Orthostatic blood pressure is a measure of blood pressure taken when a person is standing upright. It is used to assess the body’s ability to maintain blood pressure when changing from a lying or sitting position to standing. Orthostatic hypotension is a condition in which blood pressure drops significantly upon standing, which can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting. Checking orthostatic blood pressure is important for diagnosing and managing orthostatic hypotension.
To check orthostatic blood pressure, you will need a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope. First, take a blood pressure measurement while lying down. Then, have the person stand up and take another blood pressure measurement after one minute. The difference between the two measurements is the orthostatic blood pressure. A drop in blood pressure of more than 20 mmHg is considered orthostatic hypotension.