Which clinical change is typical for hypovolemia when moving from lying to standing?

• A. Decrease heart rate and increase blood pressure
• B. No change in vitals
• C. Increase heart rate and decrease blood pressure
• D. Increase in blood pressure and increased pulse pressure

Answer: (C)

Moving from lying to standing pushes blood toward the legs, reducing venous return to the heart. In hypovolemia there’s already a limited circulating volume, so this drop in preload is more pronounced. The body’s reflexes increase sympathetic activity to raise heart rate and cause vasoconstriction in an attempt to maintain pressure, but the low volume means blood pressure commonly falls while the heart rate rises. The pulse pressure may also narrow because stroke volume is reduced. So the typical pattern is an increased heart rate with a decreased blood pressure when standing.