What is low blood pressure?

Feeling bad: Low BP is a BP that makes you feel badly: light headed, like you're going to pass out. As long as you feel good, low BP is great.

Generally < 90/60: Low blood pressure in general is a blood pressure < 90/60. However, if someone is completely asymptomatic with a blood pressure like this it may be normal fr them. A low BP needs to be a lower number than usual for a person and be associated with symptoms.

90/60: Low blood pressure is generally anything under 90/60. This may be normal for diminutive female but if this blood pressure is new or is associated with symptoms it deserves evaluation.

Low BP: No number but when it is low enough you faint it is too low.

"Low" is semantic: "normal" blood pressure is an arbitrary thing--i.e. Lower cutoffs of 100 systolic, 60 diastolic were created b/c above these are where the vast majority of people fall. However, many healthy people, as well as some people with heart or liver disease who are perfectly stable, have BP in the 80-90s range. The main point is if it is a change from your personal baseline, and whether you have symptoms.

Can be normal: If it is always low and you feel fine, dont worry. Otherwise it can be caused by dehydration or other things. If it's new see your dr.

Low blood pressure: The definition of too low a blood pressure is 1. Non-hypertensive (<120/80) and 2. Symptomatic. In other words, blood pressure is not too low unless associated with symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue etc. On the reverse, ideal blood pressure is the lowest blood pressure tolerated. I have many patients with blood pressures in the 90s who are feeling absolutely great!

Variable: Blood pressure is too low when it causes symptoms. The rapidity of decline of BP is more important than the absolute number. Many healthy people feel fine with a pressure of 90/60. Some people may pass out if they go from 200/100 to 140/60 on standing. The lower the bp, the healthier if one is otherwise feeling okay.

Depends: Low blood pressure might be a good thing. People live longer. It's just a number. If you feel fine, it is unlikely a problem. Now if you are sick and it is low, the treatment depends on the cause. For instance, bleeding. Stop the bleeding and give blood transfusion. Dehydration. Give fluids by mouth or intravenously. Infection. Give antibiotics. Adrenal insufficiency, give hormone replacement.

Hypotension: To treat hypotension it is necessary to increase the intravascular volume with fluids or decrease the intravascular space by using vasoconstrictor drugs. Giving fluid volume is generally more physiologic. Sometimes hypotension is due to inadequate impelling force by a failing heart and this has other treatment modalities. For all knowledge of the cause of the hypotension should guide therapy.

Depends: There is no strict cutoff for too low blood pressure. Whatever pressure that causes symptoms of lightheadedness, fatigue and decreased perfusion to vital organs is too low. In some it might be 100 , others 80. See your doctor.

Symptomatic: It's too low if you have symptoms for example, there are people that walk around with blood pressure of 90/50 without any problems. There are others who are dizzy, wobbly and feel horrendous. Some of these general guidelines go out the window dealing with really sick people, intensive care etc. Different set of rules in that case.

Based on symptoms: While too high a BP is well known, too low is not well defined usually we base too low on dizzyness and even syncope ( passing out ).

Many things: If you have low blood pressures, especially with systolics in the 80s or below, and this isn't your baseline blood pressure, you need to get evaluated by a doctor immediately. Low blood pressure is an ominous sign of things such as volume depletion, infection, or heart failure, and cannot be properly diagnosed without an exam.

Blood pressure: If we make the assumption you are otherwise normal, you may just have baseline stroke volume and peripheral vascular resistance that yields a low but normal pressure. As soon as we allow abnormal considerations low blood volume, low stroke volume, low resistance and reasons for them all come into play.

It depends: You don't really need to do anything unless your low blood pressure gives you symptoms such as light headedness or if you pass out. Without knowing your blood pressure, we can't really give any other recommendations.

Low bp: Low BP &lt;100, is for kids and young adults and pregnant women. BP is age dependent.. Generally a low BP is better than a high bp. Without symptoms, such as fainting, a low BP is good. If symptoms of low BP such as fainting occur it is necessary to see the dr to rule out pathologic causes.

Determine Cause: Since you cannot do this on your own, you will need to see a physician in your area to have a physical. It will be determined what is needed to have your blood pressure back to normal levels.

Blood pressure: Ask your doc if anything needs to be done first. To raise BP we increase salt and fluid intakes and use support hose to increase venous return.

If you faint . . .: Low blood pressure is relative. In fact, blood pressure is just a number so that lowering a number isn't the goal as much as decreasing your risk of death, stroke, kidney failure, heart failure, etc. That's what you want - the clinical outcome benefit, not just a number. Younger thinner women can run lower BP then older heavier men. But too low can be defined as feeling faint, weak or passing out.

Low bp: If you're having weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness and your BP is less than 90mmHg systolic it is likely too low. Above 90mmHg those symptoms are less likely to be BP related.

I generally: tell my patients that unless the "Low blood pressure" is SYMPTOMATIC you are at advantage in terms of heart disease and future stroke etc. If symptomatic the exact reason for the low blood pressure should be evaluated! Hope this is helpful Dr Z

Medical conditions..: If the low blood pressure (LBP) is due to one taking High BP medication. One should stop it and see the Doctor. If one is constantly in the sun, sweating or being dehydrated extra fluid and Electrolyte intake might be a good idea . Because there could be other significant medical conditions that can cause LBP, it is best to see one's PCP or Cardiologist for evaluation.