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Low Blood Pressure: How Low Is Too Low?
From Our Mailbag:
"Just read your blog about understanding blood pressure, and I have a question. There seems to be a lot of information out there about people with high blood pressure, but what about too low - how low is too low, and what does it mean? Information about low blood pressure seems to be pretty scarce, and I think it would be a good thing for you to comment on. Mine is usually something around 105/60, but that is
the same as my teenage daughter, so I am hoping it's good. Is this very uncommon?
Stephanie H.
Canada"
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Generally speaking, low blood pressure is only a problem if it causes dizziness or lightheadedness. I sometimes find that healthy people can have blood pressure that is significantly lower than 120/80.
I advise people to carefully monitor blood pressure lower than 90/60 when certain drugs are involved.
Here is a list of drugs that can cause dangerously low blood pressure and warrant careful observation:
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Drugs for high blood pressure, including diuretics
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Drugs for anxiety
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Some drugs for depression
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Narcotic pain killers
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Alcohol
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Certain heart medications
Also, it's important to note that the following conditions can cause problematic low blood pressure:
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Dehydration
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Heart failure
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Irregular heart beat
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Shock (from trauma, infection, stroke, or
life-threatening allergic reaction) -
Advanced peripheral vascular disease
So long as none of the drugs and conditions listed above apply to you, I wouldn't consider having blood pressure as low as 90/60 to be a problem.