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Do you Have Low Blood Pressure?
This topic was brought up on another one of our forums. I was talking with another member about how we both have lower baseline blood pressure. Even when I was a younger child, my blood pressure and heart rate would be so low. Emergency room doctors and just general doctors would make the false assumption that I “must be an athlete”. Even though I was athletic throughout my life, this was NOT the cause of my heart rate in the 30s at rest and my blood pressure being 85/50 some days.
Having low blood pressure at baseline is difficult. It prevents me from taking certain medications, especially medications that act on the vascular system. I am even very sensitive to supplements that have a relaxing or calming effect on the body because it just drops my blood pressure too low.
When my blood pressure is below 90/60 (which is my usual baseline now), I have to hold off on taking medications for my heart that lower my heart rate and keep me pacemaker paced because of the risk of my pressured dropping too dangerous levels. Some symptoms I experience are: increased sweating or feeling too cold, trouble with regulating temperature, dizziness, standing up and seeing spots (almost like I am about to pass out), fatigue and feeling increased headaches.
Do you have lower blood pressure either due to a medication or at baseline? What medications have you been told to be cautious about taking? Do you monitor your blood pressure before taking certain medications? What symptoms alert you that your blood pressure is low?
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4 Replies
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Interesting you bring this up because last time I was at the doctor’s office for just a primary care check up, they commented on some unusually low blood pressure. Low for me, I mean. Usually I’m around 110/65 or 70. At my last visit in June I was 94/60 and they showed some concern. My heart rate is also pretty low, although not too low. It’s usually around 58 to 62 where as my husbands is like, always at 80 or 90!
I’m a little confused on how all the blood pressure stuff is related to PH honestly.
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Hi Libby,
Here is an article I found about heart disease and low blood pressure. I know that a lot of people with PH sometimes experience chronic heart failure because of it. If the blood is not able to get to where it supposed to go and the circulation is poor, then this could contribute to low blood pressure. This link also gives you an idea of the symptoms to look out for and how it could be connected to those with PH, particularly many of the medications that are prescribed that have an effect on the blood vessels and heart rate. Here is the link if you want to check it out.
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I had to go the ER about a month ago because I fell and broke my nose. My BP was low 94/40. They wouldn’t let me leave until my BP came up which was 98/55. I went to have my stiches out at my primary Dr office and my BP was 83/32 they were very upset. So they kept giving me water, juice, crackers. I stayed there for at least 2 hours. My Dr wanted send me to the ER. I said no so my BP finally went up to 98/45. My Dr told me to stop taking one of my heart meds Ramipril. I have been taking it for 11 years. Now my BP is 116/65. That is higher than what my BP regularly is. My question is when Cardiologist put me on Revatio/Siledinfil my BP kept going really low and I would get dizzy and pass out so he told me to stop taking it. Now since I’m not taking Ramipril should I suggest taking Siledinfil again to see if I get the same results?
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Hi Sherry,
This is definitely a good question to bring up to your doctors. I can only speak from experience and I am not a medical professional, but I am sure there are medications out there that if they are titrated correctly and you start low with the dosage (especially if you have had such strong reactions and decreases in blood pressure before) then you should bring this up as a possibility. I sometimes feel that the shift from low blood pressure to one that is “higher than average” for me is worse than just having a baseline of low blood pressure of 90/60. Anything below that, I usually start to feel symptomatic (see the link above about symptoms of low pressure). Keep us posted on what your medical team thinks of this and please advocate for yourself and your health when it comes to medications and what you’re comfortable with/ not comfortable with taking.
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