Table 7

Factors influencing orthostatic hypotension

*This raises blood pressure in autonomic failure.
†These manoeuvres usually reduce the postural fall in blood pressure, unlike the others.
Adapted from Mathias (2000) (see table 2 footnote).

  • Speed of positional change

  • Time of day (worse in the morning)

  • Prolonged recumbency

  • Warm environment (hot weather, central heating, hot bath)

  • Raising intrathoracic pressure - micturition, defaecation or coughing

  • Food and alcohol ingestion

  • Water ingestion*

  • Physical exertion

  • Physical maneouvres and positions (bending forward, abdominal compression, leg crossing, squatting, activating calf muscle pump)†

  • Drugs with vasoactive properties (including dopaminergic agents)