Biology 1090
Signature Report
POTS
Because POTS isn't a well known condition, I figured a short definition would be appropriate. "POTS" is an acronym commonly used (for good reason) to refer to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
What is POTS? In laymans terms, it is the body's intolerance of being upright. While severity and symptoms can, and do, vary, the most board marker of POTS is an exaggerated increase in heart rate when a person stands up.
The exact cause is unknown. What we do know is that when a person stands up, their blood pools in their legs. A normal person is able to beat their heart faster and increase blood flow to the brain from the legs by constricting blood vessels. This whole process takes only a few seconds.
However, in a person with POTS< they are unable to constrict the blood vessels in their legs effectively. That leaves their heart beating faster and blood pressure either too high or too low. The lack of blood in the brain leads to many symptoms, including nausea, lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting, heat & fatigue, and palpitations.
Those who suffer from a lower blood pressure are able to increase saline to effectively raise blood pressure and tempoprarily curb the symptoms. Another less common option is a lower body compression suits to prevent the initial blood pooling in the legs. Aside from these options, there are no widely recognized, general "cures" or "treatments" for POTS. Each patient can determine what works best. Generally, the docturs must focut on treating the symptoms, rahter than the cause. This includes medication for nausea, blood pressure, etc.
The two accepted options are the salt and lower body compression. Salt only helps increase blood pressure in those who tend to have lower blood pressure. In those who have higher blood pressure, they cannot eat salt to help treat their POTS. The lower body compression is very simply. If POTS cannot lead to pooling of blood in the legs, there is no reason for the heart rate to increase to move excess blood from the legs to the head, meaning heart rate does not have to increase and blood pressure does not have to be affected, aside from the body's "normal" response.
For me, I acquired POTS because of EDS - ehlers-danlos syndrome. It is estimated that at least 50% of all people who suffer from EDS also have POTS. The causation is thought to be that EDS weakens the blood vessels because of the weakened "glue" or collagen in the body. If blood vessels are weakened, they can be easily brkoen (easy bruising) and work less effectively than those without EDS.
Reflection
EDS affects my life in many ways, including causing POTS. I suffer from several of the side effects, including nausea, chronic fatigue, and dizziness. I want to understand the disorder better than we currently do.
Works Cited
http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/Postural_Orthostatic_Tachycardia_Syndrome__POTS__a81.html
