Treatments for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
In this article you're goin to learn all the possible treatments for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. So let's get straing into it with the:
Regular Treatment
POTS treatment may include a combination of medications, natural remedies, and lifestyle modifications. Although medications can help ease the symptoms, most of them are used off-label.
Examples of medications used to help manage the symptoms of POTS include beta-blockers, midodrine, and SSRIs (6). Salt tablets may also be recommended by your doctor in certain cases.
Other off-label medications used for POTS treatment may include:
- Benzodiazepines
- Clonidine
- Erythropoietin
- Fludrocortisone
- Desmopressin
- Ivabradine
Now that you know how the medical profession treats POTS, let me use share with you some of the...
Non-Medication Treatments for POTS
Exercise
According to studies, exercise training is an effective treatment strategy when it comes to managing POTS (7, 8). Through exercise, many patients are able to overcome the challenges associated with POTS and experience improved performance.
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Diet
One of the factors that affect POTS treatment is your diet. In most cases, patients with POTS are advised to have certain dietary modifications, which include increasing their salt and fluid intake, limiting their consumption of caffeinated drinks and alcohol, including reducing their intake of high-carbohydrate meals.
Changes in Daily Routine
Some people with POTS may find everyday routine as a challenge. It can be quite helpful if certain routine changes are made to minimize the risk of experiencing POTS symptoms.
This includes scheduling activities or appointments later in the afternoon, especially when POTS symptoms are worse in the morning, taking more time before standing up, elevating your legs when lying down, or sitting down when taking a shower.
Compression Wear for POTS Treatment
According to research studies, using compression garments can help reduce or completely relieve symptoms of POTS, such as abnormal blood pressure changes and irregular heart rate (9, 10).
By wearing compression garments, the pooling of blood in the lower extremities can be prevented, allowing improved circulation and reduction of POTS symptoms.
Compression garments are available in different sizes, shapes, and degree of compression. Compression stockings or socks with a mild level of compression are usually available without a doctor’s prescription.
However, people who need a stronger level of compression often require a prescription from their healthcare provider.
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Prognosis: Living with POTS
The debilitating symptoms of POTS often improve and become more manageable in approximately 90 percent of patients who are treated using a combination of medications and physical methods (11). However, it is also important to note that prognosis still depends on the root cause of POTS. If an underlying health condition is identified and treated, the symptoms of POTS may also improve.
Men with POTS are also twice as likely to recover from POTS than women (12). Even though POTS still don’t have a definitive cure, ongoing research studies are advancing to find its cure.
Disclaimer: This article should not be construed as medical advice. Please contact a licensed physician for a proper diagnosis of your specific case.
References
- Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome | Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) – an NCATS Program. https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/9597/postural-orthostatic-tachycardia-syndrome
- Postural Tachycardia Syndrome Information Page | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2019). https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Postural-Tachycardia-Syndrome-Information-Page
- Raj, S. (2013). Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Circulation, 127(23), 2336-2342. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.112.144501
- Agarwal, A., Garg, R., Ritch, A., & Sarkar, P. (2007). Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 83(981), 478-480. doi:10.1136/pgmj.2006.055046
- Howraa, A., Patrick A, B., & Le-Xin, W. (2012). Diagnosis and management of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: A brief review. Journal Of Geriatric Cardiology, 9(1), 61-67. doi:10.3724/sp.j.1263.2012.00061
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) Management and Treatment | Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16560-postural-orthostatic-tachycardia-syndrome-pots/management-and-treatment
- Fu, Q., VanGundy, T., Shibata, S., Auchus, R., Williams, G., & Levine, B. (2011). Exercise Training Versus Propranolol in the Treatment of the Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. Hypertension, 58(2), 167-175. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.111.172262
- Shibata, S., Fu, Q., Bivens, T., Hastings, J., Wang, W., & Levine, B. (2012). Short-term exercise training improves the cardiovascular response to exercise in the postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. The Journal Of Physiology, 590(15), 3495-3505. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2012.233858
- Wells, R., Spurrier, A., Linz, D., Gallagher, C., Mahajan, R., & Sanders, P. et al. (2017). Postural tachycardia syndrome: current perspectives. Vascular Health And Risk Management, Volume 14, 1-11. doi:10.2147/vhrm.s127393
- Erten, Y., Sahinkaya, T., Dinc, E., Kilinc, B., Bayraktar, B., & Kurtoglu, M. (2016). The effects of compression garments and electrostimulation on athletes’ muscle soreness and recovery. Journal Of Exercise Rehabilitation, 12(4), 308-313. doi:10.12965/jer.1632632.316
- Agarwal, A., Garg, R., Ritch, A., & Sarkar, P. (2007). Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 83(981), 478-480. doi:10.1136/pgmj.2006.055046
- Dysautonomia International: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. http://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/page.php?ID=30