Pressure, low blood
Any blood pressure that is below the normal expected for an individual in a given environment. Low blood pressure is also referred to as hypotension.
Low blood pressure is a relative term because the blood pressure normally varies greatly with activity, age, medications, and underlying medical conditions.
Low blood pressure can result from conditions of the nervous system, conditions that do not begin in the nervous system, and drugs.
Neurologic conditions that can lead to low blood pressure include changing position from lying to more vertical (postural hypotension), stroke, shock, lightheadedness after urinating or defecating, Parkinson’s disease, neuropathy and simply fright.
Nonneurologic conditions that can cause low blood pressure include bleeding, infections, dehydration, heart disease, adrenal insufficiency, pregnancy, prolonged bed rest, poisoning, toxic shock syndrome, and blood transfusion reactions.
Hypotensive drugs include blood pressure drugs, diuretics (water pills), heart medications (especially calcium antagonists-nifedipine/PROCARDIA, beta blockers-propranolol/INDERAL and others), depression medications (such as amitriptyline/ELAVIL), and alcohol.
Read Also:
- Prevalence
The proportion of individuals in a population having a disease or characteristic. Prevalence is a statistical concept referring to the number of cases of a disease that are present in a particular population at a given time, whereas incidence refers to the number of new cases that develop in a given period of time.
- Priapism
Abnormally persistent erection of the penis in the absence of desire. Treatments include medications, anesthesia, and drainage of blood from the penis.
- Preventive medicine
Medical practices that are designed to avert and avoid disease. For example, screening for hypertension and treating it before it causes disease is good preventive medicine. Preventive medicine takes a proactive approach to patient care.
- Primary
First or foremost in time or development. The primary teeth (the baby teeth) are those that come first. Primary may also refer to symptoms or a disease to which others are secondary. A primary tumor is one that is at the original site at which it arose. For example, a primary brain tumor is one […]
- Primary amebic meningoencephalitis
A rare, but fatal infection of the central nervous system caused by Naegleria fowleri, an ameba that inhabits freshwater lakes, rivers and hot springs. The disease results when ameba-contaminated water incidentally enters the nose during aquatic activities and amebas migrate to the brain. Symptoms can include headache, fever, stiff neck and seizures. Most cases occur […]