The medical minute is a short tidbit about a medical condition that we may encounter when working with our clients written by our brilliant Medical Director, Dr. Sophianne Schwab.
POTS “Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome” is a disorder that causes abnormally fast heart rate when sitting or standing up. It is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system that controls heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. It is known as “dysautonomia”.
Who is at risk for POTS?: POTS mainly effects women ages 15 to 50 and often begins after pregnancy, major surgery, trauma, or viral illness. POTS can run in families, as well.
Symptoms: POTS can cause lightheadedness, dizziness, palpitations, and fatigue. These symptoms worsen with positional changes like sitting up or standing up. Severe cases may cause chest pain, shortness of breath, shaking, blurred vision, weakness, or brain fog.
Treatment: There is no “cure” for POTS, but it can be managed by lifestyle changes including increasing hydration, maintaining body temperature, avoiding long periods of standing, and avoiding alcohol.
Eating Disorder Tip: It is very difficult to diagnose POTS when a client has an active eating disorder due to dehydration and malnutrition. It is best to have the client reevaluated once they are in a period of recovery.
