Understanding POTS Syndrome

At CardioVascular Health Clinic, your heart health is our top priority. 

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with POTS syndrome or is at risk of developing the condition, getting evaluated and understanding your treatment options is essential.

POTS Syndrome is thought to impact between 1 to 3 million Americans yearly. While symptoms can be mild, for many, it has a negative impact on daily life. 

You don’t have to live with POTS syndrome forever. Treatment is available. 

Let’s discuss POTS syndrome in more detail, including what it is, common symptoms, and effective POTS treatment options.  

What Is POTS Syndrome?

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS for short, is a cardiovascular condition triggered when you go from a lying to a standing position.

When you have POTS, most of your blood stays in the lower part of your body when you stand up. This imbalance causes your heart to beat faster to try and increase blood flow to your brain. 

As this happens, your blood pressure can drop, causing you to experience dizziness, blurry vision, nausea, vomiting, or brain fog. Symptoms can occur with prolonged standing or stress or after eating.

Although the cause of POTS is still widely unknown, recent evidence links POTS to other conditions, including pelvic venous insufficiency or pelvic congestion syndrome.

Signs of POTS Syndrome include:

• Increase in Heart Rate by 30 BPM over 120 BPM within the first 10 minutes upon standing without orthostatic hypotension
• Positive Tilt Table Test-- A positive tilt test was defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure >60% from baseline values or an absolute value of <80 mm Hg with or without bradycardia defined as a drop of greater than 30% from baseline value or to less than 40 bpm associated with symptoms, such as lightheadedness or dizziness.

Symptoms of POTS Syndrome

People living with POTS can experience several symptoms ranging from mild to severe.

The most common symptoms include:

• Extreme Tiredness
• Dizziness When Standing
• Lightheadedness
• Heart Palpitations
• Shortness of Breath
• Anxiety
• Nausea
• Blurred Vision
• Poor Concentration

The Tie Between POTS Syndrome and Pelvic Congestion Syndrome

While not all cases of POTS syndrome are caused by pelvic congestion syndrome, recent studies have found a closer tie between the two conditions than initially thought.

We have found that many patients with POTs may have May-Thurner, venous compression syndrome, causing varicosities within the pelvis and pooling of blood. 

This pooling of blood in the pelvis may make obtaining adequate blood return to the brain difficult, causing associated symptoms. 

We have found a high success rate of treating POTS upon treatment of underline pelvic venous insufficiency.

Evaluation involves clinic consultation followed by CT of the abdomen and pelvis. If underlying May-Thurner and pelvic varicosities are demonstrated, the patient will undergo a pelvic venogram to treat the underlying venous disease, which may include stenting of common iliac vein stenosis and embolization of abnormal varicose veins within the pelvis.

POTS Treatment Options

Typical postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome treatment options include

• Increasing fluid intake
• Increasing salt consumption
• Wearing Compression Stockings
• Raising the head of the bed
• Avoiding substances and situations that worsen symptoms
• Numerous different medications

Innovative POTS Syndrome Care in Oklahoma

The physicians at CardioVascular Health Clinic are qualified to diagnose and treat POTS syndrome and its potential tie to pelvic congestion syndrome. 

If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms consistent with either condition, we can help. We have effective diagnosis and treatment options available to help you feel your best again.

Call us at 405-701-9880 or book an appointment online today.