What to do if your bp drops too low

Low blood pressure is a reading of less than 90/60mmHg. It does not always cause symptoms, but you may need treatment if it does.

Symptoms of low blood pressure

Get your blood pressure checked if you keep getting symptoms like:

  • lightheadedness or dizziness
  • feeling sick
  • blurred vision
  • generally feeling weak
  • confusion
  • fainting

This might mean your blood pressure is too low.

If you get symptoms when you stand up or suddenly change position, you may have postural hypotension.

How to check your blood pressure

You can check your blood pressure:

  • by asking if a pharmacist can do it
  • by asking a practice nurse or GP to do it
  • at home yourself using a home blood pressure monitor – Blood Pressure UK has information about choosing a blood pressure monitor

Low blood pressure is a measurement of less than 90/60mmHg.

Important: Regular blood pressure check

If you're 40 to 74 years old, you should have your blood pressure checked at least once every 5 years as part of the NHS Health Check.

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

  • you keep getting symptoms such as dizziness and fainting

Treatment for low blood pressure depends on the cause

If a cause can be found, a GP will be able to recommend treatment to ease your symptoms.

For example, they may suggest:

  • changing medicines or altering your dose, if this is the cause
  • wearing support stockings – this can improve circulation and increase blood pressure

Medicine to increase blood pressure is rarely needed because simple lifestyle measures or treating the underlying cause is usually effective.

How to ease low blood pressure symptoms yourself

Do

  • get up slowly from sitting to standing

  • take care when getting out of bed – move slowly from lying to sitting to standing

  • eat small, frequent meals – lying down or sitting still for a while after eating may also help

  • increase the amount of water you drink

Don’t

  • do not sit or stand for long periods

  • do not bend down or change posture suddenly

  • do not drink caffeinated drinks at night

  • do not drink too much alcohol

Causes of low blood pressure

Your blood pressure can vary depending on the time of day. It gradually increases throughout the day.

What you're doing and how you're feeling can also affect it.

There are many possible causes of low blood pressure. It may be low because you're fit and healthy, or you may have inherited it from your parents.

Low blood pressure is not always a sign of a problem. But if you have symptoms of low blood pressure, your doctor can diagnose the condition and uncover the cause. Symptoms of dizziness and lightheadedness when you stand up from sitting or lying down -- with a decrease in your blood pressure -- may indicate a condition called postural hypotension. A wide range of underlying conditions may also cause your symptoms. It's important to identify the cause of low blood pressure so appropriate treatment can be given.

The doctor will look at your medical history, age, specific symptoms, and the conditions under which the symptoms occurred. They will do a physical exam and may repeatedly check your blood pressure and pulse rate -- after you've been lying down for a few minutes, right after you stand up, and within a few minutes after you stand quietly.

Other tests may be performed, such as an ECG (electrocardiogram) to measure heart rate and rhythm and an echocardiogram (an ultrasound test to visualize the heart). You may also have blood tests to look for anemia or problems with your blood sugar levels.

More sophisticated home ECG monitoring (a Holter monitor or "event" monitor) may be necessary to check for heart problems that come and go or an irregular heart beat that can cause your blood pressure to drop suddenly.

An exercise stress test or, less commonly, an electrophysiology test (EP test) may also be helpful.

Some forms of postural hypotension may require a test called a "tilt table" test. This test evaluates the body's reaction to changes in position. The person lies on a table, is safely strapped in, and the table is raised to an upright position for up to an hour. Blood pressure, heart rate, and symptoms are recorded. Often, medications are given to help guide treatment.

What Are the Treatments for Low Blood Pressure?

For many people, chronic low blood pressure can be effectively treated with diet and lifestyle changes.

Depending on the cause of your symptoms, your doctor may tell you to increase your blood pressure by making these simple changes:

How can I bring my low blood pressure up quickly?

Treatment.
Use more salt. Experts usually recommend limiting salt (sodium) because it can raise blood pressure, sometimes dramatically. ... .
Drink more water. Fluids increase blood volume and help prevent dehydration, both of which are important in treating hypotension..
Wear compression stockings. ... .
Medications..

When is low blood pressure an emergency?

If low blood pressure causes a person to pass out (become unconscious), seek treatment right away. Or call 911 or the local emergency number. If the person is not breathing or has no pulse, begin CPR.

What happens if your blood pressure drops too low?

A sudden fall in blood pressure can be dangerous. A change of just 20 mm Hg — a drop from 110 mm Hg systolic to 90 mm Hg systolic, for example — can cause dizziness and fainting. And big drops, such as those caused by uncontrolled bleeding, severe infections or allergic reactions, can be life-threatening.

What causes sudden drop in low BP?

Sudden drops in blood pressure most commonly occur in someone who's rising from a lying down or sitting position to standing. This kind of low blood pressure is known as postural hypotension or orthostatic hypotension. Another type of low blood pressure can occur when someone stands for a long period of time.