Is low blood pressure worse or as bad as high blood pressure?

It depends how low, for how long, and how often. Everyone told me my mom was entering the dying phase because her blood pressure would routinely drop as low as 90/20 (and lower), it turned out that the BP medication she had been on for decades was one of the reasons and nobody ever though to adjust it. I'm convinced those weeks of dangerously low BP contributed to her cognitive decline.
BTW, she lived the better part of another decade after that.

High blood pressure comes from the surge of blood the heart puts out with each beat not being able to get through the system as easily as it should so there is higher pressure on the arteries. Therefore it can cause stroke (pieces of plaque, we all have it, breaking off and lodging in the brain) or heart attack (pieces lodging in the heart or pressure backing up in the heart). Low blood pressure is the opposite, not enough pressure in the arteries which can be caused by dehydration, blood loss somewhere or the heart not pumping hard enough to circulate the blood properly. This is an over simplified explanation and there are of course many ailments in between cause and effect. The point is that either of these can be solved simply, fill the body with fluids or take fluids out for instance or be very concerning. They each can cause death, especially in the elderly which is why it’s a good thing they are taking it seriously. When they give you an update and diagnosis be sure to ask whatever questions you need to fully understand what is going on. Understand what is causing her BP to be low or high, if her high blood sugar could be connected and what the plan is to fix it or not and why. Try to take care of yourself now too, calm yourself as much as possible this is often a marathon not a sprint and you need to be able to receive the info you get. A notebook and notes is a good idea to, record the doctor or nurses names and what they told you so you can refer back. Hang in there!

That's how it usually happens when someone is really old, things change quickly.

Low blood pressure is dangerous. It is something that should be addressed and they should rule out causes.

Good luck with the nurse coordinator and getting Auntie the right care.

My dads BP dropped low several years ago at the age of 97. The doctor took him off of the BP medicine. After that he only took a fluid pill if his BP top number was above 125. My dad lived another 2 years and just died recently at 99 and 6 weeks. If his BP was low in the mornings it generally came up after breakfast. So have the doctor check her medications. It may be time to come off any BP meds.

Very low BP indicates a weakened heart, or dehydration. Other than hydration, there's not too much that can be done for it. You might want to consider a higher sodium diet.

Low blood pressure or hypotension is a serious condition in that it causes dizziness which can result in fainting. However, high blood pressure or hypertension is a much more serious condition than low blood pressure and medications must be taken in order to control high blood pressure. I used to have hypotension and I suffered from dizziness. I was told by my doctor to increase my salt intake, which I did, and which has normalized my blood pressure. Your aunt’s doctor will monitor her blood pressure and you will get instructions on how to handle her blood pressure problem.

There are several reasons for low blood pressure. I took my mom to the ER because she said that she wasn’t feeling ‘right.’ She couldn’t explain exactly what she was experiencing but she said that she wasn’t feeling the way she normally felt.

The ER doctor told me that her pressure was very low. Mom had Parkinson’s disease and she said that it wasn’t uncommon for people with Parkinson’s disease to experience low blood pressure.

If pressure becomes dangerously low a person can die. I’m sure the doctors will keep an eye on your aunt’s pressure and do whatever is necessary to raise her pressure.

My mom at one time had high blood pressure and was on meds. They took her off of her blood pressure medication.

Best wishes to you and your aunt.

I know low blood pressure can cause dizziness, fainting, and falling! High blood pressure can cause strokes. My mom has high blood pressure, and is a fall risk due to severe osteoporosis and curved spine. She is taking medication for the BP. Her doctor monitors her BP, keeping it at a slightly elevated level, to avoid it getting too low. Never simple.

Low blood pressure can be concerning because organs may not be getting all the blood they need to function well. This is especially true of the brain.

If her blood pressure is seriously low, you should tell NH to call the doctor or send her to the ER. There's nothing you can do to change her medical problems and they have doctors. It's great they keep you in the loop, but when they call turn it around on them and ask - have you called the doctor yet? No? Well, call doctor and let me know what he says.

If they are worried enough to call you, why are they waiting until Monday to talk to coordinator? Often, you'll find signs are there worth checking out, but staff fail to have a doctor see the person. If she has been laying down more than usual, it is possible her BP is lower than what it common for her. Drinking water can raise the pressure. Also sitting up more or moving around once she sits up and the light headed feeling goes away.