It’s listed among the non-physical symptoms and can either be caused by the autonomic dysfunction inherent in Parkinson’s Disease or is sometimes related to the medication rather than the disease itself. Many of the medications used to treat PD, including carbidopa levodopa act to lower blood pressure (BP). In my husband’s case, this was good because his BP was high and he was able to stop taking his BP meds when he started taking his PD meds. A positive trade-off for us. For up to 50% of People with Parkinson’s this is not the case and Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension, or nOH, is a life-threatening challenge. This challenge increases the longer a person has Parkinson’s and as they age.

People who develop nOH may experience dizziness, blurry vision, even fainting at times, all things that contribute to the risk of falls. A percentage of those having low BP episodes will also develop high BP episodes. We have a friend whose BP can fluctuate from dangerously low levels to dangerously high levels within just a few hours. Medical interventions are difficult, how do you treat high BP without lowering it too much?

There are some things that can be done at home that may help. People who have issues with low BP may find that staying well-hydrated, avoiding alcoholic beverages, raising the head of their bed and using more salt on foods can be beneficial. One suggestion that comes from the Davis Phinney handbook is to avoid exercise that causes you to sweat. This is a tough one because we all know how important exercise is in controlling the progression of PD. One thing to always remember is to discuss these interventions with your medical team, they need to know about anything you may want to try on your own. nOH is a challenging component of PD for so many people, having an awareness of their Blood Pressure is the first step, reporting it to the doctor should be your second.

To learn more check out What is Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension in Parkinson’s? – Davis Phinney Foundation followed by Manage Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension – Davis Phinney Foundation.