Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS)
What happens in PoTS
Normally when you sit up or stand, gravity pulls some of your blood down to your belly area, hands andfeet.
In response, your blood vessels quickly narrow and your heart rate increases slightly to maintain blood flow to theheart and brain, and preventblood pressure dropping.
This is alldone without needing to think about it by the autonomic nervous system the nervous system in charge of automatic body functions.
In PoTS, the autonomic nervous system doesn'twork properly. There'sa drop in blood supplyto the heart and brainwhen you become upright and the heart races to compensate for this.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Find out about postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS), an abnormal increase in heart rate that occurs after sitting up or standing.
What happens in PoTS
Normally when you sit up or stand, gravity pulls some of your blood down to your belly area, hands andfeet. In response, your blood vessels quickly narrow and your heart rate increases slightly to ma
Symptoms of PoTS
You can develop PoTS suddenly, or it can come on gradually over time. It causes a range of symptoms that occur within a few minutes of sitting up or standing. Lying down may relieve some of the sympt
When to get medical advice
See your GP if you think you have PoTS. Thesymptoms can have a number of causes, such as medication or low blood pressure , so it's a good idea to get a proper diagnosis. Sometimes it can be misdiagn
Tests for PoTS
A diagnosis of PoTS is made if your heart rate increases by 30 beats per minute (bpm)or more(40bpm in those aged 12-19)after10 minutes of standing, or if it increases to more than 120bpm. You may hav
Treatments for PoTS
Self-care measures can sometimes help reduce the symptoms of PoTS. If these don't work, you may need to take medication. Treating an episode If you suddenly feel faint or dizzy, you can try counteri
Causes of PoTS
In many cases,the cause of the problem with thenervous system in people with PoTS is unknown. Teenagers will sometimes develop PoTSand find it gradually disappears a few years later. Sometimes it can
More information and advice
The followingorganisations canprovide more information, support and advice for people with PoTS. POTS UK Syncope Trust And Reflex anoxic Seizures (STARS)
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