it is often caused by ischemia of important organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys, and symptoms such as dizziness, black eyes, weak limbs, cold sweats, palpitations, and oliguria. Severe cases may manifest as syncope or shock.

2. Chronic hypotension

Chronic hypotension refers to a state in which blood pressure is persistently below the normal range.

(1) Constitutional hypotension is generally believed to be related to heredity and weak constitution. It is more common in women and the elderly aged 20 to 50. Mild cases may have no symptoms, while severe cases may cause mental fatigue, dizziness, headache, and even fainting. It is more obvious in summer when the temperature is higher.

(2) Orthostatic hypotension: Hypotension in some patients is related to changes in body position (especially upright position), which is called orthostatic hypotension. Postural hypotension is defined as a decrease in systolic blood pressure >20 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure >10 mmHg within 3 minutes of changing body position to an upright position, accompanied by symptoms of hypoperfusion, including dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision, fatigue, nausea, cognitive impairment, palpitations, and neck and back pain. Elderly people with isolated systolic hypertension accompanied by diabetes, hypovolemia, or those taking diuretics, vasodilators, or psychotropic drugs are prone to orthostatic hypotension.

(3) Secondary hypotension Certain diseases or drugs can cause hypotension, such as syringomyelia, severe aortic stenosis, mitral stenosis, chronic constrictive pericarditis, idiopathic or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hemodialysis patients and chronic malnutrition, as well as taking antihypertensive drugs and antidepressants. Hypotension caused by these diseases can also cause symptoms of low perfusion such as dizziness and lightheadedness.

Through the introduction of the above content, we can understand that the symptoms of low blood pressure in the elderly are actually very common. You can detect and solve the problem as early as possible by paying more attention in daily life. Low blood pressure in the elderly is not a serious illness, but when it is serious and causes other diseases, it is a serious illness and something that cannot be ignored.