Blood pressure can have many different effects on a human body. The common problem is high blood pressure, called hypertension. Another problem is having low blood pressure, called hypotension. Hypotension can be serious and it should be taken care of immediately. Low blood pressure can affect the brain and can be dangerous.

Hypotension is often caused by decreased blood volume that is known as hypovolemia. There are different reasons why this can happen. Usually there is a problem with the nervous system in the brain. Some medicines can also cause hypovolemia as a side effect. Because low blood pressure can cause problems with such an important part of the body as brain, hypotension could be even more serious than high blood pressure problem.

One of the more common forms of low blood pressure related to hypotension is orthostatic hypotension, also known as postural hypotension. It can occur because of a change in the body's position. Sometimes standing up from a sitting or lying position can briefly lower the blood flow in the body. Because of this, someone can become dizzy, and it happens on a regular basis to some people. More serious type of the syndrome can be brought on by the physical and the psychiatric medications.

Orthostatic hypotension can affect the autonomic nervous system, making it even weaker than it already is. It could be also a sign of a failing autonomic nervous system, maybe because of age or something else.

The less common than orthostatic hypotension is postprandial hypotension and it can occur 30-75 minutes after eating. Digestion of food can send a large dose of the blood to the digestive system and then the autonomic nervous system increases the body's heart rate and finds more blood to pump.

Hypotension and hypertension, affect the body very differently, but they are both cause for concern and should be taken care of immediately.