Health
Drinking water could benefit those with low blood pressure
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 20, 2004
Ingesting approximately 16 ounces of water could cause a rise in blood pressure sufficient to steady those with hypotension who faint while standing, according to a paper published in the December Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Researchers at Imperial College London and St. Mary's Hospital in England measured the blood pressure of 14 patients with autonomic failure while they were lying down and standing.
Authors of the paper found that water could raise blood pressure in five to 13 minutes and that associated symptoms such as fainting were reduced or eliminated.
"This surprising discovery that water can have such an effect on blood pressure could help us to treat both sufferers of autonomic failure, and many people who suffer from low blood pressure generally, especially those who faint," said Dr. Christopher Mathias, senior author and clinical professor in the division of neurosciences and psychological medicine.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/12/20/hlbf1220.htm.
