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Updated: Jul 7, 2025
Tilt Testing with Combined Lower Body Negative Pressure: a "Gold Standard" for Measuring Orthostatic Tolerance
Published on: March 21, 2013
Orthostatic hypotension: Review and expert position statement
E Vidal-Petiot1, A Pathak2, J-P Azulay3
1Service de physiologie, ESH Excellence Center, hôpital Bichat, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 75018 Paris, France; INSERM U1148, Université Paris-Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, LVTS, 75018 Paris, France.
Abstract:
Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure of at least 20mmHg or a drop in diastolic blood pressure of at least 10mmHg within 3minutes of standing. It is a common disorder, especially in high-risk populations such as elderly subjects and patients with neurological diseases, and is associated with markedly increased morbidity and mortality. Its management can be challenging, particularly in cases where supine hypertension is associated with severe orthostatic hypotension. Education of the patient, non-pharmacological measures, and drug adaptation are the cornerstones of treatment. Pharmacological treatment should be individualized according to the severity, underlying cause, 24-hour blood pressure profile, and associated coexisting conditions. First-line therapies are midodrine and fludrocortisone, which may need to be combined for optimal care of severe cases.
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