If high blood pressure is a serial killer, low blood pressure is a petty thief. It doesn't get much press, as chronic low blood pressure is more frequently a symptom, rather than a cause, of disease. However, it can be a result of life-threatening conditions, such as extreme blood loss and severe infection. Low blood pressure can also be a side effect of prescription medications such as diuretics or beta-blockers, or the result of pregnancy or dehydration. In chronic cases, especially in elderly people, more serious complications can arise from low blood pressure. These include stroke and brain damage.
Mental Disorientation
As blood pressure drops, so does blood flow to the various organs systems, including the central nervous system. Reduced blood flow to the body's nerve center, the brain, can result in disconcerting mental repercussions. MayoClinic.com reports that confusion is a common symptom of low blood pressure, which is referred to by the medical term hypotension.
Dizziness
A drop in blood pressure can make a person feel lightheaded and dizzy, according to MayoClinic.com. In some cases, this effect is magnified by a sudden change in body position, such as moving from a sitting to a standing position. This is known as orthostatic, or postural, hypotension.
Occasional episodes of orthostatic hypotension aren't usually serious. They occur more frequently in those older than 65 and can be induced by heat exposure and dehydration.
Nausea
Low blood pressure often comes with the added discomfort of gastrointestinal distress. A person whose blood pressure drops below a reading of 90 over 60 is considered hypotensive and may be prone to nausea, according to BreastCancer.org.
Fainting
Fainting, also known as syncope, is a temporary loss of consciousness typically related to insufficient blood flow to the brain. The American Heart Association notes that low blood pressure is the most common cause of fainting. One of the greater risks of low blood pressure is injury due to falls caused by fainting. In cases of repeated syncope, it's recommended that a doctor rule out serious cardiovascular risks by conducting an electrocardiogram to test for a pre-existing genetic heart condition or other high-risk disorder.
