Orthostatic hypertension: Recognizing an underappreciated clinical condition

Orthostatic hypertension refers to an increase in the blood pressure upon assuming an upright posture. This clinical condition has been understudied and is often underappreciated in clinical practice probably because of its unfamiliarity to many clinicians including subspecialists. We report a case...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lovely Chhabra, David H. Spodick
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2013-07-01
Series:Indian Heart Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019483213002034
Description
Summary:Orthostatic hypertension refers to an increase in the blood pressure upon assuming an upright posture. This clinical condition has been understudied and is often underappreciated in clinical practice probably because of its unfamiliarity to many clinicians including subspecialists. We report a case of severely symptomatic orthostatic hypertension in a Caucasian female, which was likely secondary to an autonomic dysfunction caused by an underlying vascular adrenergic hypersensitivity and possibly also due to uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (causing baroreflex dysfunction associated with excessive sympathetic stimulation). The case work-up also illustrates a schematic diagnostic and management approach to this rarely encountered clinical entity.
ISSN:0019-4832