SINGAPORE - People who are older than 70 could be more prone to falls as a result of low blood pressure, a local study has found.

The 2013 study, which involved patients from Geylang Polyclinic, found that around one in 10 of these patients has a form of low blood pressure called orthostatic hypotension.

This is a condition in which blood pressure drops when a person changes his or her posture, such as from lying or sitting down to standing up. People who have this condition are more prone to falls.

While the study did not find the causes of orthostatic hypotension, researchers noted links between the condition and patients who are older than 70, physically inactive at work and have had light-headedness or dizziness in the past year. There are also links between the condition and people who have medical conditions which affect blood circulation, such as congestive cardiac failure, stroke and kidney disease.

A total of 364 patients aged 64 to 98 participated in the study conducted by SingHealth Polyclinic researchers and medical students from the National University of Singapore.