Dehydration and blood pressure can go hand in hand. In some cases, you may not realize dehydration is affecting your blood pressure unless you measure your blood pressure. When it comes to your blood pressure and pulse, dehydration can cause the following:
Heart palpitations or rapid heart rate. Dehydration can cause tachycardia. That’s when you have a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute.
Hypotension, or low blood pressure. In general, according to the National Library of Medicine, only severe dehydration will cause you to have low blood pressure.
Orthostatic hypotension. If you’re dehydrated, you can have a sudden drop in blood pressure when you stand up from a laying down position. Orthostatic hypotension means your blood pressure drops by at least 20 mmHg systolic or 10 mmHg diastolic within three minutes of standing.
Syncope. You can faint or pass out because of a sudden drop in blood pressure. The medical term is syncope.
Hydration helps your heart pump blood through the blood vessels to the muscles more easily. Dehydration can cause your heart to work harder, according to the American Heart Association. This can put your heart at risk.