National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level 2 (NCAC II) Practice Exam Exam

What term describes a condition where blood pressure drops when a person stands up?

1. Orthostatic Hypertension

2. Orthostatic Hypotension

3. Postural Hypertension

4. Neurogenic Hypertension

The correct answer is: Orthostatic Hypotension

The term describing a condition where blood pressure drops when a person stands up is orthostatic hypotension. This condition occurs due to a failure of the body to properly regulate blood pressure when transitioning from a lying or seated position to standing. When someone stands, gravity causes blood to pool in the lower extremities, which can lead to a decrease in blood flow to the brain. In a healthy person, various mechanisms would compensate for this change in position, maintaining stable blood pressure. However, in cases of orthostatic hypotension, this compensatory mechanism fails, resulting in symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, or even fainting upon standing. The other terms listed refer to different physiological conditions. For instance, orthostatic hypertension would indicate an increase in blood pressure upon standing, which is not the case here. Postural hypertension similarly would imply elevated blood pressure with changes in position, contrasting the drop that occurs in orthostatic hypotension. Neurogenic hypertension involves conditions related to the nervous system that could lead to sustained high blood pressure, unrelated to the postural changes characteristic of hypotension.