A study conducted by Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) has proved the safety and efficacy of the existing orthostatic hypotension (OH) treatments for the first time, the hospital said Tuesday.

OH occurs when a person’s blood pressure falls when suddenly standing up from a lying or sitting position. It is defined when systolic blood pressure drops down more than 20 mmHg, or diastole blood pressure falls 10 mmHg when measured within three minutes of standing up.

Professors Chu Kon_주건 and Lee Sang-kun_이상건 led the world’s first long-term clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of single or combined therapy with midodrine and pyridostigmine on neurogenic orthostatic hypotension patients.

The study examined 87 symptomatic neurogenic OH patients to receive one of the three treatments -- midodrine, pyridostigmine, or midodrine and pyridostigmine – for three months and observed changes in blood pressure, depression, and quality of life. It found orthostatic systolic and diastolic blood pressure drops improved significantly after three months in all treatment groups.

Combination treatment did not yield better results, and midodrine was better than pyridostigmine at improving OH-related symptoms.

The research concluded that it was most effective to maintain a single treatment of midodrine in the long-term after an initial treatment of a combination of midodrine and pyridostigmine.

“We hope this research will raise the awareness of orthostatic hypotension and be used in effective patient care,” Professor Chu said. “Our team is also running trials to determine the cause and genetic research for orthostatic dizziness, including orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.”

The results of the study were published in a recent online edition of “Neurology,” one of the most influential neurology-related journals.