Relationship Between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Neurally Mediated Hypotension

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a chronic debilitating disease that afflicts 4/1000 of the general population. The pathophysiologic basis for this condition is unknown, and no known consistently effective therapy has been identified. Recent studies have reported a link between the chronic fatigue syndrome and neurally mediated hypotension, a common abnormality of blood pressure regulation. In nonrandomized studies, treatment directed at neurally mediated hypotension has been effective in treating the symptoms of the chronic fatigue syndrome in two-thirds of patients. Prospective randomized trials are now in progress.