Millions of people suffer of low blood pressure problems, this, unlike high blood pressure has noticeable symptoms, and it is important to treat it, because in some cases, a sudden drop of low blood pressure can produce us great damage. To understand low blood pressure, one must also understand the causes. One of the biggest low blood pressure causes is dehydration.

Low blood pressure, which is also called Hypotension, will be diagnosed whenever blood pressure readings remain below 90/60 on a consistent basis. Why is this a problem? We all want lower blood pressure. While that is true, having too low of a reading can cause dizziness, lightheadedness and fainting. In severe cases it can lead to low blood flow to the brain which in turn can lead to shock and heart attacks.

Some people only notice a drop in their BP reading when they do certain things - like standing up suddenly from sitting. This is called postural hypotension because it relates to your posture when it happens.This kind of low blood pressure is often due to medication or to hardening of the arteries. The sudden drop in brain blood flow can make you feel dizzy.

The stomach requires lots of energy, enzymes and a multitude of chemicals to digest food. The simpler, more natural the food, the easier the stomach's tasks and requirements are. But, as with almost all activities in the body, a sizable amount of blood is required to complete the task. At this point the autonomic nervous system steps in to help the heart out as the heart now has less volume of blood to work with. Over time, this weakens the autonomic nervous system.

Common causes include medications, pregnancy, heart problems, dehydration, infections, allergic reactions, endocrine problems and nutritional deficiencies. Let's take a brief look at them:

Medications. Certain type of medications often cause hypotension, even an excessive work of a drug to treat hypertension can have the contrary adverse effect. Some drugs lower blood pressure when mixed with other substances such as alcohol and other drugs.

Another cause of hypovolemia is excessive diuretics use. This causes the body to produce excessive amounts of urine, which can reduce the amount of fluid in the body very quickly. Another mechanism that causes low blood pressure is decreased cardiac output. This is usually caused by heart failure of some type. This cause of hypotension can quickly lead to cardiogenic shock, or shock caused by a lack of blood circulation.

The most common form of low blood pressure is called orthostatic hypotension, or postural hypotension. As the second name implies, it occurs when there is a rapid change of body position, usually from a seated position to standing. It is usually temporary. This is the most commonly caused by low blood volume.

The most common cause of hypotension is hypovolemia. Problems in your nervous system in the brain are chief among the reasons why. There are other causes that may include some medicines that can have hypovolemia as a side effect. Because of its brain origins, hypovolemia may be even more serious than high blood pressure.

Anemia is from a low blood count that can be brought on by excessive bleeding or iron deficiency. Low blood pressure can accompany anemia especially when you change positions from sitting to standing. If you're not eating a healthy diet, not only will your iron levels be affected but you may not be getting enough nutrients to maintain a normal blood pressure.

Hypotension has far less potential to damage your health than does hypertension [ high blood pressure]. However, if you believe that persistent low blood pressure is affecting your health you should seek medical attention to determine the cause and take your physician/s recommended steps to improve your blood pressure.

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