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What Causes Shortness Of Breath And Dizziness When Standing In An Elderly Person?
Question: My 85 year old dad has low blood pressure and has had numerous doctors evaluate him and he's gotten worse. His Thyroid is fine and his heart is healthy. He has shortness of breath and dizziness both when standing. He's taking a thyroid med a low blood pressure med and med for acid reflux. Is there any thing such as far as vascular that could be done? In the past 2 days his speech has started to jumble on him and started to forget what he was trying to say. Also could this be a blood clot somewhere? Thanks for your time.
Brief Answer:
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome on HCM!
I carefully passed through your question and would explain that it is necessary performing a comprehensive differential diagnosis between different causes that may lead to this clinical scenario:
- low blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension can cause dizziness and shortness of breath when standing up. In such case it is necessary to stop his ant-ihypertensive drugs (if he is currently taking any). Increasing salt intake would also be helpful.
- a lung disorder could be the cause of shortness of breath. As the heart is healthy, it is necessary examine his lungs too. For this reason, I would recommend performing a chest X ray study, respiratory function tests and an arterial blood gas analysis.
- Low blood perfusion to the brain and a stroke could explain his speech and memory troubles. For this reason, it is necessary performing a brain CT scan and a Doppler ultrasound of the neck vessels to detect possible narrowing.
Some other blood lab tests (complete blood count for anemia, thyroid hormone levels, cortisol plasma levels, blood electrolytes, kidney and liver function tests) are also necessary to exclude possible metabolic causes underlying his troubles.
You should discuss with his doctor on the above issues.
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome on HCM!
I carefully passed through your question and would explain that it is necessary performing a comprehensive differential diagnosis between different causes that may lead to this clinical scenario:
- low blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension can cause dizziness and shortness of breath when standing up. In such case it is necessary to stop his ant-ihypertensive drugs (if he is currently taking any). Increasing salt intake would also be helpful.
- a lung disorder could be the cause of shortness of breath. As the heart is healthy, it is necessary examine his lungs too. For this reason, I would recommend performing a chest X ray study, respiratory function tests and an arterial blood gas analysis.
- Low blood perfusion to the brain and a stroke could explain his speech and memory troubles. For this reason, it is necessary performing a brain CT scan and a Doppler ultrasound of the neck vessels to detect possible narrowing.
Some other blood lab tests (complete blood count for anemia, thyroid hormone levels, cortisol plasma levels, blood electrolytes, kidney and liver function tests) are also necessary to exclude possible metabolic causes underlying his troubles.
You should discuss with his doctor on the above issues.
Kind 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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