What is POTS Disease?
POTS stands for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and is a type of Dysautonomia, or Autonomic Nervous System Disorder. Dysautonomia affects the autonomic nervous system, which is made up of nerves that control the function of organs and systems in the body like breathing, heart rate, digestive system, and more. With POTS, an abnormal amount of blood pools in the lower body when a person stands up. This results in a significant increase in heart rate and sometimes causes dizziness, fainting, trouble breathing, and other physical and emotional symptoms.
Diagnosis and Symptoms
People with POTS can have a variety of symptoms, often varying from person to person. The most common symptom is an increase in heart rate when a person stands up. Other symptoms can include lightheadedness or dizziness, fatigue, palpitations (the feeling of the heart skipping or beating too fast or slow), chest pain, difficulty regulating body temperature, anxiety or depression, headaches, and more.
In order to be diagnosed with POTS, an individual must meet two criteria: they must experience a heart rate increase of thirty beats in one minute or greater within 10 minutes of standing up, and have symptoms of orthostatic intolerance. There is no one test that can diagnose POTS; instead, patients are typically tested for orthostatic intolerance and monitored for the other symptoms listed above.
Treatment
POTS is a chronic condition, so treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and improving quality of life. Treatment for POTS includes both lifestyle changes and medications. Lifestyle changes can include regular exercise, increasing salt intake, increasing fluids, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, sleeping on the left side, and wearing compression clothing. Medications used to treat POTS can include fluids to increase blood volume, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and more.
POTS can be a difficult and challenging condition to manage, but with the right treatment it is possible to live a full and active life. Treatment plans are different for everyone, and it’s important to work with a team of doctors to find the best treatment plan for you.