heart and blood vessel disorders
Low Blood Pressure
Introduction
Low blood pressure is blood pressure low enough to cause symptoms such as dizziness and fainting. Very low blood pressure can cause damage to organs, a process called Shock . Various drugs and disorders can affect the body's system for maintaining blood pressure. When blood pressure is too low, the brain malfunctions, and fainting may occur. Normally, the body The Body's Control of Blood Pressure within a narrow range. When blood pressure is too high, organs and blood vessels can be damaged. When blood pressure is too low, not enough blood reaches all parts of the body. As a result, cells do not receive enough oxygen and nutrients, and waste products are not adequately removed. Thus, the affected cells and the organs they are in begin to malfunction. Very low blood pressure can be life threatening because it can lead to Shock , in which organs are damaged by lack of blood flow. Healthy people who have blood pressure that is low but still in the normal range (when measured at rest) tend to live longer than people who have blood pressure that is on the high side of normal. The body has several ways to The Body's Control of Blood Pressure after it increases or decreases during normal activities, such as exercise or sleep. They involve Changing the diameter of small arteries (arterioles) and, to a lesser extent, veins Changing the amount of blood pumped from the heart to the body (cardiac output) Changing the volume of blood in the blood vessels Changing the body's position 