Orthostatic hypotension is defined as what?

• A. A rapid heart rate in response to exercise.
• B. A drop in blood pressure when standing, causing dizziness.
• C. Elevated blood pressure during rest.
• D. A drop in heart rate when standing.

Answer: (B)

Orthostatic hypotension is seen when moving to an upright position causes a noticeable fall in blood pressure, often with dizziness or lightheadedness. When you stand, gravity pulls blood toward the legs, reducing return to the heart. If the body can’t compensate quickly enough—by constricting vessels and increasing heart rate—the blood pressure drops. This defining change is the key reason the statement describing a drop in blood pressure upon standing, with dizziness, is the correct choice. The other options describe different situations: rapid heart rate with exercise isn’t about standing; elevated resting blood pressure is hypertension; a drop in heart rate when standing isn’t the pattern seen in orthostatic hypotension.