Question

A sudden, temporary, but self-correcting decrease in the systolic blood pressure that occurs when the patient goes from a lying to a standing position is called ________.

Answer 1

A sudden drop in systolic blood pressure when moving from lying down to standing is known as orthostatic hypotension, which can be caused by low blood volume or autonomic failure.

Step-by-step explanation:

A sudden, temporary, but self-correcting decrease in the systolic blood pressure that occurs when the patient goes from a lying to a standing position is called orthostatic hypotension. This condition occurs when the cardiovascular system does not quickly adjust to the change in body position, leading to less blood being pumped to the brain. There are two main reasons for this: first, when blood volume is too low, often due to dehydration or the use of certain medications like diuretics or vasodilators; second, due to autonomic failure which can be a result of various disorders including diabetes. Regulation of medications or increasing fluid and salt intake can sometimes alleviate the problem caused by hypovolemia. In the case of autonomic failure, addressing the underlying condition can improve the hypotension.