Gallstones and Low Blood Pressure

As such, gallstones are not caused by low blood pressure. In fact pancreatitis, a complication of gallstones may lead to a drop in blood pressure. To gain a better understanding of why this is so, you need to first understand what gallstones are as well as their causes, treatment and cures.

Gallstones are hard stone-like deposits that develop inside the gallbladder. They may be similar in size to a grain of sand or grow as large as a golf ball.

There are two types of gallstones, those made out of cholesterol and those made up of bilirubin. Gallstones made from cholesterol are by far the most common variety and actually have nothing to do with cholesterol in the blood. Those made from bilirubin are known as pigment stones. Bilirubin is a liquid manufactured by the liver to help the body digest fats.

The causes of gallstones vary. There are many conditions that increase the risk of developing gallstones. They include:

Failure of the gallbladder to empty completely. This usually happens during pregnancy, one of the reasons why women are more likely to develop gallstones.
Medical conditions that result in an increased production of bilirubin. These include chronic hemolytic anemia, sickle cell anemia, liver cirrhosis, biliary tract infections, diabetes, organ or bone marrow transplant, rapid weight loss as a result of a low calorie diet and prolonged intravenous feeding.
Many people with gallstones do not have any symptoms and their condition is only detected during an ultrasound scan for other reasons. Those who develop symptoms will need to have surgery.

In the past, treatment for those who exhibited symptoms would consist of gallbladder removal. The procedure was known as cholecystectomy. Nowadays, a newer technique known as laparoscopic cholecystectomy is used. This procedure uses smaller cuts and recovery time is much quicker with patients being sent home on the same or the next day. For gallstones lodged in the common bile duct, a procedure known as Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) may be used.

Surgery is not the only option. Medications may be used to treat cholesterol gallstones but they take at least two years to work and there is a possibility of the gallstones recurring. A procedure known as Electrohydraulic shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) may be used in case the patient cannot have surgery, but the problem may recur.

Complications may arise from gallstones that block the cystic duct or common bile duct. They include acute cholecystitis, chronic cholecystitis, cholangitis, choledocholithiasis and pancreatitis.

Reference:

http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/000273all.htm

answered by M W

Gallstones and low blood pressure :-It is a rare possibility. Stones anywhere can cause a parasymphathetic response leading to potassium ion release that causes low pressure. Portal obstruction may take place. A wave of internal shock due to stones can cause low bp.

answered by D M K

Can gallstones be caused by low blood pressure?