Fidji Simo, the chief product officer at OpenAI, announced she is taking a temporary medical leave to focus on treatment for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Simo shared the news in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on April 4, 2026, stating she expects to return to her role later in the year.
POTS is a form of dysautonomia, a disorder of the autonomic nervous system. Its primary symptom is a significant increase in heart rate upon standing, often accompanied by dizziness, fatigue, and fainting. The condition is estimated to affect between 1 and 3 million people in the United States, predominantly women and younger individuals.
While there is no cure for POTS, treatment focuses on managing symptoms. Common approaches include increasing fluid and salt intake, wearing compression garments, and engaging in carefully monitored exercise programs. Many patients see an improvement in their quality of life with proper management.
Simo's announcement has brought renewed public attention to the often-misunderstood condition. Prior to joining OpenAI, she was the CEO of Instacart and held senior roles at Meta, formerly Facebook.
