ow Blood Pressure (Hypotension)

Written by: Abdul Mutalib Jawad

Some experts define low blood pressure as readings lower than 90 mm hg systolic or 60 mm hg diastolic. If either number is below that, pressure is lower than normal. A sudden fall in blood pressure can be dangerous.

Low blood pressure can sometimes be a sign that blood is not reaching the vital organs of the body, which in some cases can cause problems for people.
AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some patients and a physician about this disease.

Janatgul, a resident of Oryakhel village, Qarabagh district of Kabul province says, “If my blood pressure suddenly drops, I suffer from dizziness, boring, lightheaded, fatigue, and faded vision.”

Sahib Khan says, “When my blood pressure is low, I feel blinders on my eyes if I want to walk, I suffer from dizziness and I think that I am falling, then I set down aside and I suffer from headache too.”

Doctor  Safiullah Oryakhel, an internist at 200 Beds Hospital in Khairkhana, district 11 of Kabul city Says, “If blood pressure is low than 60 mm hg and 40 mm hg, it may cause the loss of a vital organ in the body. If not prevented immediately, as all the vital organs and the whole body need blood, at low blood pressure, the blood does not reach these organs and might be destroyed one after another, and the destruction of an organ can cause the death of the patient.”

What do some patients think about the causes of low blood pressure?

Waliullah, a resident of the Qarabagh district says, “Weakness and sadness cause low blood pressure.”

Haris, a resident of Kabul province says, “Unemployment and anxiety could cause low blood pressure.”

Doctor Oryakhel says, “The first cause of low blood pressure is fluid loss, vomiting, diarrhea, heavy bleeding, burns, and any factors that cause fluid loss. Neuromuscular diseases, heart failure, allergic reactions; some medicines could lower blood pressure. In case of anxiety, abnormal heart beating and eating too much food also lowers blood pressure.”

How do some patients treat low blood pressure?

Zafir Ahmad, a resident of  Kabul province says, “When my blood pressure is low, I prepare the mixture of sugar and salt and after drinking it, I feel better.”
A patient who doesn’t want to mention his name says, “I eat salt with a boiled egg or I eat yogurt with salt and then I go to a doctor.”

Doctor Oryakhel says, “If we are in a remote area and there is no clinic, in the first step we should drink fluids, add a little salt to the water and drink it. We should lie down on the ground and place our feet vertically and completely tangential to the wall and hold up. If we have access to a health center, the best thing to do is to get the serum."