Blood pressure

[Rehnaz]

My mum, who normally has high blood pressure, is suffering for the last three days from fluctuations in her blood pressure. Sometimes it is high (145/80) and sometimes 110/60, and sometimes 120/80. She feels dizzy and faintish. She is a diabetic and has cholesterol.What could be the cause of this? We checked with her GP and he gave celenid for this, saying it is due to the heat in the country (She has come to Sri Lanka from Jeddah) and he said that this is vertigo and that it would suffice if she takes plenty of fluids. What do you suggest? Should she consult a cardiologist

[ed34]

Blood is mostly made up from water and so a good starting point is to eliminate dehydration, which of course can become dangerous if not resolved. Make sure your Mother is drinking plenty of fluids to keep her blood pressure up and stable. When dehydration occurs the body does try to compensate by constricting blood vessels, increasing heart rate, but this can only work so much because when you need more oxygen for walking etc, the vessels must open again, dropping the pressure.
I remember one year going to Malta for three weeks and they were having a particularly hot summer there and I am from good old wet England. I was drinking very little and became very weak after a day, light headed and often nauseous. Shortness of breath became a huge issue too but after seeing a Doctor and then drinking lots of water, I soon recovered.