Powered By
“I experience dizziness and lightheadedness, but I guess it comes with the disease,” one myPHteam member shared. For many people living with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), dizziness is a common and frustrating symptom.
Sometimes dizziness can be a warning sign that you might faint, which is a short-term loss of consciousness. Even when it doesn’t lead to fainting, dizziness can still interrupt your day, make simple tasks feel harder, and add stress to life with PAH.
Members often talk about how much this symptom can affect daily life. As another member put it, “Personally, dizziness and brain fog bother me more than breathing problems.” In this article, we’ll look at why dizziness happens with PAH, what might trigger it, and what treatments and tips can help you feel steadier.
How can pulmonary hypertension cause dizziness? Dizziness and fainting can be symptoms of PAH or side effects of certain medications. Here’s how PAH and dizziness may be connected.
PAH can cause heart and lung problems that make it harder for blood carrying oxygen to flow through your body. If parts of your body, especially your brain, don’t get enough oxygen, you may feel dizzy.
PAH is a type of pulmonary hypertension (PH). It makes the arteries that carry blood from your heart to your lungs (pulmonary arteries) thicker and narrower. When these arteries narrow, less blood can get through, and pressure builds up in your lungs.
The right side of your heart pumps blood to the lungs. Over time, the extra work of pushing blood through narrowed arteries can weaken the right side of the heart and lead to heart failure.
High blood pressure in your lungs and strain on the right side of your heart make it harder for blood to reach your lungs and the rest of your body. If your brain doesn’t get enough oxygen, you may feel dizzy or lightheaded, and you could even faint.
Other common symptoms of PAH include:
Medicines can help control PAH. But some can make you feel dizzy or faint if they lower your blood pressure in the rest of your body too fast. These medications include:
Some members of myPHteam have reported dizziness as a treatment side effect. “Does anyone else have a problem with dizziness with their PH medication?” one member asked.
Specific medications that may cause dizziness include:
Macitentan/Tadalafil (Opsynvi) is a combination medication used to treat PAH. It may cause sudden loss of hearing, ringing in the ears, and dizziness. If this happens, contact your healthcare provider right away.
Sildenafil (Revatio) treats PAH by dilating (widening) the blood vessels in your lungs. However, this drug may also lower blood pressure in the rest of your body and lead to dizziness. Call your doctor right away if you start to have dizziness, hearing loss, or ringing in your ears while taking sildenafil. These could be signs of a serious health problem.
Sotatercept (Winrevair) is a medication that treats PAH and helps prevent the disease from getting worse. Dizziness is listed as a possible side effect.
Warfarin is sometimes prescribed to help prevent blood clots in people with PAH, but it isn’t used for everyone and is only recommended in certain cases. If you suddenly become dizzy or feel faint while taking this medication, get medical help right away.
Dizziness can be a side effect of medications unrelated to PAH, such as antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, and sedatives.
If you’re experiencing dizziness, talk to your healthcare provider right away to find out if it could be a serious side effect of a medication you take for PAH or due to something else. They may suggest adjusting the medication or dose to help reduce this side effect.
Other factors can cause dizziness in people with PAH. Dehydration is one common cause. It happens when you don’t drink enough fluids. When your body is low on fluids, there’s less blood moving through your blood vessels. With less blood flow, your blood pressure can drop, and you may feel lightheaded.
At the same time, some people with PAH are told to limit fluids. This is because PAH can raise the risk of fluid building up when the heart isn’t pumping well. If your doctor has told you to limit fluids, ask how much you should drink every day so you can avoid dehydration and fluid buildup.
Anemia can also cause dizziness and is often linked to iron deficiency. About 40 percent of people with PAH have iron deficiency. Long-term inflammation and low oxygen levels can make it harder for your body to absorb iron from your stomach and intestines. Your doctor can give you a blood test to see if you have an iron deficiency.
Too much physical activity is another cause of dizziness in people with PAH. Weakness in the heart can make many activities difficult. It’s easy to overdo it and risk shortness of breath and dizziness.
You can take steps to avoid and treat dizziness through treatment and lifestyle changes. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing dizziness or if any symptoms have gotten worse. Here are some strategies to help reduce or avoid dizziness.
Controlling PAH by maintaining your treatment plan can help reduce symptoms like dizziness. The goal of PAH treatment is to slow the progression of your disease and ease symptoms, including dizziness and fainting.
PAH treatments work in different ways to help open up the blood vessels in your lungs. When those vessels open, pressure in your lungs goes down, and your heart doesn’t have to work as hard. With less strain on your heart, it can move oxygen into your blood and send it through your body, including to your brain.
Treatment often involves several medications. These can include prostacyclin-pathway agents, endothelin receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, and activin-signaling inhibitors.
“I have been on my PAH medications for a year, and it helps me so much. I can clean my home and walk without feeling dizzy. I feel great since I have been on the medication,” shared a myPHteam member.
Oxygen therapy can also help boost oxygen levels in your blood to make sure your brain and other organs get the oxygen they need to function well.
If you feel your PAH isn’t well-managed with your current treatment plan, talk to your doctor about adjusting or switching medications. Your symptoms may be better controlled with different dosages of medications or new treatment options.
Always talk to your doctor before stopping a medication or changing your treatment plan. Also, ask about possible side effects before you try a new treatment. Be sure to ask your doctor if you should be monitoring your heart rate, oxygen level, or blood pressure.
Physical activity and exercise may seem difficult when you feel weak or fatigued. But staying active can help you build strength and stamina. Talk to your doctor about exercises that would work for you. Many exercises can be done sitting in a chair. Be careful not to exercise in hot weather.
Your doctor can give you a referral for physical therapy, respiratory therapy, or pulmonary rehabilitation to give you guidance with exercises that are right for your particular condition.
You can wind up dizzy if you overexert yourself, so it’s important to save energy. Avoid sudden movement and focus on slow, steady actions when doing tasks or daily activities. Sit down while preparing food, eating meals, or bathing. Use a small cart around the house so you don’t need to carry heavy items. Keep a grabber handy so that you don’t need to bend down or reach too high to get what you need. Don’t try to do much at once, and don’t overplan your days. If you need help with a task, reach out to family members or friends.
A healthy, well-balanced diet rich in foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein is good for your heart and your overall health. Try to limit sugar, saturated fats, and refined carbohydrates such as foods made with white flour. It’s also important to reduce sodium (salt), which causes the body to retain water.
Eating five or six smaller meals during the day can help you feel less full, make breathing easier, and lower your chance of feeling lightheaded. Try not to drink a lot of liquid at meals so your stomach doesn’t feel too full. Ask your doctor how much liquid you should have every day so you stay hydrated without taking in too much.
Some medications can help treat dizziness. If your dizziness keeps happening or doesn’t go away, ask your doctor if medicines like antihistamines or anticholinergics might help. Keep in mind that these drugs can make you sleepy, which can make fatigue and weakness worse. If your dizziness is very strong, your doctor may suggest tests to find out what’s causing it.
On myPHteam, people share their experiences with pulmonary hypertension, get advice, and find support from others who understand.
Have you experienced dizziness with PAH? Let others know in the comments below.
Get updates directly to your inbox.
When I Am Using Oxygen My Nose Runs And Makes It Difficult To Breathe So I End Short If Breath. Should I Ask For Mask?
Continue with Facebook
Continue with your email
Become a member to get even more
Join
A myPHteam Member
It would be helpful to name the meds for PAH when describing their actions as it is impossible to remember.
We'd love to hear from you! Please share your name and email to post and read comments.
You'll also get the latest articles directly to your inbox.