Ask the Doctors: Low blood pressure can have negative impact on health

When blood pressure drops too far, the tissues of the body begin to develop a deficit of oxygen. This can cause symptoms that range from mild to severe. (stock.adobe.com)

Dear doctors: I’m a 97-year-old woman. Sometimes, my blood pressure drops, and I faint. It lasts just a few seconds because, as soon as I’m prone, I wake up. I don’t have any cardiac issues, and there’s no pain. What might be causing this? 

Dear reader: Each time the heart beats, it sends freshly oxygenated blood into the closed loop of the circulatory system.