Blood pressure suddenly dropping and feeling very faint? -

this is about my mum, she takes a few medications including hypertension tablets, high cholesterol tablets, due to suffering a couple of cva s (stokes) Just recently she has developed over the last month episodes of feeling very faint and passed out one occasion. The blood drains from her face she goes totally white. We and our GP put it down to her blood pressure suddenly dropping the dr took her off one of her hypertension tablets but she is still having these episodes. Lying down with feet elevated helps but is it still related to her blood pressure or could it be something else causing it?? Since she started taking an additional cholesterol tablet this problem arose, coincidence or not??

Hi Foxy I am sorry to read about your mom and her condition, but you may want to get a second opinion on her low blood pressure. Being that your mom has had a stoke or stokes and the meds that she is taking for your condition there is only one thing that comes to mind and I am not sure if there are any meds to help her, but it sounds like your moms heart maybe kind of weak. Her heart may not be able to pump the blood throughout her body in the sitting or standing positions causing the blood to stay in her lower body or limbs causing her to have dizzy or fainting spells, but when laying down with her legs raised up makes her feel better, that is because all the blood is in her upper body and head, so yes you will have to get a second opinion. I know and understand that some times you can not thing of what top ask the Dr. at the time you are there, but after you leave a question comes to mind and it is okay, when that happens just call the Doctors office and ask your question, it is better late and safe than not at all. Oh yea if you want to raise your mom s blood pressure really fast give some thing salty, but that in it s self can be a problem as well, check with her Dr. first.... I hope this wasn t to confusing. The bottom lines is this; your mom s heart isn t strong enough for what it needs to do, take to her Dr. and ask him about it and don t let him tell you that that is not the problem. If your mom s is up right she has problems if she is flat on her back legs raised makes her feel better it s her heart or she has some blockages in her main arteries. Tell the Dr. about your concerns; remember not to let him talk you out of getting your mom s heart and arteries tested... Good luck to you and your mom and God bless....Keep the Faith....Peace....cya....

she could be experiencing what we like to call Hypoglycemia. It is a condition in which the blood pressure drops and the person may feel these symptoms: -faint -pailness -clammy -nauseated -dizzy -loss of balance -lightheaded -blurred vision Or,she may just be suffering from low blood pressure due to some medications or a certain medical condition that is not allowing blood to flow throughout the body like it should. there are treatments for both disorders,and both are caused by different things,such as not eating enough,getting up too fast from being in a stable manner,or like I said before,medications. Consult your physician if this condition worsens or does not clear up. I hope this helps

It could be her BP as your doctor suspects. I suppose they could also be small TIAs, ( transient iscaemic attacks). I assume with her history she is already on mini aspirin. She would perhaps get more information if she had a 24 hour BP monitor check. Many practices now have these on site or she can have it done as a hospital out patient. If this is not helpful she really needs a neurology referral for scanning. If they are TIAs the addition of a second anti-platelet drug such as Persantin or Plavix might be the answer.

The other things I think about besides hypotension and TIA s, would be low heart rate, (bradycardia) or atrial fibrillation. If ever in doubt, call 911 if she faints. Best of luck!