Heart failure dizziness when standing up or looking up

[thelad73]

I'm fine with breathing and moving about but if I've been sat for a while and get up I shake and feel dizzy. never happens when i get out of bed or from the toilet just the sofa.

[Gumbie_Cat]

It could be that the medication has led to low blood pressure. I get like that with my atrial fibrillation, though it happens from sleeping too, and if I get up from lying flat etc. Keeping hydrated and rising slowly might help.

Best to seek medical advice too of course.

[secondtry]

Always get up from sofa or bed slowly and walk slowly. My wife had a mini stroke 3 yrs ago at 71yo and the advice given at the time was wake up wait 30 secs, sit up wait 30 secs, sit on edge of bed 30 secs ONLY then stand up.

[bassets in reply to secondtry]

I've had that advice too.

[Ppiman]

Postural hypotension, a sudden drop in blood pressure causing fainting or dizziness, sounds likely but at 50 I would ask my GP for advice on this. A friend has it but he's much older but, like you, it's not when rising from bed but from a sitting position. Sitting, especially on a full stomach, does compress the intestines and push everything northerly towards the diaphragm and that can press on the heart and set of ectopic beats and even AF.

Steve

[Deejay62]

I get dizzy when I bend to pick something up and when I stand too quickly. Sometimes when I walk too much and exercise. I have heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and persistent Afib. I think it could be either one of those causing it.

[diasy in reply to Deejay62]

Hi there, my dad just had his aortic valve and aortic aneurysm surgery, he also has persistent AF and after the operation he had uncontrolled AF episode that resulted in 8 days in ICU, he now has heart failure because of this episode. I was wondering what drugs you are taking for AF and Heart failure, he is taking bisoprolol 7.5mg, but he gets dizzy and low blood pressure, blue hands/feet with it. Its hard to find drugs for AF and heart failure. Im seeing his consultant on Monday.

[Deejay62 in reply to diasy]

I’m taking 10mg bisoprolol which originally for fast heart rate. I got prescribed it just after I had my CRT-D fitted. But I take warfarin for AFib. Mine is persistent but I don’t feel it. For heart failure I take entresto, Bumetanide, dapagliflozin and spironolactone. I do get dizzy a lot but I’m also getting ventricular tachycardias. My EF23%. I have dilated cardiomyopathy which is progressive for me.

[diasy in reply to Deejay62]

Thank you for your quick reply, I will research all those medications, my dad is on apixiban and furosidme water pill too. He has persistent AF for 35 yrs now and does not feel it either. He had ventricular tachycardia after his operation in ICU which they found difficult to control and was put back on a ventilator for 3 days.

His bisoprolol was for the fast heart rate now too. His blood pressure is low after the op too, do you ever measure your pulse pressure (the difference between top and bottom blood pressure) by Dad's is only 21-25.....Ive read this happens in heart failure? Is this something you monitor?

Sorry for bothering you its just we were not even told by dad's left ventricle was badly damaged after the op/ICU episode, he wasn't even told he had heart failure, I just read his discharge notes. We are going back for his six week review on Monday so hopefully all will be explained.

You are very young to have heart problems, my father's started when he was in his forties, and are all genetic. Thank you again x

[Deejay62 in reply to diasy]

The only thing I check is my blood pressure when I feel dizzy. It’s usually quite low but they want it low. I’m not young😀I’m 62. I’ve had SVT since I was at school but I was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure when I was around 42 when I had SVT and atrial tachycardia which wouldn’t stop. I now have pulmonary hypertension also. That is high blood pressure travelling from my atria to my lungs. Mine is genetic too.

Maybe they will explain more when he sees them. They diagnose heart failure when heart function is less than 50% or round about. When I was first diagnosed mine was 43% and I thought I was dying, but it’s not really the case. 5 years ago it went to 10% that’s when I was put on cocktail meds and warfarin. I think apixiban is an anticoagulant I’m on warfarin because my kidney function was 45 but now it’s 53.

[diasy in reply to Deejay62]

My dad has dilated cardiomyopathy too, but he never knew he had it either until I read his notes. Would you believe with all this problems by father has (cardiomyopathy, AF, leaking aortic valve, severe thoracic aortic aneurysm, ischemic heart disease ) he only ever took warfarin, its only since his operation that he is on heart tablets. I have been reading all your posts/replies you are extremely helpful to everyone, thank you so much, I feel better and will sleep better tonight now thank you......62 is still young!

[Deejay62 in reply to diasy]

I think if your on certain meds it covers other conditions. Like I discovered severe pulmonary hypertension in my notes, it was never discussed, but I have since learnt diuretics are prescribed for it, which I’m already on.

Write your questions down and make sure you ask them when you next see the cardiologist. We have life experience of our illnesses but they can explain the meds given and why also our fears. We all have similarities but differences also so that’s why some of us are given different meds.

Let us know how he gets on. All the best.

[diasy in reply to Deejay62]

I am seeing him on Monday and have just finished my list! I will indeed let you know how he gets on. Thank you again x

[JeanetteH]

I had my beta blockers doubled and when they tested my bp it dropped a bit when i stood up which they said may cause me to be light headed so could it be that.I am checking my bp now to make sure its not too low.Looks Ok at moment .

[thelad73 in reply to JeanetteH]

do you have a portable BP meter? if so which one

[Territorial]

I got my dizziness from persistent A Fib but have Heart Failure as well as high blood pressure and COPD i recently had an ablation and CV and the dizziness disappeared..

I used to do everything slowly and was very careful as to stop when the dizziness got a bit much from fear of passing out..

I hope they can fix you soon you need to check your meds too i started on Dijoxsin and went to Amiodarone which tended to help a lot more..

[thelad73]

Thanks for the comments, gonna get a blood pressure meter and test my BP