Treatment of orthostatic hypotension. 2003

Roy Freeman
Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.

Orthostatic hypotension is the most incapacitating symptom of autonomic failure. This disorder occurs with both central autonomic neurodegenerative disorders, such as multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease, and peripheral autonomic disorders, such as the autonomic peripheral neuropathies and pure autonomic failure. The hallmark of both central and peripheral causes of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension is the failure to release norepinephrine appropriately upon standing. Patient education is the cornerstone of management. There are several measures that can be implemented to improve orthostatic tolerance prior to pharmacological intervention. Plasma volume expansion is essential to improve orthostatic tolerance, and fluid and sodium chloride intake should be increased. Most patients can be treated successfully with volume expansion or fludrocortisone or both in combination with a sympathomimetic agent. Desmopressin acetate and erythropoietin are useful supplementary agents in patients with more refractory symptoms. There are rare patients who will require additional agents to treat their symptoms. A small group of patients remain refractory to all therapeutic modalities.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007024 Hypotension, Orthostatic A significant drop in BLOOD PRESSURE after assuming a standing position. Orthostatic hypotension is a finding, and defined as a 20-mm Hg decrease in systolic pressure or a 10-mm Hg decrease in diastolic pressure 3 minutes after the person has risen from supine to standing. Symptoms generally include DIZZINESS, blurred vision, and SYNCOPE. Hypotension, Postural,Orthostatic Hypotension,Postural Hypotension
D011187 Posture The position or physical attitude of the body. Postures
D001810 Blood Volume Volume of circulating BLOOD. It is the sum of the PLASMA VOLUME and ERYTHROCYTE VOLUME. Blood Volumes,Volume, Blood,Volumes, Blood
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013566 Sympathomimetics Drugs that mimic the effects of stimulating postganglionic adrenergic sympathetic nerves. Included here are drugs that directly stimulate adrenergic receptors and drugs that act indirectly by provoking the release of adrenergic transmitters. Amines, Sympathomimetic,Sympathomimetic,Sympathomimetic Agent,Sympathomimetic Drug,Sympathomimetic Agents,Sympathomimetic Drugs,Sympathomimetic Effect,Sympathomimetic Effects,Agent, Sympathomimetic,Agents, Sympathomimetic,Drug, Sympathomimetic,Drugs, Sympathomimetic,Effect, Sympathomimetic,Effects, Sympathomimetic,Sympathomimetic Amines

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