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What Causes Sudden Dizziness While Waking Up?
Question: For the first time ever on getting up very quickly from lying on th efloor I felt dizzy and had to sit down suddenly. What might this tell me ? I am 86
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I understand your concern and would explain that your symptoms seem to be related to orthostatic hypotension.
This is a disorder which is part of the orthostatic intolerance.
Normally the blood pressure raises or remains the same when standing up from sitting or lying position.
Persons affected by this disorder, have a decrease in their systolic blood pressure more than 20mm Hg during standing up, compared to sitting down or laying down. It is explained by an autonomic nervous system dysfunction.
A head up tilt test would be the test of choice to rule in/out this possible disorder.
Other factors like dehydration, chronic low blood pressure, diabetes, chronic anemia, thyroid dysfunction, certain drugs, etc. could aggravate this disorder.
What is your current medication, besides warfarin?
I would also recommend making some blood lab tests (complete blood count, thyroid hormone levels, fasting glucose, blood electrolytes, kidney and liver function tests) to exclude other secondary causes of this symptomatology.
Meanwhile I would recommend taking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and avoid abrupt standing up from lying position. You should try to wait sitting for a few minutes before standing up, to avoid possible falls.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask any other questions whenever you need!
Best wishes!
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I understand your concern and would explain that your symptoms seem to be related to orthostatic hypotension.
This is a disorder which is part of the orthostatic intolerance.
Normally the blood pressure raises or remains the same when standing up from sitting or lying position.
Persons affected by this disorder, have a decrease in their systolic blood pressure more than 20mm Hg during standing up, compared to sitting down or laying down. It is explained by an autonomic nervous system dysfunction.
A head up tilt test would be the test of choice to rule in/out this possible disorder.
Other factors like dehydration, chronic low blood pressure, diabetes, chronic anemia, thyroid dysfunction, certain drugs, etc. could aggravate this disorder.
What is your current medication, besides warfarin?
I would also recommend making some blood lab tests (complete blood count, thyroid hormone levels, fasting glucose, blood electrolytes, kidney and liver function tests) to exclude other secondary causes of this symptomatology.
Meanwhile I would recommend taking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and avoid abrupt standing up from lying position. You should try to wait sitting for a few minutes before standing up, to avoid possible falls.
Hope to have been helpful!
Feel free to ask any other questions whenever you need!
Best wishes!
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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