Open AccessOrthostatic arterial hypotension
Author(s) -
Camelia Cristina Diaconu,
D Bucur,
Daniel BERCEANU,
Ovidiu Gabriel Bratu
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
romanian journal of medical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2069-6108
pISSN - 1842-8258
DOI - 10.37897/rjmp.2017.1.2
Subject(s) - orthostatic vital signs , medicine , blood pressure , supine position , anesthesia , nausea , pure autonomic failure , etiology , weakness , cardiology , surgery
Orthostatic hypotension is a persistent decrease of systolic blood pressure by at least 20 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure by at least 10 mm Hg in the first 3 minutes upon standing. Orthostatic hypotension is more common in the elderly patients, being one of relatively frequent causes of hospitalization in the elderly population. Orthostatic hypotension may be primary or secondary, acute or chronic. Its etiology is represented in most cases by the primary or secondary autonomic failure. Clinical manifestations of orthostatic hypotension occur after the transition from supine to standing, and are due to cerebral hypoperfusion. These consist of nausea, dizziness, generalized weakness, postural instability, fatigue, blurred vision. Cardiological and neurological consult are necessary for diagnosis. Pharmacological treatment of orthostatic hypotension is often unsatisfactory, imposing combination with non-pharmacological measures.