Low Blood Pressure

Low blood pressure, or hypotension, occurs when the pressure with which blood circulates through the arteries drops below usual. In many people it causes no problems, but in others it can produce discomfort or reflect another condition.

Common symptoms: dizziness, a feeling of fainting, blurred vision, weakness, nausea, or fatigue, especially when standing up.

When to seek care? If the dizziness is frequent, there is fainting, or the problems interfere with daily life, an evaluation is warranted to find the cause.

Which specialist treats it? The general practitioner carries out the initial evaluation and, depending on the findings, the cardiologist looks deeper into it; in the case of an acute episode, the emergency physician is involved. Discussing the symptoms with a professional makes it possible to distinguish harmless hypotension from one that requires follow-up.