Hypotension, orthostatic
A temporary lowering of blood pressure, usually related to suddenly standing up. Healthy people may experience orthostatic hypotension if they rise quickly from a seated position, especially after a meal. Orthostatic hypotension occurs most commonly in older people. The change in position causes a temporary reduction in blood flow and therefore a shortage of oxygen to the brain. This leads to lightheadedness, dizziness, and, sometimes, a temporary loss of consciousness. Tilt-table testing can be used to confirm a diagnosis of orthostatic hypotension. Tilt-table testing involves placing the patient on a table with a foot support. The table is tilted upward, and blood pressure and pulse are measured while symptoms are recorded in various positions. Also known as postural hypotension.
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- Hypotension, postural
from sitting to standing or from lying down to sitting or standing. Postural hypotension is more common in older people. The change in position causes a temporary reduction in blood flow and therefore a shortage of oxygen to the brain. This leads to lightheadedness and, sometimes, a “black out” episode, a loss of consciousness. Tilt-table […]
- Hypotensive
Hypertensive; Normotensive.
- Hypothalamic hamartoma
A benign tumor of the hypothalamus, the area of the brain that controls body temperature, hunger, and thirst. (In technical terms, the hypothalamus lies beneath a structure known as the thalamus and forms the floor of the third ventricle of the brain.) A small hypothalamic hamartoma can cause the person to feel as though they […]
- Hypothalamus
The area of the brain that secretes substances that influence pituitary and other gland function and is involved in the control of body temperature, hunger, thirst, and other processes that regulate body equilibrium.
- Hypothermia
Abnormally low body temperature. Someone who falls asleep in a cold temperature may become hypothermic, and the condition can be fatal. Hypothermia is intentionally produced to slow the metabolism during some types of surgery. Severe hypothermia can be fatal. Those with mild or moderate hypothermia (are alert and conscious, and have not lost the shivering […]