Stroke Association statement on low blood pressure (orthostatic hypotension also known as OH) and stroke risk.

A US study of 11, 709 people suggests that middle-aged people who feel dizzy when standing up from a lying-down position may be at a higher risk of dementia or a stroke in the future, a report says.

The light-headed feeling is caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure, which is known as orthostatic hypotension (OH). Study author Andreea Rawlings said OH had been previously linked to heart disease, so her team wanted to know if it could also be responsible for brain conditions

One limitation of the study was that participants were tested for OH only during the initial examination, so it may not reflect any change in blood pressure over time.

Dr Shamim Quadir, Research Communications Manager at the Stroke Association said:

"This study suggests that middle-aged people with low blood pressure that occurs when they stand up from sitting or lying down (orthostatic hypotension also known as OH) could be at an increased risk of dementia and stroke.

"However, OH was only measured when people taking part were assessed at the start of the study so that limits the conclusions we can draw. We would like to see more research which could explain the associations observed between OH and stroke and dementia. The Stroke Association recommends that you get your blood pressure checked regularly, know what your numbers are and make sure you speak to your GP if anything changes or if you are concerned."