How to increase diastolic blood pressure immediately

Low Blood Pressure, also known as hypotension, is a medical condition where a person’s blood pressure reaches such a low level that it leads to adverse symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, nausea, fatigue, difficulty in breathing, and blurred vision.

When the readings hover around 90/60 mm Hg or lower, it can be termed as hypotension. It can be measured using millimeters of mercury (mmHg). When the blood pressure is low, then it can cause a decreased supply of blood to organs such as the brain, kidney, and heart.

It can be caused by several factors such as dehydration, prolonged rest, deficiency in nutrition, lower volume of blood, heart problems, pregnancy, and neurological conditions. Some medications such as alpha-blockers, beta-blockers, diuretics, and antidepressants can also lead to low blood pressure.

If you have low blood pressure, emergency treatment at home is extremely easy. There are several home remedies for low blood pressure which you can follow. These home remedies for low BP include both lifestyle changes as well as a specific diet plan.

Lifestyle Changes for Low BP

● Eat small meals frequently – Consuming smaller and more frequent meals has been known to help with hypotension. This is because smaller and frequent meals reduce the gap between each meal and also keep you filled with the right nutrients, thereby reducing the chances of low blood pressure, as compared to larger and heavier meals.

● Increase salt intake – A sure shot low BP treatment at home is to increase your salt intake. Salt contains sodium and for people with blood pressure problems, higher sodium intake can be a good solution. Thus, consuming more salt can help raise your blood pressure.

● Wear compression stockings – The role of compression stockings is to decrease the amount of blood to be constricted to your lower legs and help it to be distributed throughout the body. They can also help to reduce the pressure and pain arising out of varicose veins. You can easily buy them for yourself online.

● Don’t get up or move around quickly – Any sudden or rapid movements can cause problems for someone with low blood pressure. For example, sitting up or standing up quickly can make you feel lightheaded, dizzy, or can even cause you to faint.

● Avoid alcohol – Alcohol can cause your blood pressure to fall so if you already have low blood pressure, you should avoid any sort of alcoholic beverages.

● Drink plenty of water – Water helps increase the volume of blood as well as reduce any chances of dehydration. Both of these can help in increasing your blood pressure.

Diet Plan for Low BP

● Drink coffee with your meals – Make sure you have a cup of coffee along with your meals. Coffee or any other caffeinated beverage can help increase your blood pressure. If you’re suffering from low blood pressure, then having a cup of coffee in the morning can be an instant remedy for low blood pressure. You can also have it as part of your meals, especially when you’re dealing with orthostatic hypotension.

● Eat complex carbs with every meal – Choosing a diet that is low in carbohydrates can help increase your blood pressure. If you’re adding carbs to your diet, it’s best to choose complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and barley instead of pasta and white bread.

● Snack on almonds and raisins – The easiest way to treat low blood pressure at home is to consume almonds and raisins. Raisins are an ideal Ayurvedic remedy to help cure hypotension naturally. You can soak a few raisins in water overnight and have them in the morning on an empty stomach and also drink the water in which they were soaked. You can try these for a few weeks and months. Almond is another alternative home remedy for low blood pressure You can follow the same procedure for almonds as you did for raisins.

● Drink carrot and beetroot juice – Starting your day with a glass of fresh carrot juice with honey can help maintain blood pressure since they help regulate the heart and kidney functions. Beetroot juice again is an effective antidote to help stabilize your blood pressure. For people with hypotension, consuming two glasses of beetroot juice for a week can give you good results.

● Enjoy a cup of liquorice tea – Another one of the instant home remedies for low blood pressure is liquorice root. It can help normalize blood pressure resulting from low cortisol levels. Liquorice helps break down the enzyme that disintegrates cortisol and helps in healthy functioning of adrenaline. It also helps in healing symptoms of chronic fatigue. Drinking liquorice tea daily for a few weeks can give you good results. You can also choose to take liquorice capsules.

Dr. Keshava Murthy, Senior Interventional Cardiologist Cardiology – Adult, Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Mysore

Medically Reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian, MD on August 30, 2022

You've probably heard to watch the amount of salt you eat, especially if you're concerned about your blood pressure. That's because it makes your body hold on to water, putting extra stress on your heart and blood vessels. Salt -- and worry, and anger -- aren't the only things that can raise your blood pressure. Although temporary "spikes" aren't necessarily a problem, numbers that remain high over time can cause serious damage.

It may be even more important than salt in raising your blood pressure, especially in a processed form like high-fructose corn syrup. People with more added sugars in their diet see a significant rise in both their upper and lower numbers. Just one 24-ounce soft drink causes an average 15-point bump in systolic pressure (the top number, or the pressure during a heartbeat) and 9 in diastolic (the bottom number, or the pressure between beats).

This isn't just about the number of friends you have -- it's about feeling connected. And being stressed or depressed doesn't fully explain the effect. It also gets worse with time: Over 4 years, the upper blood pressure of the loneliest people in a study went up more than 14 points. The researchers think an ongoing fear of rejection and disappointment and feeling more alert about your safety and security may change how your body works.

People with sleep apnea have higher odds of getting high blood pressure and other heart problems. When your breathing is repeatedly interrupted while you're sleeping, your nervous system releases chemicals that raise your blood pressure. Plus, you're getting less oxygen, which could damage blood vessel walls and make it harder for your body to regulate your blood pressure down the road.

Your kidneys need a balance of sodium and potassium to keep the right amount of fluid in your blood. So even if you're eating a low-salt diet, you could still have higher blood pressure if you're not also eating enough fruits, veggies, beans, low-fat dairy, or fish. While you may think of bananas as the go-to source, broccoli, water chestnuts, spinach, and other leafy greens are better to get potassium if you're watching your weight.

Sudden, or acute, pain ramps up your nervous system and raises your blood pressure. You can see this effect when you put one hand in ice water, press on your cheek or fingernail, or get an electric shock to your finger.

Do you take ginkgo, ginseng, guarana, ephedra, bitter orange, or St. John's wort? These and others can raise your blood pressure or change how medications work, including drugs to control high blood pressure.

When this gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone, your heart rate slows, and your arteries get less stretchy. Low hormone levels also might raise your LDL "bad" cholesterol, another thing that can stiffen arteries. Blood moves through hard vessels faster, pushing on the walls and raising the pressure. Though not as common, too much thyroid hormone can make your heart beat harder and faster, which will also bump up your numbers.

Systolic pressure went up an average of about 4 points, and diastolic, 3 points, in a study of middle-aged women who hadn't gone to the bathroom for at least 3 hours. Men and women of different ages saw similar effects. High blood pressure becomes more likely as you age, so you need to get accurate readings. An empty bladder could be one way to help do that.

All nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, can raise your numbers -- whether you're healthy or you already have high blood pressure. Though the average rise is only a few points, there's a wide range, which means it could affect some people much more than others.

You might see a difference if you compare readings during an appointment to the numbers you get at home. Named for the traditional garb of medical professionals, the "white coat effect" is the rise in blood pressure -- up to 10 points higher for systolic (the upper number) and 5 for diastolic (the lower number) -- that can happen simply because of where you are. The bump is likely due to nerves or anxiety.

Ingredients like pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine can narrow your blood vessels. That means the same amount of blood has to squeeze through a smaller space, like a crowd pushing through a hallway. These drugs can also make blood pressure medications less effective. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you choose over-the-counter products for sinus problems and colds that are safer if you have high blood pressure.

When your body’s cells don't have enough water, your blood vessels tighten up. This happens because your brain sends a signal to your pituitary gland to release a chemical that shrinks them. And your kidneys make less pee, to hang on to the fluid you do have, which also triggers tiny blood vessels in your heart and brain to squeeze more.

Pills, injections, and other birth control devices use hormones that narrow blood vessels, so it's possible your blood pressure will go up. It's more likely to be a problem for women who are older than 35, overweight, or smokers. You may want to keep an eye on your blood pressure, checking every 6-12 months. A lower dose of estrogen may keep your numbers closer to normal.

It happens whether you're young or old and no matter where you are. The higher your resting blood pressure, the higher the numbers go when you start speaking. And the effect lasts for a few minutes. It seems the subject and emotional content of what you're saying matters more than the fact that you're moving your mouth.

Medicines that target brain chemicals like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin -- including venlafaxine (Effexor), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), tricyclic antidepressants, and fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) -- can change not only your mood but also your blood pressure. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) might raise it if you're also taking lithium or other drugs that affect serotonin.

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