Orthostatic hypotension means that your blood pressure drops significantly when you rise from a lying or sitting position. This occurs because your body systems for maintaining posture changes for blood pressure are not working properly.
These changes can occur due to the aging body and its response to posture, but most frequently they are caused by an outside influence like medications. While medications are an important adjunct, too many or the wrong ones in isolation or combination can cause problems. This is especially an issue with seniors because their blood vessels have become hardened and less able to respond to changes due to aging and hardening of the arteries.
When taking your blood pressure from a lying and standing position, the blood pressure reading should change by less than 10 mm Hg for the lower number and less than 20 mm Hg for the top number. That means 10 and 20 points of the blood pressure scale you are using to measure your blood pressure.
To assess for orthostatic hypotension, you must follow a defined procedure as follows:
Orthostatic hypotension is also common in those with dementia. The brain impacts the control of the blood pressure, and dementia is a brain illness.
Many medications can have an effect on blood pressure. Some of the common ones include blood pressure medications, medications for behavior in dementia, antidepressants, antihistamines, water pills, erectile dysfunction medications and Parkinson’s disease medications.
The best treatment for orthostatic hypotension is to learn to rise slowly from a lying or sitting position. Do not just get up and go. As we age, it takes our body longer to adjust to the position change. If you can't control your dizziness and often feel lightheaded, report it to your provider. They may be able to review your medications and make changes for your safety. Falls lead to death in the elderly and prevention is the best treatment.