POTS stands for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. It is a form of Dysautonomia and marked by orthostatic intolerance, when a patient goes from laying flat to standing they typically have a drop in blood pressure and a spike in heart rate, an increase of 40 bpm is the number used for diagnosis. The drop in blood pressure results in blood pooling in the extremities, mottled hands, and purpled appendages. The lack of blood flow to the brain can result in the patient fainting, collapsing, or experiencing episodes of syncope. A patient can also experience issues with body temperature regulation, fatigue, brain fog, concentration and attentiveness, and exercise intolerance. Because POTS is a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, it can effect any and all of the duties your body should perform subconsciously. For more information on Dysautonomia and POTS, check out the links below or my post about POTS found here.