POTS Syndrome - Mayo Clinic

Phil Fischer, M.D., discusses the latest research on Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• POTS
• syndrome

[deb310red]

Can you take beta blockers if your blood pressure is extremely low?

[mayoclinic]

@deb310red Thanks for your question regarding extremely low blood pressure. We will forward to Dr. Fischer for review. In a previous response to a viewer he stated: "many POTS patients with low-normal blood pressures still do very well on beta blockers. Only rarely do beta blockers lead to worsened symptoms in patients with POTS."

[mayoclinic]

@deb310red Dr. Fischer just responded: "Care of POTS patients should clearly be individualized. Many POTS patients have lowish blood pressures and do well with increased fluid and salt intake in conjunction with beta blocker treatment. If the blood pressure is already "extremely low," beta blocker therapy would only be started after careful consideration of the patient's individual needs - and might be delayed at least until the real cause of the extremely low blood pressure is corrected."

[mayoclinic]

Dr. Fischer page 1: Thanks for the note, but I am sorry to hear about all your complicated medical challenges. In fact, though, LOTS of patients with POTS have similarly complicated medical situations. Your own doctors would need to decide if beta blockers could help your POTS without hurting your other conditions, and you could discuss this with them.

[mayoclinic]

@bossy12379 Dr. Fischer page 2: At the same time as you are choosing medications, it will be vitally important to get active. When we ask our patients who have recovered from POTS what they would want us to tell people who are still suffering with POTS, they usually say either "Go to school" or "Exercise, exercise, exercise." Hang in there. Phil Fischer

[bossy12379]

@mayoclinic when i was 15 i was diagnosed with autoimmune anima, autoimmune liver disease and after a year of being sick off and on i got so sick i couldnt even go to school bc my doctor said i have sleep apnia and i also have been diagnosed with dysautonomia also known as pots; im now 16 out of school on so many medications and i heard you say some thing about bata blockers? help to tighten the blood vessels? i have one of the most known liver doctors in the usa and idk if she would go for it?

[violashutters]

Maybe it is due to all the poison we are putting into the Air, water, and foods.

We are being poisoned on all fronts, as if we are bugs.

[IrishDysautonomia]

I wish you guys were over here in Ireland, the Dr.s over here are very VERY limited with their Dysautonomia knowledge, I wish there was a way to get to you for real treatment!

[mayoclinic]

Dr. Fischer-Pg 1:

I'm sorry to hear about your health struggles.

Fainting can occur with POTS, and fainting spells sometimes end with actual seizures (though brief). Primary seizures, however, can also appear to cause fainting. Sometimes it helps to observe a spell/episode with EEG and video monitoring to determine just what is going on - IF the spells are frequent enough to "catch" one while testing.

[mayoclinic]

Dr. Fischer-Pg 2: In addition to typical symptoms, a POTS diagnosis is usually based on finding an excessive difference between the lying down pulse rate and the standing pulse rate. Formal tilt testing can be done but is not always required.

Exercise and other treatments can help patients with POTS - even if the diagnosis came late.

Hang in there! Phil Fischer