Orthostatic hypotension is best described as which of the following?

• A. Rise in Blood Pressure Upon Standing
• B. Drop in Blood Pressure Upon Standing
• C. Transient Loss of Consciousness After Standing
• D. Drop in Blood Pressure During Sleep

Answer: (B)

Orthostatic hypotension is defined by a drop in blood pressure when you move from a lying or sitting position to standing. When you stand, gravity pulls blood into the legs, reducing venous return to the heart. If the body's normal baroreceptor reflex cannot compensate quickly enough, blood pressure falls, producing symptoms like dizziness or lightheadedness and, in some cases, fainting. This makes the description “a drop in blood pressure upon standing” the best fit.

A rise in blood pressure upon standing would indicate the opposite problem. A transient loss of consciousness after standing can happen with orthostatic hypotension, but the defining feature is the decrease in BP with standing, not the act of standing itself. A drop in blood pressure during sleep describes nocturnal hypotension, which is unrelated to the upright posture that defines orthostasis.