When you stand up and feel lightheaded, dizzy, or like the room is spinning, you’re experiencing dizziness on standing, a sudden drop in blood pressure that reduces blood flow to the brain. Also known as orthostatic hypotension, it’s not just annoying—it can lead to falls, injuries, and hospital visits, especially in older adults. This isn’t normal aging. It’s your body’s way of telling you something’s off—maybe your blood pressure control, your meds, or even your hydration.
Orthostatic hypotension, a condition where blood pressure drops within three minutes of standing happens when your body can’t adjust fast enough. Blood pools in your legs, and your heart and blood vessels don’t react quickly enough to keep your brain fed. It’s common with medication side effects, especially from blood pressure pills, diuretics, antidepressants, and Parkinson’s drugs. It’s also linked to low blood pressure, whether from dehydration, heart problems, or nerve damage from diabetes. And yes, it can feel like vertigo, but true vertigo is about spinning—this is about fading out.
Here’s the thing: most people ignore it. They sit back down, shake it off, and move on. But if it’s happening often, especially if you’re over 65 or on multiple medications, it’s a red flag. A simple test—checking your blood pressure lying down and then standing—can reveal if this is a pattern. Some people don’t even realize their dizziness is tied to standing up until they track it. And if you’re on blood thinners or have heart issues, this isn’t just a nuisance—it’s a risk factor for serious falls or fainting.
What you’ll find in these posts isn’t just theory. It’s real-world advice from people who’ve been there: how to spot the warning signs before you fall, which medications are most likely to cause this, how to adjust your routine to stay safe, and when to ask your doctor for a different treatment. You’ll see how simple changes—like drinking more water, standing slowly, or wearing compression socks—can make a huge difference. And you’ll learn when this dizziness is just a minor glitch versus a sign of something deeper, like autonomic dysfunction or heart disease.
Dizziness when standing up may be caused by medications like antipsychotics, diuretics, or alpha-blockers. Learn how drug-induced orthostatic hypotension works, which meds are most risky, and how to fix it safely.
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