• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.75-81
• /
• 2020

This paper introduces new diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis of orthostatic dizziness to help clinicians to diagnose hemodynamic orthostatic dizziness. Clinicians need to be able to discriminate hemodynamic orthostatic dizziness from other types of dizziness that are induced or aggravated when standing or walking. Measurements of the orthostatic blood pressure and heart rate are important when screening hemodynamic orthostatic dizziness. Detailed history-taking, a physical examination, and laboratory tests are essential for finding the cause of hemodynamic orthostatic dizziness. The differential diagnosis of hemodynamic orthostatic dizziness is crucial because it can be caused by various autonomic neuropathies.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.27-31
• /
• 2023

Orthostatic dizziness is feeling dizzy or lightheaded when standing up. Hemodynamic orthostatic dizziness can be caused by autonomic dysfunction such as orthostatic hypotension or postural tachycardia syndrome. The interpretation of the autonomic function test results in patients with orthostatic dizziness is crucial for diagnosing and managing the underlying condition. The head-up tilt and Valsalva tests are especially important for evaluating adrenergic function in patients with hemodynamic orthostatic dizziness. However, it is important to note that autonomic function tests do not cover the entire diagnostic process, since their findings need to be considered along with the detailed history and physical examination results of the patient because various differential diagnoses exist for orthostatic dizziness. Ensuring appropriate treatment by interpreting the autonomic function test results can help to determine the improvement of and prevents falls from orthostatic dizziness.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.66-77
• /
• 2023

Orthostatic hypotension is a sustained and pathological drop in blood pressure upon standing. Orthostatic hypotension can be due to non-neurogenic conditions or autonomic disorders. Impaired baroreflex-mediated vasoconstriction and insufficient release of norepinephrine play key roles in the pathophysiology of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. Its common symptoms mainly related to inadequate cerebral blood flow include dizziness, lightheadedness, and syncope. It is crucial to differentiate neurogenic orthostatic hypotension from non-neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. For the management of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, physicians should implement non-pharmacological methods and, if possible, reverse combined non-neurological conditions. Depending on severity of symptoms, pharmacological intervention may be tried after or with non-pharmacological methods. Its management should be individualized based on intensity of symptoms, comorbid conditions, drug side effects, and etiology. In this review, we discuss the definition, pathophysiology, clinical approach, and management of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.200-209
• /
• 2003

Purpose: This study was to identify the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension and its association with risk factors of orthostatic hypotension aged over 60 in Seoul and Chungju, Korea. Method: The data were collected from the 22th of August, 2000 to the 7th May 2001. The participants were 74 community-dwelling aged who could stand up from sitting position without assistance. Subjects were interviewed with structured questionnaire in order to ask experience of previous falls, hours in per day, symptoms related orthostatic hypotension and demographic characteristics. Orthostatic hypotension was assessed at 1 minute after the subjects standing from sitting position and defined as 20mmHg or greater decrease in systolic blood pressure after standing. Result: The prevalence of orthostatic hypotension was 17.1%. The mean drop of systolic blood pressure was 27.46mmHg among orthostatic hypotension subjects. The significant variables which explain the occurrence of orthostatic hypotension was the basal systolic blood pressure, the hit ratio of discriminant function with basal systolic blood pressure was 69.7%. Conclusion: Finding indicate that this study will contribute to develop nursing strategies to identify risk factors and to prevent orthostatic hypotension for the aged.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.275-285
• /
• 2011

Purpose: Head-up position during sleep is one of the non-pharmacologic interventions for the treatment of orthostatic hypotension. Because the head-up position causes discomfort in many patients, this approach may not be acceptable to all patients. We compared the systolic blood pressure in erect position, orthostatic hypotension, orthostatic disability score, and the improvement rates of orthostatic hypotension between the 20 cm head-up group and the 10 cm head-up group. Methods: A control pre/post-test design was used. Between August 1, 2009 and November 15, 2010, we consecutively enrolled patients who showed orthostatic hypotension in patients with Parkinsonian disorders. Sixty-seven patients were prospectively enrolled and forty-four patients were completed the study. Results: There were no statistically significant differences found in the systolic blood pressure in erect position, orthostatic hypotension, and orthostatic disability scores between the two groups. However, five patients showed improvement in 20 cm head-up group and one patient was showed improvement in 10 cm head-up Group. Conclusion: Orthostatic hypotension is decreased with 20 cm head-up position in some patients with Parkinsonian disorders (p=.034). Further research investigating the relationships between orthostatic hypotension and head-up position are warranted.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.61-63
• /
• 2011

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is characterized by increased heart rate with preserved blood pressure on orthostatic stress. Many patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome can be misdiagnosed as neurosis, chronic fatigue or anxiety disorder. We report a patient with POTS who presented chronic dizziness and fatigue. In approaching to a patient with orthostatic or nonspecific chronic dizziness, the postural heart rate as well as blood pressure should be checked not to miss the diagnosis.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.44-50
• /
• 2002

Introduction : Orthostatic tremor develops in the legs while standing up with no weakness, pain or imbalance in the leg and the tremor is characteristically not observed when walking. However there have been some confusions about orthostatic tremor in several aspects. For the past ten years, we have observed 4 patients with orthostatic tremor. In each case tests were performed to investigate the following three important areas of inquiry about orthostatic tremor. Firstly, whether this disorder is an independent diagnostic entity or a variant of essential tremor. Secondly, whether the progress of this disorder is specifically related with standing posture. Lastly, the nature of the pathophysiologic mechanism behind the appearance of the tremor when standing after the lapse of a certain latent period and its disappearance upon the commencement of walking. Methods : Our 4 cases of orthostatic tremor were studied clinically, electrophysiologically, and pharmacologically. Electrophysiological tests included tremor spectrum test and electromyography. Results : We observed the presence of this tremor in several other tonic postures, as well as its absence, in a vertically lifted position from all our cases. Our cases registered a variable tremor frequency between 5 and 12 Hz according to the tremor spectrum test and EMG. Furthermore all our 4 cases demonstrated patterns of both synchronous EMG activity and alternating EMG activity at various times in homologous muscles of both legs. Orthostatic tremor was improved significantly with propranolol as well as clonazepam. Conclusions : From the results of our study we drew the following conclusions. It is probable that orthostatic tremor is simply a variant of essential tremor rather than being an independent diagnostic entity and that in most cases its development is specifically related with muscle contraction rather than merely with the act of standing. Furthermore we discovered a clue in the previously described neural control mechanism that the nuclear bag fibers in the muscle spindle have lag time of several seconds in their response to muscle strength and that their baseline does not reset fully in rapidly moving muscle. This neural control mechanism could offer sufficient explanation for the phenomena of tremor appearance when standing and disappearance when walking in orthostatic tremor.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.32-36
• /
• 2013

Purpose: Chronic day-to-day symptoms of orthostatic intolerance are the most notable features of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). However, we have encountered patients with such symptoms and excessive tachycardia but with no symptoms during the tilt-table test (TTT). We aimed to investigate whether POTS patients with chronic orthostatic intolerance always present orthostatic symptoms during the TTT and analyze the factors underlying symptom manifestation during this test. Methods: We retrospectively examined patients who presented with POTS at the Gyeongsang National University Hospital between 2008 and 2011. Diagnosis of POTS was based on chronic day-to-day orthostatic intolerance symptoms as well as excessive tachycardia during the TTT. The patients were divided two groups depending on the presentation of orthostatic symptoms during the TTT. Clinical data and the results of the TTT were compared between these groups. Results: In 22 patients, 7 patients (31.8%) did not present orthostatic symptoms during the test. Diastolic blood pressure (BP) was significantly lower in the symptom-positive group. The head-up tilt resulted in a significant increase in diastolic BP in the symptom-negative group (P=0.04), while systolic BP had a tendency to decrease in the symptom-positive group (P=0.06). Conclusion: Significant patients with POTS did not present orthostatic symptoms during the TTT despite having chronic daily symptoms. This finding may be important for establishing definitive diagnostic criteria for pediatric POTS. Development of symptoms during TTT might be related to low diastolic BP and abnormal compensatory responses to orthostasis.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.160-166
• /
• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of leg crossing on reducing orthostatic hypotension and orthostatic hypotension symptoms in hemodialysis patients. Methods: A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. A total of 40 post-hemodialysis adult patients were enrolled, excluding the case of intradialysis hypotension, unbalance of standing with leg crossing, adding antihypertensive medications. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were measured in supine and standing positions. After a week, BP and HR were measured in supine and standing with leg crossing position. Orthostatic hypotension symptoms were also measured by self-reported structured questionnaire in standing without leg crossing and with leg crossing position. Results: We found out that systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure increased significantly in standing with crossing leg position applied (p=.006, p=.001, p=.006). However, presences of orthostatic hypotension symptoms were not significantly decreased in standing with leg crossing position (p=.500, p=.318, p=.306, p=.241, p=.356, p=.500, p=.241, p=.308). Conclusion: This study shows that leg crossing is effective for reducing orthostatic hypotension without additional cost or instruments. Leg crossing as one of the preventive interventions to reduce orthostatic hypotension is easier and simpler to be implemented in hemodialysis patients.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.74-79
• /
• 2024

Purpose: To compare the Doppler sonographic findings of the left renal vein (LRV) of children diagnosed with nutcracker syndrome with and without orthostatic proteinuria. Methods: Fifty and 53 consecutive children with and without orthostatic proteinuria, respectively, underwent renal Doppler ultrasonography examinations. The peak velocity (PV) was measured at the hilar portion of the LRV and between the aorta and superior mesenteric artery. Renal Doppler ultrasonography findings and clinical data including urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) were compared according to the presence or absence of orthostatic proteinuria. Results: Between the two groups, no significant differences were observed in terms of age or sex. The PV ratio between the aortomesenteric and hilar portions was 7.79±2.65 and 6.32±3.01 in children with and without orthostatic proteinuria, respectively (P=0.009). No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the UPCR in the first morning urine sample. However, the UPCR in the afternoon urine sample was significantly higher in children with orthostatic proteinuria than in those without orthostatic proteinuria (0.49±0.46 mg/mg vs. 0.11±0.04 mg/mg, P<0.001). Furthermore, the PV ratio between the aortomesenteric and hilar portions revealed a positive correlation with the ratio of UPCR of the afternoon to that of first morning urine samples (R=0.21, P=0.034). Conclusions: This study suggests that there can be a significant correlation of the PV ratio between the aortomesenteric and hilar portion of the LRV with orthostatic proteinuria in pediatric patients with nutcracker syndrome.