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What Causes Low Blood Pressure?
Question: Hello Dr. My grandmother had low BP and day before yesterday, all her organs failed. But the doctors revived her and brought her back to life. Now she is on ventilator and the doctors have reduced ventilation to 40%. she is only moving her mouth jaw and little bit opening her eyes. Wanted to know whether she is conscious or unconscious or in coma? Also, how long will she be on ventilator and when will she regain her health. she is a dialysis patient.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I understand your concern and would explain that your grandmother's situation seems to be critical.
The low blood pressure also called "circulatory shock", may be related to different causes:
- a complication of dialysis
- a severe cardiac arrhythmia from an electrolyte imbalance
- a cardiological disorder (tamponade, myocardial infarct,etc)
- severe hemorrhages, leading to loss of big amounts of blood.
Anyway, this circulatory dysfunction if not treated in the right time, leads to similar consequences. A prolonged deprivation in the blood supply to the organs, causes irreversible damage to them.
The main organs, which are more sensitive to the blood supply deprivation are the brain, the heart and the kidneys.
In her situation, we can not tell the damage of her brain.
A comatose patient doesn't open his eyes.
But there is a specific clinical situation, which is called vegetative state, in which the brain is very damaged, but the patient can open his eyes, be able to perform respiration, but is unconscious, because his brain has lost all his cognitive functions (located in the cortex), but not the metabolic functions (which are located in the brainstem).
So a careful neurological exam is needed to evaluate her brain function.
Anyway it is too early to determine her prognosis.
Even if she is getting out of coma, further evaluations are needed to establish her neurological situation.
Besides, taking into consideration her multi organ failure, you should understand that her prognosis is very poor.
She may need to stay on ventilator for a prolonged period. It depends on her further repeated tests to evaluate her lung and brain function.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask any other questions, whenever you need!
Best regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I understand your concern and would explain that your grandmother's situation seems to be critical.
The low blood pressure also called "circulatory shock", may be related to different causes:
- a complication of dialysis
- a severe cardiac arrhythmia from an electrolyte imbalance
- a cardiological disorder (tamponade, myocardial infarct,etc)
- severe hemorrhages, leading to loss of big amounts of blood.
Anyway, this circulatory dysfunction if not treated in the right time, leads to similar consequences. A prolonged deprivation in the blood supply to the organs, causes irreversible damage to them.
The main organs, which are more sensitive to the blood supply deprivation are the brain, the heart and the kidneys.
In her situation, we can not tell the damage of her brain.
A comatose patient doesn't open his eyes.
But there is a specific clinical situation, which is called vegetative state, in which the brain is very damaged, but the patient can open his eyes, be able to perform respiration, but is unconscious, because his brain has lost all his cognitive functions (located in the cortex), but not the metabolic functions (which are located in the brainstem).
So a careful neurological exam is needed to evaluate her brain function.
Anyway it is too early to determine her prognosis.
Even if she is getting out of coma, further evaluations are needed to establish her neurological situation.
Besides, taking into consideration her multi organ failure, you should understand that her prognosis is very poor.
She may need to stay on ventilator for a prolonged period. It depends on her further repeated tests to evaluate her lung and brain function.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask any other questions, whenever you need!
Best regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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