Hypotension, otherwise referred to as decreased blood pressure
Lena Bauer
2026-03-19
7 min. read
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Hypotension (decreased blood pressure) is a condition where systolic blood pressure falls below 100 mmHg. This phenomenon is much less commonly described in medical literature than arterial hypertension. This may be due to the fact that, compared to high blood pressures, hypotension does not have such a negative impact on the circulatory system. However, decreased blood pressure is a serious concern due to the numerous co-existing conditions. It is also estimated that this problem affects 1-2% of adults.
Causes and types of low blood pressure
Low blood pressure can be triggered by a variety of mechanisms and often accompanies diseases such as Alzheimer's, dementia, depression, and Down syndrome. In some cases, hypotension may occur as a result of decreased blood activity in the body, such as the production of substances like medulipin or bradykinin that dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. There are also cases of postprandial hypotension, in which systolic blood pressure drops by at least 20 mmHg within 2 hours of starting a meal or clinical signs of brain circulation disorders appear. Low blood pressure can also be a result of kidney disease, in which excessive filtration occurs during the short duration of hemodialysis, leading to a sudden drop in blood volume. The most important cause of lowering blood pressure is excessive weight gain between dialysis sessions. Among the types of hypotension, we also distinguish orthostatic hypotension, which occurs when a change in body position from sitting or lying down to standing or prolonged standing causes a sudden drop in blood pressure in people with normal or even elevated blood pressure. Orthostatic hypotension occurs in about 5-10% of people over 65 years of age and is the result of inadequate blood circulation regulation due to changes in body position. The last type of arterial hypotension is primary hypotension, which most often occurs in young people aged 20-30 years, often in women with a slim and tall stature. Its causes are not fully understood, and it is not clear whether this type of hypotension should be considered a disease state.
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