| Blood pressure is the pressure that causes the | | | | Common symptoms of low blood pressure are |
| blood to flow through your body from areas of | | | | dizzy spells, fainting, feeling light-headed. Often, |
| high pressure into areas of low pressure. It goes | | | | these symptoms tend to be more evident when |
| from your arteries through your veins to your | | | | a person is lying or sitting and then suddenly |
| body's organs. | | | | stands up. |
| Blood pressure readings are shown as two | | | | Low blood pressure in itself it not a bad thing. As |
| numbers, in the form systolic/diastolic blood | | | | long as it is not low enough to cause problems |
| pressure. An example of a blood pressure reading | | | | and damage to the body organs, then low blood |
| would be 120/80. | | | | pressure is desirable. In fact, people with lower |
| Systolic pressure is when the heart contracts and | | | | blood pressure are less likely to suffer from heart |
| pumps blood into the arteries, while diastolic | | | | disease, renal (kidney disease) and are at a lower |
| pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the | | | | risk of strokes. |
| heart relaxes after contraction. | | | | Unlike high blood pressure, which is defined on the |
| Usually, systolic blood pressure tends to be | | | | basis of the blood pressure reading alone, low |
| between 90 and 120 millimetres of mercury (mm | | | | blood pressure is defined primarily by signs and |
| Hg) for most healthy adults. Normal diastolic blood | | | | symptoms of low blood flow. |
| pressure falls between 60 and 80 mm Hg. | | | | Some people may have a blood pressure reading |
| Low blood pressure, also known as hypotension, is | | | | of 90/50 yet exhibit no signs or symptoms of |
| blood pressure that is so low that it is causing | | | | low blood pressure such as fainting, dizziness, or |
| symptoms or signs due to the low flow of blood | | | | light-headedness and as a result these individuals |
| through the veins and arteries. | | | | will not have low blood pressure. On the other |
| As a result of this, the vital organs such as the | | | | hand, there may be people who have a blood |
| heart, brain and kidneys do not receive enough | | | | pressure reading of 130/80 and may exhibit the |
| oxygen and nutrients and may become damaged | | | | symptoms and signs of low blood pressure if |
| and cease to function properly. | | | | there blood pressure reading drops to 100/60. |