Can fluctuations in the BP level cause fainting and slurred speech?
Patient: My brother is in the hospital after beginning to have frequent falls and slurred speech. His Blood pressure is unstable. He is abusing alcohol. Could his problems be linked to some type of encephalopathy? My sister in-law was a nurse, as am I. Would it be wise of me to ask if thiamine was tested, or what would reveal if WE or a hepatic condition is the underlying cause of these symptoms of falling and slurred speech? Doctor: Hello!Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!I passed carefully through your question and would explain that your brother symptoms could be related to possible repeated TIA  (transient ischemic attacks) or seizures. For this reason, I would recommend performing some tests to investigate for the possible causes: - a brain MRI- an EEG to investigate for seizures- an ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring to investigate for cardiac arrhythmia- a cardiac ultrasound- vitamin B1 levels are needed, considering the fact that he abuses with alcohol. You should discuss with his doctor on the above issues. Hope you will find this answer helpful!Kind regards, Dr. Iliri