Articles Posted in POTS Disease

POTS disease is a condition that is believed to affect as many as half a million Americans. People who suffer from this condition may experience an increase in the heart rate by as much as 30 or more heart beats per minute without any additional exertion. This increase in heart rate may or may not be accompanied by a change in blood pressure. Most sufferers tend to be women below the age of 35.

What makes this disease even more challenging to treat is that very often symptoms begin much before the disease is even diagnosed. Many of the symptoms that are associated with POTS disease are the kinds that are also associated with chronic fatigue, and other types of conditions. For instance, fatigue, excessive sweating, and shortness of breath are symptoms associated with POTS disease that are also linked to other conditions.  This can make a diagnosis even more challenging.

POTS disease is not necessarily a life-threatening condition. However, it can be life altering for sufferers. Symptoms associated with POTS disease can impact the person’s ability to lead a normal and productive life. These symptoms include lightheadedness, fainting spells, nausea, increased and accelerated heartbeat while standing, and lowered blood pressure while standing.

POTS disease is a lesser-known disease that affects as many as 500,000 Americans. POTS disease and several other conditions are clustered under the blanket term dysautonomia, a group of disorders that result in a malfunctioning of the Autonomic Nervous System.  Lack of awareness of this condition means that the first time most patients learn of this disease is when they are diagnosed with it.

Here are some facts about POTS disease.

Dysautonomia is a group of disorders that result in a malfunctioning of the Autonomic Nervous System This is the system that is responsible for regulating and controlling several functions of the body, including heartbeat, blood pressure, bowel and bladder function, and dilation of pupils. A person who suffers from a malfunction in the autonomic nervous system may suffer from a malfunctioning or disruption in one or several of these body functions, which can result in a number of symptoms. Symptoms of the different forms of dysautonomia  can include dizziness, fainting, fluctuations in blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia. In serious cases, symptoms can also result in death.