What causes your blood pressure to be low?

Answer 1

not enough iron and chocolate and sweets

Low blood pressure can be caused by many things. People who exercise tend to have a lower blood pressure. If you feel your blood pressure if abnormally low, contact your doctor immediately.

Answer 2

Factors or conditions that disrupt the body's ability to control blood pressure cause hypotension. The different types of hypotension have different causes.

Orthostatic HypotensionOrthostatic hypotension has many causes. Sometimes two or more factors combine to cause this type of low blood pressure.

Dehydration (de-hi-DRA-shun) is the most common cause of orthostatic hypotension. Dehydration occurs when the body loses more water than it takes in. You may become dehydrated if you don't drink enough fluids or if you sweat a lot during physical activity. Fever, vomiting, and severe diarrhea also can lead to dehydration.

Orthostatic hypotension may occur during pregnancy, but it generally goes away after the birth.

Because an older body doesn't manage changes in blood pressure as well as a younger body, getting older also can lead to this type of hypotension.

Postprandial hypotension (a type of orthostatic hypotension) mostly affects older adults. Postprandial hypotension is a sudden drop in blood pressure after a meal.

Certain medical conditions can raise your risk for orthostatic hypotension, including:

• Heart conditions, such as heart attack, heart valve disease, bradycardia (a very low heart rate), and heart failure. These conditions prevent the heart from pumping enough blood to the body.
• Anemia (uh-NEE-me-eh).
• Severe infections.
• Endocrine conditions, such as thyroid disorders, Addison's disease, low blood sugar, and Diabetes.
• Disorders of the central nervous system, such as Parkinson's disease.
• Pulmonary embolism.

Some medicines used to treat high blood pressure and Heart disease can raise your risk for orthostatic hypotension. These medicines include:

• Diuretics, or "water pills"
• Calcium channel blockers
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
• Angiotensin II receptor blockers
• Nitrates
• Beta blockers

Medicines used to treat conditions such as anxiety, depression, erectile dysfunction, and central nervous system disorders (like Parkinson's disease) also can increase your risk for orthostatic hypotension.

Other substances, when taken with high blood pressure medicines, also can lead to orthostatic hypotension. These substances include alcohol, barbiturates, and some prescription and over-the-counter medicines.

Finally, other factors or conditions that can trigger orthostatic hypotension include being out in the heat or being immobile (not being able to move around very much) for a long time.

Neurally Mediated HypotensionNeurally mediated hypotension (NMH) occurs when the brain and heart don't communicate with each other properly.

For example, when you stand for a long time, blood begins to pool in your legs. This causes your blood pressure to drop. In NHM, the body mistakenly tells the brain that blood pressure is high. In response, the brain slows the heart rate. This makes blood pressure drop even more, causing dizziness and other symptoms.

Severe Hypotension Linked to ShockMany factors and conditions can cause severe hypotension linked to shock. Some of these factors also can cause orthostatic hypotension. In shock, though, blood pressure drops very low and doesn't return to normal on its own.

Shock is an emergency and must be treated right away. If a person has signs or symptoms of shock, someone should call 9-1-1 right away.

Certain severe infections can cause shock. This is known as septic shock. It can occur when bacteria enter the bloodstream. The bacteria release a toxin (a poison) that leads to a dangerous drop in blood pressure.

A severe loss of blood or fluids from the body also can cause shock. This is known as hypovolemic (HI-po-vo-LE-mik) shock. Hypovolemic shock can happen as a result of:

• Major external bleeding (for example, from a severe cut or injury)
• Major internal bleeding (for example, from a ruptured blood vessel or injury that causes bleeding inside the body)
• Major loss of body fluids from severe burns
• Severe swelling of the pancreas (an organ that produces enzymes and hormones, such as insulin)
• Severe diarrhea
• Severe kidney disease
• Overuse of diuretics

A major decrease in the heart's ability to pump blood also can cause shock. This is known as cardiogenic (KAR-de-o-JEN-ik) shock. Heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat) can cause this type of shock.

A sudden and extreme widening of the arteries and drop in blood pressure also can cause shock. This is known as vasodilatory (VA-so-DI-la-tory) shock. It can occur due to:

• A severe head injury
• A reaction to certain medicines
• Liver failure
• Poisoning
• A severe allergic reaction (called anaphylactic (AN-a-fi-LAK-tik) shock)

Answer 3

poor circulation or commonly known as Peripheral Vascular Disease

this is when the veins harden and become narrow which then decreases the amount of the blood flowing throughout.

Poor circulation - your symptoms may include:

• Blood clots
• Cold legs, feet or hands
• Cramping
• Fatigue in legs and feet
• Numbness/tingling/Pins and Needles
• Pain -- (generally at night can cause lack of sleep)
• Swelling of legs and feet
• Tired and achy legs and feet
• Lymph-oedema
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Answer 4

While less common than high blood pressure, low blood pressure (hypotension) exists and can cause many complications. There are several causes of low blood pressure, some more obscure than others. Some of these causes are also more treatable than others. This article discusses the main causes of low blood pressure.

Heart disease

Heart disease is a common cause of hypotension ("hypo" meaning "deficient" or "under"). Naturally, if the heart is weakened, it pumps less blood throughout the body, lowering blood pressure. Generally, a weakened heart is caused by heart attacks, but infections and certain medications can also weaken the heart. Other heart disease related conditions that cause low blood pressure include pericarditis (put simply, an inflammation of a sac around the heart) and pulmonary embolisms (where a blood clot travels to the heart and eventually the lungs). One should receive regular checkups from a physician to ensure good heart health.

If you think you have low blood pressure, consult a physician. Medications

Certain medications can also cause low blood pressure. These medications include, but are not limited to, calcium channel and beta blockers, certain anti-depressants, diuretics, medications used to treat blood pressure and medications used to treat Parkinson's disease. If you are on any of these medications and think you have low blood pressure, consult a physician.

Other causes

There are many other causes of low blood pressure. One of these is simple dehydration. This is very common for someone with prolonged bouts of vomiting and diarrhea. Also, having a low heart rate can cause hypotension. A lower than normal heart rate is caused by sinus problems or drug toxicity. Lastly, an adrenal deficiency can cause low blood pressure.

This is in no way a comprehensive list of the causes of low blood pressure, just the main causes. If you think you have low blood pressure, consult a physician.

Answer 5

Continued exposure to low or rapidly falling temperatures

Answer 6

High stress/ unhealthy foods