Syncope Due To Low Blood Pressure After Meals
Normal blood pressure control after a meal
For a short time after a meal, (usually ½ to 1 ½ hours) more blood goes to blood vessels around the gut as it digests the food. The blood pressure control systems make changes to keep the blood pressure at the normal level. If the blood pressure control system does not work properly the blood pressure can drop after a meal.
Low blood pressure after meals
After a meal, if the blood pressure falls, a person can feel light-headed, vague, nauseated, unsteady, collapse or blackout. This condition most commonly occurs after breakfast due to relative dehydration overnight. It is more common in the elderly but can occur in younger people who have low blood pressure or people who take a lot of blood pressure lowering medication to treat heart conditions.
Doctors call this Postprandial Hypotension
Diagnosis
A 24-hour blood pressure monitor measures and records the blood pressure over 24 hours. It can be useful to look for evidence of low blood pressure after meals.
Treatments
Treatments your doctor may recommend include:
- Drinking one to two large glasses of water before meals
- Eating smaller more frequent meals
- Avoiding alcohol with meals
- Moving medications that lower blood pressure until later in the day or at night time
- Resting lying down after breakfast
- Rarely medication is required to increase the blood pressure at meal times.
