Ajax Harwood Clinic
POTS: should I be tested?
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
Do you feel dizzy, notice a racing heart, or feel faint when you stand up? This might be POTS. POTS stands for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. It means your heart beats too fast when you stand, but your blood pressure stays normal. POTS is real. It is not all in your head. Your doctor can often check for it right in the office. You lie down for a few minutes, then stand still. Your heart rate and blood pressure get checked a few times over ten minutes. No blood test proves POTS. Simple blood tests still help rule out other causes, like low iron or thyroid trouble. Tell your doctor right away if you faint during exercise, have chest pain, or if a close relative died suddenly from a heart problem.
Tests you may hear about
Worth asking
Questions you could bring to your doctor:
- Can you check for POTS with a simple test in the office?
- What symptoms mean I should be tested for POTS?
- What blood tests would rule out other causes before I'm diagnosed with POTS?
- Could something other than POTS explain my dizziness or racing heart?
- What symptoms mean I should be seen urgently?
Next steps
Curious what your doctor is weighing up? The clinical page we use for this is open to anyone — it is detailed and written for clinicians, and you are welcome to read it.
Open the clinician reference →Did a naturopath recommend specific tests? Look each one up — what it measures and whether it is usually needed.
Look up a lab test →Want more? Explore the full AHC health library.
Go to ask.ajaxharwoodclinic.com →This is health information and screening — not a diagnosis. Please discuss results with your doctor. In an emergency call 911.