If you know the cause of low blood pressure, treating the cause first is the primary objective. The chronic decrease in blood pressure can be treated with lifestyle changes, and some dietary modifications. To bring your blood pressure from a low range to normal limits, you can apply some or all of the following tips depending on your feasibility.
Doctors usually suggest decreasing salt intake because it is a causative factor to increase blood pressure. However, with people who are facing a chronic decrease in blood pressure, increasing salt intake will not do too much of a harm to them. However, if you are a heart patient, you should consult your physician before increasing the intake of salt.
The problem with low blood pressure is usually due to a decrease in the blood volume. So to compensate this decrease in blood volume, you should drink lots of fluid. Around 10 glasses of water per day is an adequate amount to increase your blood volume and hence, the blood pressure. During flu, hot weather and diarrhea, a person uses considerable amounts of fluid. In this case also, increase in the quantity of fluid is necessary to compensate for the loss of fluid volume that is maintaining your blood pressure.
Sometimes, people who are on medications to decrease blood pressure, also have a type of hypotension, which is known as ‘postural hypotension’. In this condition, they may fall down when they try to stand, so it is advised to them to breathe deeply before they stand. Additionally, they should rub their ankles before they stand up. This will prove to be efficient in increasing the circulation, and will be helpful in returning the blood to the heart in a rapid pace.
Also, you can wear elastic stockings in order to cover your legs and thighs. This will allow you to restrict the blood flow to your legs, which will retain the blood in the upper parts of your body thus keeping the blood pressure to normal limits.
There are some medications that can also be used to increase the blood pressure. However, you should use these medicines only on the prescription of your doctor:
Fludrocortisone: It is a ‘mineralocorticoid’ and its function is to decrease the excretion of sodium. By this mechanism, sodium has the ability to retain water which increases the blood volume and hence, the blood pressure.
Midodrine is a drug which activates the arterioles and venous receptors, which then show increased blood pressure. There are some other drugs such as pyridostigmine, caffeine and erythropoietin that can show an increase in blood pressure. However, it must be said that drugs must not be relied upon too much, and simple remedies such as increasing salt and water intake can show a modest increase in blood pressure.
Relating to foods, you must know that an increase in foods like whole grains, lean chicken, fish and vegetables in your diet may keep your blood pressure at an ideal level.
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