Question:

I am a 35 year old female. My blood pressure is as low as 95/55. I frequently feel light headed and tired, especially throughout the morning, and have also been depressed recently. I have never specifically asked a doctor about my blood pressure, although they have seen the readings on my charts and never commented. I just recently read an article citing a possible correlation between low blood pressure and fatigue/depression. Do you have any more information on this subject?

Answer:

It is not known what the lowest “normal” blood pressure is, and low blood pressure is usually not a serious health problem. In otherwise healthy people, the lower the blood pressure, the lower the risk for stroke and heart disease. There are diseases and medications, however, that can cause the blood pressure to become too low. People can become dehydrated, for example, or have an abnormal nervous system that does not respond properly to changes in body position. Fatigue and depression can accompany such problems. The easiest test to check for the presence of postural hypotension is a tilt table test, checking blood pressure and pulse lying down and standing. If this test is positive, more detailed testing may be needed.

For more information:

Go to the High Blood Pressure health topic.