My father has low blood pressure. I want to know how he could control it.

Question

My father has low blood pressure. I want to know how he could control it.

Answer

Low blood pressure, without symptoms such as fainting or dizziness, is nothing to be concerned about. This information may be helpful to you and your father, and ease your concern.

If you have low blood pressure but no symptoms, you will not need treatment and you can ignore it. However, low blood pressure sometimes causes faintness or dizziness. If this applies to you, your doctor will enquire further to see whether there is an underlying cause. For instance, you might feel faint or dizzy when you change posture (e.g. moving from sitting to standing), after exercising, or eating a meal. This is more common in elderly people where there is some deterioration in the control of blood pressure.

If you have low blood pressure, incorporating a little more salt into your diet may help. Other measures include sleeping with several pillows to raise your head as you sleep. Some people are advised to wear support stockings to stimulate their circulation.

Sometimes low blood pressure can be the result of medication that you are taking. If you are on medication, your doctor may wish to alter your dose.

Only a very small number of people need to take medication for low blood pressure. Drugs that constrict the arteries can help elderly people who have symptoms when they change posture. For more information, go to the link below.

Links

• Medline Plus: Blood Pressure - Low