Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a disorder that causes a dramatic increase in the heart rate. While it is normal for the heart rate to increase during exercise or stress, POTS causes unusual jumps in the heart’s beating pattern when a person sits up or stands up from a reclining position. This dramatic jump leads to blood pressure fluctuations, which can cause symptoms ranging from fatigue to fainting.
Although POTS affects millions of people around the world, there is no cure for the condition. Fortunately, POTS can be managed with medication, rehabilitation, and other interventions. People living with POTS can also take a number of steps on their own to protect themselves.
One thing you shouldn’t worry about is what could happen if there’s an emergency. MedicAlert’s protection plans offer benefits that extend beyond the ID, providing safety and peace of mind for people living with POTS, their families and caregivers.
Our team provides first responders the information they need to provide fast, accurate care.
All your vital information, all in one place for you and your caregiver.
In an emergency, we connect families so that no one is alone in a crisis.
Share the information that’s important to your care, such as use of rescue medications or contraindication for tests like MRIs.
Pair a medical ID for POTS with the protection plan that’s right for you.
POTS is a blood circulation disorder characterized by a few clear factors: an abnormal increase in heart rate that occurs after sitting up or standing. In a person living with POTS, the blood stays in the lower body when they stand up, causing the heart rate to jump dramatically. The heart rate can go up by as much as 30 beats per minute, resulting in head-to-toe symptoms that can affect an individual’s safety, confidence, and quality of life.
Between one and three million people in the U.S. are living with POTS. Although men and young children can develop POTS, an estimated 80% to 85% of people living with POTS are females between 15 and 50 years old. Researchers do not fully understand why POTS affects women more than men.
POTS has many possible causes that vary from person to person. Some common causes include viral illness, traumatic injury to the brain or other parts of the body, serious infections, or during and after pregnancy.
Other potential causes of POTS include chronic fatigue syndrome; underlying conditions such as diabetes, Lyme disease, lupus, hepatitis C, mononucleosis (mono), anemia, multiple sclerosis (MS), or cancer; alcohol or metal poisoning; and a muscle and joint condition known as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Some people living with POTS were found to have a defective (inherited) gene that causes the overproduction of noradrenaline.
Help others help you. Wear a medical alert ID bracelet or necklace engraved with important information for emergency responders and healthcare providers.
Because anxiety and POTS symptoms may overlap, people living with POTS are often misdiagnosed. Anxiety and POTS are two entirely different disorders. POTS is a physical disorder in which symptoms are triggered when a person sits up or stands from a reclining position. Anxiety is a mental health condition resulting from constant and overwhelming feelings of worry, dread, and fear. The intensity of these feelings can cause symptoms similar to POTS symptoms such as increased heart rate, sweating, and nervousness.
POTS symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Severe symptoms can interfere with everyday activities such as eating, walking, bathing, doing housework, standing, sitting upright, going to school, and working. Symptoms can occur almost immediately after sitting up or standing, or it could take up to 10 minutes for symptoms to appear.
While the symptoms below are usually mild, in around 25% of people living with POTS, they can be severe enough to interfere with routine activities.
Severe POTS symptoms include:
The most common POTS-related complication is fainting. It is also the most dangerous. When a person faints, they can fall. This can lead to fractures, blood loss from major cuts and gashes, and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) such as concussions, hemorrhages, and hematomas. Medical IDs for POTS can play an especially important role for those who may be unconscious when medical help arrives.
MedicAlert offers free custom engraving on all our POTS bracelets and medical ID products. Engravings on medical IDs for POTS should include any critical medical information that can protect and save lives in an accident or medical emergency, for example:
Sample engraving. Consult our team if you need help engraving your medical ID for POTS.
The gold standard of POTS diagnosis is the tilt table test, which measures the heart rate and blood pressure when a person changes posture and position. Other diagnostic tests for POTS include:
To help diagnose POTS, doctors will also assess the individual’s family history and perform a physical exam.
There is no cure for POTS. However, with proper treatment and guidance, studies suggest that an estimated 80% to 90% of individuals living with POTS can control their symptoms. In some cases, particularly in men, symptoms can disappear completely over several years.
Because symptoms and underlying conditions vary greatly, treatment plans for POTS are highly individualized and may include:
