Is low blood pressure serious?

Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
Updated on September 07, 2024
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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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What is the range for low blood pressure?

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 Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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How to treat low blood pressure?

How to treat low blood pressure depends on the extent of the decrease in blood pressure and the causes of low blood pressure. If the blood pressure is not too low and there are no obvious clinical symptoms, generally, there is no need for pharmacological treatment. What is needed is lifestyle adjustments, consuming high-nutrient foods, proper exercise, increasing the vitality of the heart and the elasticity of the blood vessels, and drinking more broth. If it is caused by severe illness leading to shock, immediate effective medication treatment and rescue are required, starting with the replenishment of blood volume, improving microcirculation, and using vasopressors to raise the blood pressure to a safe range, to ensure the blood supply to the heart, brain, and kidneys. (Note: Doctor’s answers are for reference only. Please follow the guidance of a professional physician for medication use, and do not self-medicate blindly.)

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Written by Cai Li E
Cardiology
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What blood pressure is considered low blood pressure?

Systolic pressure less than 90 mmHg and diastolic pressure less than 60 mmHg indicate low blood pressure. The normal blood pressure range for adult males and females of any age is a systolic pressure between 90 to 139 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure between 60 to 89 mmHg. High blood pressure is defined as having a systolic pressure of 140 mmHg or higher and/or a diastolic pressure of 90 mmHg or higher. Arterial blood pressure varies among individuals, as well as by age and gender, with a general trend of increasing pressure as age advances, and the increase in systolic pressure is more pronounced than that in diastolic pressure. Before menopause, women tend to have slightly lower blood pressure than men of the same age, but after menopause, their blood pressure generally aligns with or even slightly exceeds that of their male counterparts.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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How to alleviate low blood pressure

How to alleviate low blood pressure depends on the cause of the low blood pressure and the degree to which the blood pressure has decreased. For mild low blood pressure without any primary disease, it is necessary to rest and consume high-protein, high-nutritional foods, especially high intake of broth, chicken soup, ginseng, sea cucumber soup, etc., which can effectively raise blood pressure. If the low blood pressure is caused by a disease and the blood pressure is relatively low, it is necessary to treat the primary disease while correcting the blood pressure. First, blood volume should be supplemented to raise blood pressure. In severe cases, pressor drugs should be used, and when blood pressure reaches a normal level, it is maintained to supply blood to important organs.

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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.