What is characterized by postprandial hypotension: causes, symptoms and treatment

The term "postprandial hypotension" contains in the root English "prandial", which means "dining" in translation. This means that lowering blood pressure is associated with eating, that is, the pressure tends to drop after lunch. In such patients, the decrease occurs on average by 20 mm Hg. Art.

Why does postprandial hypotension occur?

Problems associated with lowering blood pressure in patients after eating, attracted the attention of scientists and physicians in the early 20th century. But as a single disease, post-prandial hypotension only gained its status in 1977, when the symptoms of the disease were first published after monitoring a patient with Parkinson's disease.

The diagnosis is made in the following cases:

• If, after 2 hours from the time of food intake, the pressure drops by 20 mmHg regularly.and more.
• If after eating, the pressure is within 90 mm Hg.compared with the original above 100 mm Hg.(before eating).
• If after taking food, the pressure does not decrease, but all signs of a hypotonic condition arise.

The reasons why pressure decreases after eating have not yet been studied, but it has been proven that there are certain factors that can trigger the onset of this condition. These factors include:

• Elderly( 65 to 85 years).In the elderly, all tissues and organs undergo structural and functional changes, impairing the perception of impulses emanating from the nervous system, which, after eating, blood "casts" to the lower limbs, causing a decrease in pressure.
• Diseases of the endocrine system. This is because the endocrine system is closely related nervous, and a violation in one system causes deviations in another system.
• Diseases of the nervous system associated with organic changes in the brain. These diseases include Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
• Deviations in mental development. Such states include neuroses, psychopathy, neurasthenia and other conditions.
• After the procedure of hemodialysis, which is performed in chronic renal failure.

Symptoms and signs

The clinic of this disease is very similar to the symptoms of arterial hypotension, and is as follows:

• Palpitation or arrhythmia.
• Drowsiness and weakness.
• Increased sweating.
• Headaches and dizziness.
• Violation of speech and vision( blurred vision).
• Pain behind the sternum and in the heart.
• Confusion and fainting after a meal.

Treatment of patients with postprandial hypotension

Treatment of such patients is based on lifestyle changes, compliance with diet and drug therapy. In the diet should not be hot foods, foods high in carbohydrates, and should be foods containing caffeine( tea, coffee, cocoa), spices, fats, spices. Food intake should not be abundant, it is best to eat small portions several times a day.

Lifestyle should also be healthy, which includes more movements, therapeutic gymnastics, rejection of bad habits and so on. Patients with this diagnosis are indicated to consume at least 2 liters of clean drinking water per day and to restrict the intake of drinks containing sugar and sugar substitutes.

Drugs are treated with drugs such as levodopa, indomethacin, ibuprofen, octreotide, midodrin. Treatment with medications should be agreed with the attending physician and should not be used alone.