Morbidity and mortality of orthostatic hypotension: implications for management of cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is the failure of cardiovascular reflexes to maintain blood pressure on standing from a supine or sitting position. Although OH may cause symptoms of dizziness or syncope, asymptomatic OH (AOH) is far more common and is an independent risk factor for mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The prevalence of AOH increases with age, the presence of hypertension or diabetes and the use of antihypertensive or other medications. The implications of AOH for the treatment of CVD and hypertension are not well defined. This review provides an overview of the current information on this topic and recommends the more frequent assessment of OH in clinical practice and in future clinical trials.