Safety at home Note · 4 min read

Dizzy when she stands up? It's common, and it causes falls

Blood pressure that drops on standing affects one in five older people. Getting up slowly, drinking enough and a check of her BP medicines help

The Pushpa team · 3 sources

Pushpa notes44

Sit up

on the edge of the bed

Pause

a few breaths

Stand

holding something steady

“Uthte hi chakkar aata hai”, twice this week

Stand slowly

“Uthte hi chakkar aata hai.” A head-rush when standing up might sound minor, but in an older parent it matters. When blood pressure drops on standing, called postural or orthostatic hypotension, the brain briefly gets less blood. MedlinePlus says it usually lasts a few seconds or minutes, but falls caused by low blood pressure in older adults can lead to a broken hip

22.2%

of older people living at home have blood pressure that drops on standing (J Gerontol A, 2020 meta-analysis)

Common causes

Not drinking enough
Medicines, especially those for high blood pressure and the heart
Some conditions, such as diabetes and Parkinson's
After a meal: MedlinePlus says this type most often affects older adults

What helps

Get up slowly: lying, then sitting on the edge of the bed for a moment, then standing, holding something steady
Don't bend down or change position suddenly
Drink more water, unless her doctor has limited fluids
Smaller, more frequent meals
Go easy on alcohol

Talk to her doctor

If she keeps getting dizzy or faints, see a doctor. The NHS says the dose or the medicine may need changing. MedlinePlus is clear: don't stop any medicine without talking to the doctor first. Get help straight away if dizziness comes with chest pain, an irregular heartbeat, breathlessness or fainting

How Pushpa helpsIf she mentions feeling dizzy on the evening call, Pushpa notes when it happened and whether it was after standing or after a meal, so her doctor sees a pattern, not a guess