In the body
Dizziness and fainting
When dizziness needs care, and what's known about blood pressure on these medicines.
Dizziness is more common on these medicines, and lower blood pressure can be one reason. First, when to get care.
When to get care
Now
If you have chest pain or tightness that may spread to your arm, neck or jaw, call emergency services now. Don't drive yourself.
The same with strong shortness of breath, cold sweat, or pale or grayish skin. It isn't a side effect of these medicines, but it's an emergency for anyone.
Now
If your face droops on one side, an arm feels weak, or your speech is slurred or confused, call emergency services now.
Even if the signs go away.
Now
If you faint, even briefly, including during or after training, call emergency services now.
These medicines can lower blood pressure, more so with vomiting, diarrhea or blood pressure medicine.
Now
If a racing heart comes with chest pain, shortness of breath or fainting, call emergency services now.
Now
In the heat or while training, if your skin is hot and dry, or you get confused, lose coordination, have a seizure or faint, call emergency services now.
The same if you still feel unwell after 30 minutes of rest in the shade with fluids.
Now
If you use insulin or a sulfonylurea and get cold sweats, shakiness, sudden hunger, a racing heart or blurred vision, follow your doctor's low blood sugar plan right away.
Sulfonylureas include glibenclamide (glyburide), glimepiride and gliclazide.
Now
If someone on insulin or a sulfonylurea becomes confused, faints, has a seizure, or can't be woken after drinking, call emergency services now.
Heavy drinking, especially without eating, and hard training without adjusting food are known triggers of low blood sugar for them.
Today
If vomiting or diarrhea won't let you keep fluids down, get care today, from your doctor or an urgent care service.
The same if vomiting lasts over 2 days, diarrhea over 7, there's blood in your stool, or dark, scant pee and dizziness when standing don't improve with oral rehydration salts.
Soon
If you keep getting dizzy when you stand up, talk to your doctor in the next few days.
Especially if you take blood pressure medicine: low blood pressure was more common in that group.
Soon
If your heart races at rest for several minutes, talk to your doctor in the next few days.
These medicines can raise the resting heart rate. In one label, a rise of 20 beats per minute or more was seen in 26% of people, against 16% on placebo.
What's known
In the large trials, dizziness affected about 1 in 13 people on semaglutide and liraglutide and about 1 in 20 on tirzepatide, roughly twice the rate on placebo.
Low blood pressure showed up in about 1 to 2 in 100 people, against 1 in 200 or fewer on placebo, and fainting in under 1 in 100. It was more common in people who also take blood pressure medicine, and when vomiting or diarrhea dry you out.
What usually helps
- Fluids through the day, and more on days with vomiting, diarrhea, heat or training
- Not going many hours without eating
- Logging when the dizziness happens, to show your doctor
To take to your appointment
- I get dizzy when I stand up, and I take blood pressure medicine. Could they be adding up?
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