Severe Hypotension

[gabgab]

I normally have high blood pressure which is being controlled by Avapro. I was admitted to hospital recently with an Avapro overdose. On admission to hospital my BP was 135/80, a few hours later it had dropped to 73/38. I already had a catheter inserted into my arm in case I needed medication. When my BP reached 73/38 a drip was connected to the catheter and quickly flushed through followed by another not quite so rapid flowing one. Over several hours my BP returned to acceptable levels.  How low can blood pressure go, before one is in serious danger? (without medical intervention) I have been unable to find information anywhere. Thankfully I am fully recovered, and realise the danger of too much Avapro.

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hi gabgab,

There is not strict answer to your question....it depends on the individual. In the hospital we watch for changes in the amount of urine you make, changes in mental status, and changes in some lab values.  People with blockages in heart, kidney, gastrointestinal arteries (among others) will suffer symptoms at higher blood pressure than most young healthy people. If this was an accidental overdose, you may want to buy a pill dispensor to help you keep track of medications.  You should not change the doses or take extra medications without your doctors supervision--but I am sure you know that.

That is about the best answer I can give.  Please becareful with your medications and good luck.

[Barbarella]

You said you had an "overdose".  I found out that once in a while high BP meds do a reverse on me.  I take the same dosage, same time every day and all of a sudden I feel like I took 10 tranquelizers at once, and my BP is around 100/60, and my pulse is 40 (I take no beta blockers) but my BP never went below 100 syst.  Doc said not to worry because it does not happen very often, but in your case your BP was way much lower than mine ever was.

[Erik36]

Why did you take too much Avapro?