Hypotension
From Academic Kids
In physiology and medicine, hypotension refers to an abnormally low blood pressure. It is often associated with shock, though not necessarily indicative of it.
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Causes
Orthostatic hypotension is a common cause of low blood pressure, resulting from a sudden change in body position. Reduced blood volume, called hypovolemia, can also cause hypotension and often results from the use of diuretics or vasodilators such as nitric oxide or furosemide.
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Indicators
For most individuals, a healthy blood pressure lies between 90/60 mmHg to 130/80 mmHg. A small drop in blood pressure, even as little as 20 mmHg, can result in transient hypotension.
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Symptoms
Low blood pressure is often accompanied by:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular heartbeat
- Fever higher than 101 °F (38.3 °C)
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Severe upper back pain
- Cough with phlegm
- Prolonged diarrhea or vomiting
- Inability to eat or drink
- Burning with urination
- Foul-smelling urine
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References
- Hypovolemia - MedLine Plus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003083.htm)
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