Yes, Covid-19 can cause low blood pressure, though it is far less common than the well-known respiratory symptoms. When it happens, it usually falls into two groups: a drop during the acute infection itself, or a lingering drop that some people notice weeks to months later. The first is well documented in hospital settings. The second is reported but less well understood.
Blood pressure is one of the body’s vital signs, and infection can disturb it in either direction. Some people with Covid-19 develop high blood pressure readings. Others, particularly those who become seriously ill, develop readings that fall too low. The mechanism matters because it explains who is at risk and what warning signs to watch for.
How does Covid-19 lower blood pressure?
The clearest mechanism is a problem with blood vessels and fluid balance. The virus that causes Covid-19 attaches to a receptor called ACE2, which is found on cells lining blood vessels and in the lungs, heart, and kidneys. When the infection is severe, the body’s immune response and the virus itself can injure the lining of blood vessels. That injury makes vessels leaky and less able to hold pressure.
Severe infection can also cause widespread inflammation. Inflammation makes blood vessels widen, which lowers pressure. At the same time, fluid can shift out of the bloodstream into tissues, reducing the volume of blood circulating. Less volume plus wider vessels equals lower pressure.
Fever and sweating add another layer. Both increase fluid loss, and if a person is not drinking enough because they feel ill, blood volume drops. This is a simple, common reason for low readings during any infection, not just Covid-19.
In the most serious cases, the infection can trigger a condition called sepsis, where the immune response becomes dysregulated and blood pressure falls dangerously. This is a medical emergency and is different from a mild dip in readings at home.
Can Covid 19 Cause Low Blood Pressure in people who are not hospitalized?
Yes, but the drop is usually mild and temporary. People managing Covid-19 at home sometimes notice dizziness when standing, a lightheaded feeling, or a reading lower than their usual baseline. Dehydration from fever, poor appetite, and vomiting or diarrhea are the most likely explanations in this group.
Some people also describe a racing heart or a drop in pressure when they stand up during or after infection. This pattern, where pressure falls on standing, is called orthostatic hypotension. It is reported after viral illness, though how often Covid-19 specifically causes it compared with other infections is not well established.
For most healthy adults, a modest drop in blood pressure during a mild infection is not dangerous on its own. The concern rises when someone feels faint, falls, or cannot keep fluids down.
What blood pressure numbers should concern you?
A single low reading is less important than how the person feels and whether the trend is worsening. There is no universal cutoff that defines danger for everyone, because a reading that is low for one person may be normal for another.
As a general reference, a blood pressure reading below 90/60 mmHg is often described as low. Many healthy people live at or near this level without any problem. The number becomes more meaningful when it comes with symptoms.
Seek urgent medical help for low blood pressure combined with any of the following:
- Confusion, difficulty staying awake, or unusual sluggishness
- Fainting or near-fainting
- Cold, clammy, or mottled skin
- Very fast breathing or a rapid heartbeat that will not settle
- Little or no urine output
- Chest pain or severe shortness of breath
These signs can indicate shock, which requires emergency care. Do not wait to see if they improve on their own.
Does low blood pressure after Covid mean long Covid?
Not necessarily. A temporary dip during recovery is common and usually resolves. Long Covid is defined by symptoms that persist or develop after the acute infection and cannot be explained by another cause. Low blood pressure is not one of the defining features, and no diagnostic test for long Covid relies on blood pressure readings.
Some people with lingering fatigue after infection report dizziness on standing. Researchers have studied whether this reflects a problem with the autonomic nervous system, the part of the body that controls blood pressure and heart rate automatically. The evidence here is still developing. Some studies suggest autonomic changes can occur after Covid-19, but results vary, and it is not clear how often this happens or how long it lasts.
What is clear is that persistent dizziness or fainting after any infection deserves a medical evaluation. There are many possible causes, and low blood pressure is only one of them.
Can Covid-19 vaccines affect blood pressure?
Some people report changes in blood pressure after vaccination, including temporary rises and, less often, drops. Reports of low blood pressure after vaccination exist, but they are uncommon and usually brief. Fainting shortly after any injection is a well-recognized reaction, often triggered by the event itself rather than the contents of the vaccine.
Large safety monitoring systems continue to track these events. If you feel faint or dizzy after a vaccine, sit or lie down and tell the person who gave it to you. Persistent or severe symptoms should be checked by a clinician.
What should you do if your blood pressure is low during or after Covid?
For mild cases at home, the priorities are fluids and rest. Drink regularly, especially if you have a fever. If you can eat, salty foods and fluids can help some people raise their pressure, but anyone with heart or kidney conditions should check with a clinician before increasing salt.
Move slowly when going from lying to sitting to standing. Rising quickly can trigger dizziness when pressure is already low. If you feel lightheaded, sit or lie down right away rather than trying to push through it.
If you take blood pressure medication, do not stop or change it on your own because of an infection. Some clinicians adjust doses during illness, but that decision needs to be made with the prescriber, since stopping suddenly can cause problems of its own.
Get medical advice if low readings persist, if you cannot keep fluids down, or if you feel faint repeatedly. A clinician can check for dehydration, infection-related complications, and other causes.
The bottom line
Covid-19 can lower blood pressure, most often through dehydration, inflammation, and blood vessel changes during a significant infection. In serious illness, the drop can signal sepsis and needs emergency care. In mild illness, a small temporary dip is usually not dangerous but should be watched. Lingering low blood pressure after recovery is reported but not well understood, and it should be evaluated rather than assumed to be part of long Covid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Covid cause low blood pressure at home?
Yes, mild and temporary drops can happen during a mild infection, usually because of fever, sweating, and not drinking enough. Readings that stay low, or that come with fainting or confusion, need medical attention.
What is a dangerously low blood pressure with Covid?
There is no single number that defines danger, but a reading below 90/60 mmHg with symptoms like confusion, fainting, cold skin, or very little urine is a medical emergency. Call for help rather than waiting.
Does low blood pressure mean my Covid is severe?
Not always, but a significant drop is more common in people who are seriously ill and can be a sign of sepsis. A small dip in an otherwise mild case does not usually mean the infection is severe.
How long does low blood pressure last after Covid?
In most mild cases it resolves within days as hydration and health return. Persistent dizziness or low readings lasting weeks should be checked by a clinician to rule out other causes.
