Influencing factors and hemodynamic study of initial and sustained orthostatic hypotension in middle‐aged and elderly patients

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common autonomic disorder. This study aimed to investigate the influencing factors and hemodynamic mechanisms of initial and sustained OH in middle‐aged and elderly patients. The authors analyzed the clinical characteristics and hemodynamic variables of patients aged ≥ 50 years according to the various forms of OH, diagnosed by an active orthostatic test using the CNAP monitor. The study included 473 participants; 119 (25.2%) patients had initial (54, 45.4%) or sustained (65, 54.6%) OH. Age, comorbidities, or medications did not differ significantly between the initial OH and non‐OH groups. Sustained OH was associated with age and diabetes (p = .003 and p = .015, respectively). Hemodynamic analysis revealed higher cardiac output (CO) in the sustained OH group within 15 s than in the non‐OH and initial OH groups (both p < .001); no difference in CO was observed between the initial OH and non‐OH groups. The systemic vascular resistance (SVR) in both initial OH and sustained OH groups within 15 s was lower than that in the non‐OH group (both p < .001). No differences in SVR at 3 min were observed between the initial OH and non‐OH groups. The SVR at 3 min in the sustained OH group was significantly lower than in non‐OH and initial OH groups (both p < .001). Age and diabetes emerged as the independent risk factors associated with sustained OH. Initial OH is associated with a mismatch of increase in CO and decrease in SVR. Sustained OH is mainly associated with sustained inadequate adjustment in SVR.