What can cause loss of consciousness. The main causes of sudden loss of consciousness. What is fainting

Fainting- defensive reaction of the brain. It is in this way that the brain, feeling an acute lack of oxygen, tries to correct the situation. That is, it "lays" the body in a horizontal position in order to facilitate the work of the heart for blood flow to the brain. As soon as the oxygen deficiency is replenished, the person returns to normal. What are the causes of this phenomenon, what precedes fainting, and how to provide first aid correctly?

What is fainting, what is dangerous and what causes it - the main causes of fainting

A well-known phenomenon - fainting is a loss of consciousness for a very short period, from 5-10 seconds to 5-10 minutes. Fainting that lasts longer is already life-threatening.

How dangerous is fainting?

Single fainting episodes, in essence, are not life-threatening. But there are reasons for alarm if fainting ...

It is a manifestation of any dangerous disease (cardiac pathology, heart attack, arrhythmia, etc.).
Accompanied by head trauma.
Occurs in a person whose activities are related to sports, driving a car, operating an aircraft, etc.
Repeats from time to time or regularly.
It happens in an elderly person - for no apparent reason and suddenly (there is a risk of complete heart block).
Accompanied by the disappearance of all reflexes of swallowing and breathing. There is a risk that the root of the tongue, due to the relaxation of muscle tone, will sink and block the airways.

Fainting - as a reaction to the smell of paint or the sight of blood is not so dangerous (except for the risk of injury during a fall). It is much more dangerous if fainting is a symptom of an illness or a nervous breakdown. Do not delay a visit to the doctor. The necessary specialists are a neurologist, a cardiologist and a psychiatrist.

There are many possible causes for fainting. The main, most common "triggers":

Short-term sharp decrease in pressure.
Prolonged standing (especially if the knees are brought together, “at attention”).
Long stay in one position (sitting, lying down) and a sharp rise to the feet.
Overheating, heat/sunstroke.
Stuffiness, heat and even too bright light.
The state of hunger.
Strong fatigue.
Elevated temperature.
Emotional stress, mental shock, fear.
Sharp sudden pain.
Severe allergic reaction (to drugs, insect bites, etc.).
Hypotension.
Reaction to medications with high blood pressure.
Arrhythmia, anemia or glycemia.
Infectious disease of the ear.
Bronchial asthma.
The onset of menstruation (in girls).
Pregnancy.
Disorders of the autonomic nervous system.
A crowd, an impressive gathering of people.
Features of puberty.
Mental instability.
Reduced blood sugar (for diabetes or a strict diet).
Problems of cerebral circulation in the elderly.
Nervous and physical exhaustion.

Types of fainting:

Orthostatic fainting. It happens from a sharp change in body position (from horizontal to vertical). The reason may be the insufficiency of the motor apparatus due to dysfunction of nerve fibers - participants in the vasomotor function. Fainting is dangerous by falling and injury.
Fainting caused by prolonged immobility (especially standing). Similar to the previous type. It occurs due to the lack of muscle contraction, full blood flow through the vessels in the legs (blood cannot overcome gravity and reach the brain).
Altitude fainting. Occurs at high altitude due to poor blood supply to the brain.
"Simple" fainting(outside serious causes): blurred consciousness, drop in blood pressure, shortness of breath, short-term loss of consciousness, very rapid return to normal.
Convulsive fainting. The condition is accompanied by seizures and (often) redness/blueness of the face.
Bettolepsy. Brief syncope in chronic lung disease due to a violent attack of coughing and subsequent outflow of blood from the skull.
Drop attacks. Dizziness, severe weakness and falling without loss of consciousness. Risk factors: pregnancy, cervical osteochondrosis.
Vasodepressor syncope. It occurs due to stuffiness, lack of sleep, fatigue, emotional stress, fear, etc. The pulse drops below 60 beats / min, the pressure drops sharply. It is often possible to prevent fainting simply by taking a horizontal position.
Arrhythmic fainting. A consequence of one of the types of arrhythmia.
Situational fainting. Occurs after defecation, constipation, diving, weight lifting, etc. due to increased intrathoracic pressure and other factors.
Carotid sinus syndrome. Note that the carotid sinuses are extensions of the carotid arteries, the main blood supply to the brain. Strong pressure on these sinuses (tight collar, sharp turn of the head) leads to fainting.
Fainting in the presence of cardiac arrhythmias. Occurs with a sharp bradycardia (heart rate - less than 40 beats / min) or with paroxysmal tachycardia (180-200 beats / min).
Anemic fainting. Most often occurs in the elderly due to a sharp decrease in hemoglobin, iron deficiency in the diet, due to impaired absorption of iron (when gastrointestinal diseases occur).
Medical fainting. happens
It happens from intolerance / overdose of drugs.

Signs and symptoms of fainting - how to recognize fainting in a person?

Doctors usually distinguish 3 states of fainting:

Presyncope. The appearance of harbingers of fainting. The state lasts about 10-20 seconds. Symptoms: nausea, severe dizziness, shortness of breath, ringing in the ears and sudden weakness, unexpected heaviness in the legs, cold sweat and darkening of the eyes, pale skin and numbness of the extremities, rare breathing, drop in pressure and weak pulse, "flies" before the eyes, gray color of the skin.
Fainting. Symptoms: loss of consciousness, decreased muscle tone and neurological reflexes, shallow breathing, in some cases even convulsions. The pulse is weak or not palpable at all. The pupils are dilated, the reaction to light is reduced.
Post-fainting. General weakness persists, consciousness returns, a sharp rise to the feet can provoke another attack.

In comparison with other types of impaired consciousness, syncope is characterized by a complete restoration of the state that preceded it.

First aid rules for fainting - what to do with fainting, and what not to do?

First aid for a person with fainting is as follows:

Eliminate (if any) the factor causing fainting. That is, we take out (take out) a person from the crowd, cramped room, stuffy room (or bring it into a cool room from the street), take it out of the way, pull it out of the water, etc.
We provide a person with a horizontal stable position- the head is lower than the body, the legs are higher (for blood flow to the head, if there is no head injury).
Lay on its side to prevent retraction of the tongue(and so that the person does not choke on vomit). If there is no opportunity to lay a person down, we seat him and lower his head between his knees.
Next, you should cause irritation of the skin receptors- splash a person’s face with cold water, rub the ears, pat on the cheeks, wipe the face with a cold wet towel, provide airflow (unbutton the collar, belt, corset, open the window), let ammonia (vinegar) inhale - 1-2 cm from the nose, lightly dampen the cotton.
Wrap in a warm blanket at low body temperature.

When the person comes to:

You can not immediately eat and drink.
You can not immediately take a vertical position (only after 10-30 minutes).
If a person does not come to his senses:
We urgently call an ambulance.
We check the free flow of air into the respiratory tract, pulse, listen to the breath.
If there is no pulse and breathing, we do an indirect heart massage and artificial respiration (“mouth to mouth”).

If an elderly person or a child faints, if there is a history of serious illness, if fainting is accompanied by convulsions, loss of breath, if fainting happened for no apparent reason out of the blue, suddenly call an ambulance immediately. Even if a person quickly came to his senses, there is a risk of concussion and other injuries.

A person feels normal when the brain adequately perceives any manifestations from the external environment. But there are cases when, against the background of provoking factors, an inadequate state occurs - syncope. There is a short-term loss of consciousness due to a reduced concentration of oxygen in the blood, not its flow to the brain tissues in full.

The brain needs to receive at least 50/60 ml of blood per minute. This ratio is supported by pressure, due to which the blood begins to quickly spread through the tissues and cells of the brain. The range of blood flow and heart rate directly depend on blood pressure. A change in pressure can lead to a decrease in vascular resistance, a decrease in the frequency of cardiac output.

The main cause of syncope is impaired oxygen supply to the brain. A person can lose consciousness against the background of:

subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage;
thrombosis of the heart valve;
traumatic brain injury or spinal injury;
exogenous intoxication;
psychogenic seizures;
metabolic disorders.

A number of diseases lead to neurovegetative insufficiency:

diabetes;
migraine;
pulmonary hypertension;
aortic valve stenosis;
dehydration of the body;
Parkinson's disease (against the background of degenerative changes in the central nervous system, leading to modifications of the autonomic and sympathetic nervous system);
epilepsy;
hydrocephalus with cerebral hemorrhage, a sharp increase in intracranial pressure;
cancer tumor;
hysterical neurosis;
cardiac pathologies;
nephropathy (as a complicated course of diabetes mellitus with damage to the nervous system in the periphery);
amyloid nephropathy (against the background of blood protein mutation, precipitation and attachment to the tissues of the autonomic system, causing neurovegetative insufficiency);
orthostatic hypotension (with an excessive decrease in the volume of incoming blood, the patient has signs of hypovolemia).

Kinds

There are several types of short-term loss of consciousness, depending on the mechanism of pathology development: neurotransmitter and neurogenic syncope, as 2 large groups of syncope.

Neurotransmitters occur with excessive excitability of the autonomic system, changes in blood circulation, and a decrease in blood emissions to the brain. By type of neurotransmitter syncope are:

Carotid. They occur with excessive sensitivity of the carotid sinus, when any of the movements of a person leads to a condition such as cerebral hypoperfusion (hypotension). The heart temporarily stops contracting, systoles are not audible;
Vasovaginal. The reason for their appearance is a violent surge of emotions, a long stay of a person on his feet. There is a short-term loss of consciousness, as a syndrome against the background of stimulation of the vagus nerve;
Situational, when against the background of situations (sneezing, coughing, urinating, lifting weights), pressure inside the chest increases sharply, while venous blood returns back to the heart, resulting in a drop in blood pressure, and a decrease in stroke volume. The sympathetic system to compensate for the imbalance increases the frequency of heart contractions, which leads to vasoconstriction.

Neurovegetative insufficiency is most often observed in elderly people, when, due to a number of physiological characteristics, the body begins to react sensitively to adverse situations, and pressure does not return to normal. There is a short-term fainting.

Neurogenic. The types of fainting are:

Orthostatic - against the background of taking a number of drugs (antidepressants, inhibitors, a-blockers) or abruptly getting up after sleep;
Vasodepressor. More often occurring in young people when they are in a certain situation (prolonged standing on their feet, strong emotions, fear). The condition can be triggered by myocardial infarction, blockade of impulse conduction;
Hyperventilatory syncope, the cause of which is fear, anxiety, panic. The heartbeat begins to increase unconsciously, breathing deepens, signs of bradycardia are traced. When fainting, patients experience hot flashes to the head, while the blood supply to the brain sharply decreases, and arrhythmia occurs.

Heart diseases

It happens that sudden fainting manifests itself against the background of cardiac pathology or disease, when, in an abnormal condition, blood pressure drops sharply, the number of heart beats per minute decreases:

aortic dissection;
cardiomyopathy, with pathology of the heart muscle;
pulmonary hypertension with increased blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs;
ventricular tachycardia with the formation of electrical signals behind the walls of the sinus node, which leads to an increase in heart pulsation over 100 beats / min, a violation of heart contractions
stenosis of the cardiopulmonary valve with an abnormal condition of the heart valves;
arrhythmia in violation of the heart rhythm, when the heart begins to beat strongly, causing tachycardia (possibly, on the contrary, the heart stops and a sharp decrease in the frequency of the beat, leading to bradycardia);
sinus bradycardia due to hypothyroidism or the development of pathology in the sinus node, when the heart rate drops to 50-60 beats / min;
sinus tachycardia, provoked by anemia, fever, when the heart pulsation increases to 100 beats / min.

The cause of syncope can be heterogeneous disorders against the background of brain perfusion. Such fainting may be caused by:

pulmonary hypertension with increased pressure (embolism) or resistance in the vessels of the lungs;
blockage of the artery of the heart against the background of ischemia;
heart disease with incomplete closure of the valve cavities, when the condition leads to a decrease in the number of heart beats per minute;
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy against the background of a weakening of the muscular heart tissue, which is fraught with a clear decrease in heart function, as a result, with sudden fainting.

As a result of the action of certain factors, there is a violation of cerebral circulation, a decrease in blood flow in the vessels, and the cessation of blood supply to the limbs and the brain.

Of course, not always syncope is caused by cardiac and pulmonary disorders. The reason may be a long stay on the legs or at high altitude, the moment of taking blood, urination, swallowing, coughing, when the vessels dilate, additional nausea, there is weakness in the muscles.

Loss of consciousness in children

Fainting can occur in predisposed children more often at night, with an excessive increase in sympathetic tone, sharp contractions of the heart. The mechanism is such that impulses begin to rapidly enter the medulla oblongata through the vagus nerves, leading to a decrease in sympathetic tone. There is bradycardia or peripheral tachycardia, when blood pressure drops sharply, and the child momentarily loses consciousness. To recover, you need to lie down, bend your knees, take a deep breath, relax.

When a child has a loss of consciousness, the reasons can be quite banal:

long stay at altitude;
carousel rides;
overwork;
fear;
hunger;
fatigue;
stay in stuffiness;
pain syndrome.

It happens that with vaginal syncope, there is an additional migraine, pain in the internal organs, the appearance of urination immediately after sleep. With reduced pressure, the vessels in the bladder expand dramatically, and the parasympathetic tone increases. It is good if the syncope occurred once and the condition quickly returned to normal. There is no special treatment.

Symptoms

Not often, but it happens that you can recognize the occurrence of syncope in a few minutes by prodromal or warning symptoms:

nausea;
dizziness;
clouding of mind;
blanching, blueing of the skin;
discharge of cold sweat;
weakness;
inability to stay upright for a long time;
blurred vision, the appearance of flashes of bright light;
decreased concentration;
split in the eyes;
signs of frivolity.

It happens that symptoms are present, but fainting does not occur: the person recovers quickly, the pressure returns to normal. Such a pre-syncope state does not lead to loss of consciousness, and the syncope is considered interrupted. As a rule, the restoration of functions in the body occurs quickly and completely. But often in older people, there are still signs of fatigue, weakness, trembling in the arms and legs. The condition does not pose a threat to life and people do not lose their memory, but syncope may recur, then it is no longer possible to postpone a visit to the doctors and diagnostic procedures.

Diagnostics

Syncope is a spontaneous phenomenon lasting a few seconds. In most cases, it passes without a trace and, it would seem, it is impossible for doctors to reveal the true cause of such a loss of reason, to make an accurate diagnosis. With constantly recurring fainting, the diagnosis is carried out by the method of exceptions for possible potential pathologies or diseases in the body.

Primary actions of doctors during examination:

studying the history of the disease;
identification of possible links with the occurrence of syncope;
measurement of upper and lower blood pressure indicators in the standing and lying position.

Conducted diagnostic methods to detect defects and anomalies in the development of the heart:

ECG under stress in case of suspected cardiac ischemia, which can lead to a decrease in the range of blood delivery;
Holter study to assess the values of blood pressure for one day;
Ultrasound (dopplerography) in order to identify the functionality of the muscles together with the valves, the valves of which are able to block the heart cavities.

How to provide first aid?

The algorithm of primary actions directly depends on the cause that led to fainting. A person with loss of consciousness, of course, needs to be provided with emergency assistance, which consists in calling an ambulance or immediate delivery to the nearest medical center. It is difficult to provide qualified assistance in case of loss of consciousness if there is no certain experience and knowledge. You need to be aware of the situation.

If the situation does not require urgent action and the ambulance is on its way, then it is reasonable to wait for the doctors to arrive. But if a person who has lost consciousness is in a life-threatening situation, then with caution it is necessary to take first aid measures in time to avoid injury to the musculoskeletal system and other internal organs, when the patient begins to convulse or, conversely, does not show any signs of life . My heart literally stops for a few seconds.

When fainting, for example, due to a fall from a height, as a rule, a strong relaxation of the body occurs: it becomes plastic. It is necessary to carefully transfer the victim to another, more protected place. It is important to quickly respond to the current situation and navigate the terrain.

move the patient to a secluded, cool place;
put on your back;
raise your legs up for a normal outflow of blood circulation;
free your breath.

Following the current situation, you can do an indirect heart massage and perform artificial respiration, for which:

lay the patient down
unbutton the collar of the shirt;
free the airways from accumulated mucus;
throw your head back;
put a roller under the back of the head to push the lower jaw forward;
carry out mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration, taking a handkerchief, attaching it to the patient's mouth, take two breaths, holding his nose;
make several pressures on the sternum, applying a force within reasonable limits and freeing the airways for air to escape.

If it is possible to conduct a heart massage together, then you can use the following simple technique:

One person does artificial respiration using the mouth-to-nose or mouth-to-mouth method in the amount of 1 breath.
Another at the same time makes up to 5-7 compressions on the sternum, repeating the procedures until the ambulance arrives.

Loss of consciousness can lead to a standing person falling sharply, thereby injuring himself, which often happens in older people. Regardless of the cause of fainting, its constant manifestations should not be allowed. If fainting does not occur for the first time, then you need to contact a specialist: a psychiatrist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, infectious disease specialist, neuropathologist, surgeon, therapist, pediatrician.

Principles of treatment

The main thing is to prevent subsequent relapses during syncope. Treatment depends on the cause of the fainting. More often, syncope occurs against the background of chronic pathologies or cardiac arrhythmias, when a pacemaker is required to normalize the pulsation.

If the cause of a short-term loss of consciousness was a severe course of hypovolemia, then the treatment will be medication, by intravenous administration of drugs.

If syncope occurs on the background of somatic diseases, treatment is aimed at eliminating pre-syncope conditions so that they do not recur in the future.

Cardiac pathologies usually pose a threat to the life of the patient. Syncope can be considered a benign disorder or a harbinger of loss of consciousness, which poses a threat to the development of serious complications and cardiopulmonary diseases, if proper and timely medical attention is not provided.

The causes of syncope in children are most often banal: stress, excessive emotional or mental stress, receiving stunning news, increased physical activity, lack of sleep, malnutrition, severe exhaustion of the body. Usually, a pre-fainting state with a duration of up to several seconds passes quickly and does not lead to negative consequences. The person adapts and does not need hospitalization.

If the loss of consciousness lasts more than 5 minutes and does not lead to the restoration of all vital functions of the victim, then an ambulance should be called urgently. The patient should be laid down without being in an upright position. Even if the condition quickly passed, then you can not get up abruptly. It is better to lie down a little until the breathing is completely normal.

Attention! A pre-fainting state after a few minutes may manifest itself a second time.

Syncope is not considered a separate disease. This is an unexpected symptom that can result in a short-term loss of consciousness, and the reasons for this are serious illnesses or various situations when the body gives signals of danger, which is fraught with deterioration in health, even death.

This condition is often observed in the elderly against the background of severe exhaustion or wear and tear of the body. The older generation is overly sensitive and susceptible to any, even minor negative factors. For those who take everything to heart, doctors recommend strengthening their body in every possible way, normalizing nutrition with the inclusion of vitamins and minerals, carrying out hardening procedures, eliminating any stressful situations, being less nervous and worried, and moving more and playing sports, eliminating bad habits, general strengthening preventive measures to improve the body.

Fainting is caused by a temporary loss of blood supply to the brain and may be a sign of a more serious illness...

Temporary loss of consciousness - fainting

Fainting is a temporary loss of consciousness.

Fainting is caused by a temporary loss of blood supply to the brain and may be a sign of a more serious illness.

People of any age can faint, but older people may have more serious causes.

The most common causes of fainting are vasovagal (a sharp decrease in heart rate and blood pressure) and heart disease.

In most cases, the cause of fainting is unknown.

Fainting can have many different causes:

Vasovagal syncope also known as "general weakness". This is the most common cause of fainting due to an abnormal vascular reflex.

The heart pumps more vigorously, the blood vessels relax, but the heart rate does not compensate fast enough to keep blood flowing to the brain.

Causes of vasovagal syncope:

1) environmental factors (more often when it's hot);

2) emotional factors (stress);

3) physical factors (loads);

4) illness (fatigue, dehydration, etc.).

situational syncope only happens in certain situations.

Causes of situational syncope:

1) cough (some people faint with a strong cough);

2) when swallowing (in some people, loss of consciousness is associated with a disease in the throat or esophagus);

3) when urinating (when a susceptible person passes out with an overflowing bladder);

4) hypersensitivity of the carotid sinus (in some people when turning the neck, shaving or wearing a tight collar);

5) Postprandial syncope can occur in older people when their blood pressure drops about an hour after eating.

orthostatic syncope occurs when a person feels fine in a lying position, but when he gets up, he may suddenly faint. Brain blood flow decreases when a person is standing due to a temporary drop in blood pressure.

This syncope sometimes occurs in people who have recently started (or received a replacement for) certain cardiovascular medications.

Orthostatic syncope can be due to the following reasons:

1) low circulating blood volume caused by blood loss (external or internal blood loss), dehydration, or heat exhaustion;

2) impaired circulatory reflexes caused by drugs, diseases of the nervous system, or congenital problems. Cardiac syncope occurs when a person loses consciousness due to cardiovascular disease.

Cardiac causes of syncope are usually life-threatening and include the following:

1) anomaly of the heart rhythm - arrhythmia. Electrical problems in the heart impair its pumping ability. This leads to a decrease in blood flow. The heart rate may be too fast or too slow. This condition usually causes fainting without any warning.

2) cardiac obstacles. Blood flow may be obstructed in the blood vessels in the chest. Cardiac obstruction can cause loss of consciousness during exercise. Various diseases can lead to obstruction (heart attacks, diseased heart valves in pulmonary embolism, cardiomyopathy, pulmonary hypertension, cardiac and aortic tamponade).

3) heart failure: the pumping ability of the heart is impaired. This reduces the force with which blood circulates in the body, which can reduce blood flow to the brain.

neurological syncope may be associated with neurological conditions.

Its reasons are:

1) a stroke (bleeding in the brain) can cause fainting associated with a headache;

2) transient ischemic attack (or mini-stroke) can cause loss of consciousness. In this case, fainting is usually preceded by double vision, loss of balance, slurred speech, or dizziness;

3) in rare cases, a migraine can cause fainting. Psychogenic fainting. Hyperventilation due to anxiety can lead to fainting. The diagnosis of psychogenic syncope should only be considered after all other causes have been ruled out.

Syncope symptoms

Loss of consciousness is an obvious sign of fainting.

Vasovagal syncope. Before fainting, a person may feel light-headed; blurred vision will be noted. A person can see "spots before the eyes."

The patient has pallor, dilated pupils, and sweating.

During a loss of consciousness, a person may have a low heart rate (less than 60 beats per minute).

The person must quickly regain consciousness. Many people do not have any warning signs before fainting.

Situational fainting. Consciousness returns very quickly when the situation passes.

Orthostatic fainting. Before a fainting episode, a person may notice blood loss (black stools, heavy menstruation) or fluid loss (vomiting, diarrhea, fever). The person may also be delirious. Observers may also note pallor, sweating, or signs of dehydration (dry lips and tongue).

Cardiac fainting. The person may report palpitations, chest pain, or shortness of breath. Observers may note weakness, irregular pulse, pallor, or sweating in the patient. Fainting often occurs without warning or after exertion.

Neurological fainting. The person may have a headache, loss of balance, slurred speech, double vision, or dizziness (feeling like the room is spinning). Observers note a strong pulse during the unconscious period and normal skin color.

When to seek medical help?

Since fainting can be caused by a severe condition, all episodes of loss of consciousness should be taken seriously.

Any person, even after the first episode of loss of consciousness, should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Depending on what the physical examination reveals, the doctor may require tests to be done.

These tests may include: blood tests; ECG, daily monitoring, echocardiography, functional stress test. Table tilt test. This test tests how your body reacts to changes in position. Tests to detect problems of the nervous system (CT of the head, MRI of the brain or EEG).

If the person next to you has fainted, help him.

Lay it on the ground to minimize the chance of injury.
Stimulate the person actively and call 911 immediately if the person does not respond.
Check the pulse and start CPR if necessary.
If the person recovers, let him lie down until the ambulance arrives.
Even if the cause of fainting is not dangerous, have the person lie down for 15-20 minutes before getting up.
Ask him about any symptoms such as headache, back pain, chest pain, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, weakness, or loss of function because these may indicate life-threatening causes of fainting.

Syncope treatment

Treatment for fainting depends on the diagnosis.

Vasovagal syncope. Drink plenty of water, increase your salt intake (under medical supervision), and don't stand for long periods of time.

Orthostatic fainting. Change your lifestyle: sit down, flex your calf muscles for a few minutes before getting out of bed. Avoid dehydration.

Elderly people with low blood pressure large meals should be avoided after meals, or plans should be made to lie down for a few hours after meals. In most cases, you should stop taking drugs that cause fainting (or replace them).

Cardiac fainting. To treat cardiac syncope, the underlying disease must be treated.

Valvular heart disease often requires surgery, while arrhythmia can be treated with drugs.

Medications and lifestyle changes.

These procedures are designed to optimize the performance of the heart, control of high blood pressure is necessary; in some cases, antiarrhythmic drugs may be prescribed.

Surgery: bypass surgery or angioplasty are used to treat coronary heart disease; in some cases the valves can be replaced. A pacemaker may be implanted to normalize the heart rate (slows the heart for fast arrhythmias or speeds up the heart for slow arrhythmias). Implanted defibrillators are used to manage life-threatening rapid arrhythmias.

Syncope Prevention

Preventive measures depend on the cause and severity of the fainting problem.

Fainting can sometimes be prevented by taking simple precautions.

If you are weak because of the heat, cool the body.
If you faint while standing (after lying down), move slowly while standing. Slowly move into a sitting position and rest for a few minutes. When you are ready, stand up using slow and fluid movements.

In other cases, the causes of fainting may be elusive. So see your doctor to determine the cause of fainting.

After determining the cause, treatment of the underlying disease should begin.

Cardiac syncope: due to the high risk of death from cardiac syncope, people who experience it should be treated for the underlying disease.

Periodic fainting. Consult a doctor to determine the causes of frequent loss of consciousness.

Prognosis due to syncope

The prognosis for a person who has fainted depends largely on the cause, the age of the patient, and the treatments available.

Cardiac syncope has the greatest risk of sudden death, especially in the elderly.
Syncope that is not associated with cardiac or neurological disease is a more limited risk than in the general population.

Checking the pulse in the neck. The pulse is well felt only near the throat (trachea).

If a pulse is felt, note if it is regular and count the number of beats in 15 seconds.

To determine the heart rate (beats per minute), multiply this number by 4.

The normal heart rate for adults is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.

If you fainted only once, then you don't have to worry about it.

It is important to see a doctor because fainting can have serious causes.

Fainting can be a sign of a serious problem if:

1) It often happens within a short period of time.

2) it occurs during exercise or vigorous activity.

3) fainting occurs without warning or in a supine position. In mild syncope, the person often knows that it is about to happen, vomiting or nausea is noted.

4) a person loses a lot of blood. This may include internal bleeding.

5) there is shortness of breath.

6) there is pain in the chest.

7) the person feels that his heart is pounding (palpitations).

8) Fainting occurs along with numbness or tingling in one side of the face or body. published .

If you have any questions, ask them

The materials are for informational purposes only. Remember, self-medication is life-threatening, consult a doctor for advice on the use of any medications and treatments.

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet

Did you forget to prepare for the test? Do you have an event scheduled but would like to avoid it? In this case, you can simulate fainting. Whether you want to shift the attention of others or get out of an embarrassing situation, the steps outlined in this article will help you plausibly fake a faint.

Steps

How to portray fainting believably

Learn about possible causes of fainting. Fainting is a fairly common disorder that affects many people. The reason can be both completely harmless and pose a serious danger. Before faking fainting, one should learn about the relatively harmless factors that can lead to fainting. Fainting is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain.

Learn about the symptoms of fainting. Usually, people experience certain symptoms that precede loss of consciousness, such as high fever, nausea, confusion and confusion, and rapid breathing. The person may also experience dizziness or weakness, ringing in the ears, or temporary hearing loss. These symptoms are often observed before fainting.

Choose a harmless reason for your feigned fainting. If you are not pretending to faint on the theater stage, you should come up with a plausible reason for your weakness so that those around you do not take it into your head to call an ambulance, and after a faint you could quickly recover and leave them without arousing suspicion. Since harmless fainting is usually associated with low blood pressure and insufficient blood flow to the brain, there are several scenarios that can lead to this type of fainting.

Low blood pressure can be caused by feelings of hunger: for example, you did not have time to eat breakfast or were very hungry after the last meal. Lack of fluid can lead to dehydration by reducing blood flow to the brain.
Being outside in hot weather or in a stuffy room, you can declare that you are hot. You can also pretend that you are very worried about some unpleasant event. If you are sometimes frightened by insects or loud noises, you can pretend to be frightened by starting to breathe rapidly, and then pretend that you have fainted.
If you let your friend know about your plan to pretend to faint, he may suddenly slap you on the shoulder, causing you to briefly pass out. From the outside, this technique may look a bit picturesque and have some consequences for your assistant, but this is a good way to fake a faint that does not pose a health risk.

Plan your swoon. In order for your feigned fainting to not cause unexpected consequences and lead to the intended results, it must be carefully planned. The goal you want to achieve will determine the place where the fainting will occur. You may not be able to predict the exact time of your false faint. However, you need to carefully control the conditions under which it will occur so as not to injure yourself and cause unforeseen consequences.
- What exactly are you trying to avoid? Friend's wedding? An exam you didn't prepare for? Or do you need to sing in front of a large audience and feel unprepared for it?
- To minimize the likelihood of a fiasco, one should pretend to faint in the presence of only a few witnesses. Fainting in front of many people may lead one of them to figure out the deception; besides, in this case, your fainting will attract undue attention, and you will not be able to quickly retire.
- You should also not pretend to faint in the midst of important events that are attended by many people, such as during your friend's wedding ceremony, at the presentation of awards, or at an exam. Plan your events so that you pass out before the start of the activity you would like to avoid.
Consider the conditions under which your feigned fainting will occur. Will you stand or sit? What are the best symptoms to portray before fainting itself? Where exactly will you fall during a faint? How long will you remain in a supposedly unconscious position? Consider all these points.
- It is important to practice in advance to fall into a false faint. You should not think that everything will work out the first time, without preparation: when it comes time to pretend to faint, you may be afraid to fall and hit your head, or, starting to breathe rapidly, you will not be able to hold back a smile. Practice falling to make it as safe as possible and avoid injury.
- Work out a plan of action so that everything goes smoothly when it comes time to pretend to pass out in front of others.
Plan your care. You will need to pretend to be unconscious for only a few, no more than 20 seconds. When a person falls to the floor or leans against something so that the head is at the level of the heart, the blood flow to the brain immediately normalizes, and consciousness returns.
- After pretending to regain consciousness, don't immediately jump up and act like nothing happened. Sit still for a few minutes - that's how long it usually takes to recover from a real faint. Don't forget this important point.
- You should not pretend to faint during a limited time event, expecting to leave it immediately after fainting. Also prepare to calm those around you by explaining to them that nothing serious has happened, that you are in perfect order and are able to get up and leave on your own, and then leave as soon as possible.
Fainting in a public place
1. Prepare the stage for your performance. Now that you have prepared properly, it's time to portray a swoon so that no one doubts its veracity. Arriving at the scene, make sure that everything is in order and nothing will interfere with your plans.
  - Are there enough witnesses, and are they the people you expected to be present? Is there an event that you would like to avoid attending? Are there too many people around?
  - After making sure that everything is in order, go to the place you have chosen for the feigned fainting. In the case of true syncope, there is quite a short time between the appearance of preliminary symptoms and loss of consciousness.
  - Make sure there are no dangerous objects nearby that could hurt you if you fall. Also, make sure you don't hit anyone as you fall.
2. Complain to others about the symptoms that usually precede fainting. Once properly prepared, begin to imitate the appropriate symptoms. No more than a few minutes should elapse between their manifestation and fainting. If you chose no breakfast as the reason, complain that you are very hungry. If the room is crowded and stuffy, you can complain that you are very hot. If you are walking, slow down, touch your forehead with your hand, and tell others that you are feeling dizzy. In this case, you can cover your eyes. Complain about nausea. Feign sudden weakness and communicate that you are not feeling well. Demonstrate symptoms for 1-2 minutes.
  
  Take the place you have planned for fainting. Showing the appropriate symptoms and trying not to draw too much attention to your movements, go to the place of your choice for the fall. If you're going to fake fainting while sitting, pretend it's hard for you to stand and sit down. Say that you feel uneasy and feel like you need a glass of water or a breath of fresh air.
  - You can ask someone to open the window. If there are no windows nearby and getting water is also problematic, just tell them that you need to sit down or go outside for fresh air. After sitting for a while, try to rise slowly. After that, stumble a little and fall forward. Before you do this, say something like "I just...". If the phrase is not very short, interrupt it in mid-sentence.
3. Imagine fainting. Make sure the fall is safe again. You must not hit your head, bruise or injure yourself. If you are standing, bend your knees and as you fall, touch the floor with them before falling to your side. Act fast enough, but not as if you were struck by lightning, otherwise your fainting will look unbelievable.
  - If you are sitting, relax and imagine that you are really passing out. After pretending to faint, fall off the chair onto the floor.
  - Try to land on your buttocks, not your thigh or tailbone. After that, quickly lower yourself to the floor with your whole body. Close your eyes and completely relax all the muscles: just relax.
  - Act as if you have no bones, settling on the floor with a relaxed body. This will give your swoon credibility.
4. Pretend you've lost consciousness for a few seconds. Lie motionless on the floor. You should completely relax; if someone lifts and shakes your hand, relax it completely, and when it is released, just let it fall back to the floor freely. This is a routine check in case of fainting. Lost consciousness people do not control their limbs. If someone is helping you with your undertaking, let him check your condition to rule out any surprises.
  - Don't stay on the floor too long or someone will have time to call an ambulance. If you don't want this to happen, stay still for no more than 20 seconds.
5. Open your eyes and take a deep breath. Many people who wake up after a faint have no memory of it. Tell others that you only remember how hot you felt and how the lights went out in the room.
  
  Slowly sit down and after a few seconds stand up on your own or have someone help you to your feet. Rising, you may begin to sway a little, and those around you, noticing this and fearing that you may again faint, will rush to your aid. However, if they ask you about your condition, try to reassure them by saying that you feel much better.
  
  After a false faint, try not to linger. Stay for another ten minutes, pretending to come to your senses after what happened. Then apologize by saying that you are going home to rest, or that you are going to see a doctor. You may be offered to accompany you - in this case, thank and politely show up, saying that you are able to get on your own.
- When you open your eyes after "fainting", do not immediately start talking. Look around awkwardly for a few seconds, then ask what happened. If you open your eyes and immediately start chattering, it will look implausible.
- If you doubt that you can depict everything properly, make sure that there are 1-2 people nearby who can see your swoon; however, they should not be too close so as not to notice anything suspicious.
- Don't smile or giggle during the whole action, otherwise your behavior will look implausible.
- Most likely, you need to practice to make everything look real. Find a way to fall that won't cause you pain or discomfort by practicing beforehand on a carpet or taking off your shoes on a wide bed.
- If you decide to fall forward, in no case put your hands in front of you. This is a defensive reflex, and to overcome it, it is better to practice in advance.
- If you are afraid of a quick fall and are afraid of hurting yourself, fake a faint near something you can lean on. Sometimes people, starting to lose consciousness, feel that something is wrong, and try to grab onto something so as not to fall. However, after the fall, the support should be released. Grabbing something even for a moment will slow your fall and reduce your risk of injury.
- Practice passing out on a soft carpet or, better yet, on a bed with your shoes off.
- Try pretending to faint near a wall that will cushion your fall.
- When falling in an open area, first make sure that you do not hit anyone or anything, as this can lead to unpleasant consequences and injuries.
- Most often, fainting consists in the loss of complete, but not all, control: for example, with a gradual loss of consciousness, a person settles on the floor slowly, and does not fall on it in a sheaf.
- Just before you fall, place one foot slightly toe inward - this will allow you to quickly kneel, after which you can fall on your side.
- Consider letting someone in on your plans. In this case, they will be able to help you if you fall, preventing possible injuries.
- First, bend your knees to touch the floor before dropping your upper body.
- Those present may begin to fiddle and shake you, trying to bring you to consciousness. Do not smile or laugh at the same time, so as not to give yourself away, for which it is better to practice in advance.
- Remember to keep your eyes closed.
Warnings
- If you go into action immediately after fainting, it will seem strange. Sit for a while with your head on your knees and as if coming to your senses.
- Do not use this technique repeatedly and do not overdo it, otherwise people will think that you have serious health problems and call an ambulance.
- When you faint, make sure there is enough free space around you so that you do not hit anyone or anything, as this can lead to injury. Be careful!
- Do not pretend to faint in an attempt to fool the police and avoid arrest. This will lead to more O more problems.
- Do not allow hyperventilation of the lungs, otherwise you will have to call an ambulance. If you are planning a false faint, don't pretend to be fast for too long or your heart rate will noticeably increase.
- Don't ask "what happened?" immediately after feigned fainting. This common cliché is often unconvincing. However, it is perfectly possible to ask this question to someone present a few minutes after the incident, perhaps adding something along the lines of "do I really look unwell?".

Overview

Fainting is a sudden temporary loss of consciousness, usually accompanied by a fall.

Doctors often refer to fainting as syncope to distinguish it from other conditions that involve temporary loss of consciousness, such as a seizure or concussion.

Fainting is very common, up to 40% of people have fainted at least once in their lives. The first fainting usually occurs before the age of 40. If the first episode of loss of consciousness occurred after the age of 40, this may indicate a severe chronic illness. The most common neurogenic syncope is more common in adolescence in girls.

The immediate cause of syncope is a disruption in the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Its functions are temporarily impaired, and the person loses consciousness. This usually happens in a stuffy room, on an empty stomach, with fright, strong emotional shock, and in some people - at the sight of blood or a sudden change in body position. A person can faint from coughing, sneezing, and even while emptying the bladder.

First aid for fainting should be to prevent a person from falling, to protect him from injury. If someone becomes ill, support him and carefully lay him down, raising his legs up, or sit him down. Get fresh air in by opening the windows and unbuttoning the collar of your clothes. Try not to create panic in order to avoid large crowds, crush and stuffiness. With fainting, consciousness usually returns within a few seconds, less often - 1-2 minutes, but some types of fainting require emergency medical attention.

If a person does not regain consciousness within 2 minutes, an ambulance should be called by calling 03 from a landline phone, 112 or 911 from a mobile phone.

Syncope symptoms

Fainting is usually preceded by sudden weakness and dizziness, and then there is a brief loss of consciousness, usually for a few seconds. This can happen when a person is sitting, standing, or standing up too quickly.

Sometimes loss of consciousness may be preceded by other short-term symptoms:

yawn;
sudden clammy sweat;
nausea;
frequent deep breathing;
disorientation in space and time;
clouding in the eyes or the appearance of spots before the eyes;
tinnitus.

After the fall, the head and heart are at the same level, so the blood reaches the brain more easily. Consciousness should return in about 20 seconds, less often fainting lasts for 1-2 minutes. A longer absence of consciousness is an alarm signal. In this case, you need to call an ambulance.

After fainting, weakness and confusion may occur within 20 to 30 minutes. The person may also feel tired, sleepy, nauseous, and have stomach discomfort, as well as not remembering what happened just before the fall.

Fainting or stroke?

Loss of consciousness can occur with a stroke - a violation of cerebral circulation. A stroke, unlike fainting, is always a medical emergency and is life threatening. You can suspect a stroke if a person does not wake up for more than 2 minutes or if, after fainting, the victim has the following symptoms:

the face is skewed to one side, the person cannot smile, his lip has drooped or the eyelid has dropped;
a person cannot raise one or both arms and keep them upright due to weakness or numbness;
speech becomes slurred.

Causes of fainting (loss of consciousness)

Loss of consciousness in syncope is associated with a temporary reduction in blood flow to the brain. The causes of this type of circulatory disorder are very diverse.

Violation of the nervous system as a cause of loss of consciousness

Most often, loss of consciousness is associated with a temporary malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. This type of fainting is called neurogenic or vegetative syncope.

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for the unconscious functions of the body, including the heartbeat and the regulation of blood pressure. Various external stimuli, such as fear, the sight of blood, heat, pain, and others, can disrupt the functioning of the autonomic nervous system for a while, which leads to a drop in blood pressure and fainting.

The work of the autonomic nervous system is also associated with a slowdown in the work of the heart, which leads to a short-term decrease in blood pressure and disruption of the blood supply to the brain. This is called vasovagal syncope.

Sometimes overload of the autonomic nervous system occurs during coughing, sneezing or laughing, and loss of consciousness occurs. Such fainting is called situational.

In addition, fainting may be associated with prolonged standing in an upright position. Usually, when a person is standing or sitting, due to attraction, some of the blood drains down and accumulates in the arms and legs. To maintain normal blood circulation, the heart begins to work a little harder, the blood vessels narrow slightly, maintaining sufficient blood pressure in the body.

In some people, this mechanism is disrupted, the blood supply to the heart and brain is temporarily interrupted. In response, the heart begins to beat too fast, and the body produces norepinephrine, the stress hormone. This is called postural tachycardia and can cause symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, sweating, heart palpitations, and fainting.

carotid sinus syndrome

The carotid sinus is a symmetrical region on the lateral surface of the middle part of the neck. This is an important area, rich in sensitive cells - receptors, which is necessary to maintain normal blood pressure, heart function and blood gases. In some people, syncope (fainting) can occur with accidental mechanical stress on the carotid sinus - this is called carotid sinus syndrome.

Orthostatic hypotension is a cause of syncope in the elderly

The second most common cause of fainting can be a drop in blood pressure when a person gets up abruptly - orthostatic hypotension. This phenomenon is more common in older people, especially after 65 years.

An abrupt change in body position from horizontal to vertical leads to the outflow of blood to the lower parts of the body under the influence of gravity, due to which the blood pressure in the central vessels drops. Normally, the nervous system regulates this by increasing the heart rate, constricting the blood vessels, and thus stabilizing the pressure.

In orthostatic hypotension, the regulation mechanism is disturbed. Therefore, there is no rapid recovery of pressure, and for some period the blood circulation in the brain is disturbed. This is enough for the development of fainting.

Possible causes of orthostatic hypotension:

dehydration - a condition in which the fluid content in the body decreases and blood pressure drops, making it harder for the heart to stabilize it, which increases the risk of fainting;
diabetes mellitus - accompanied by frequent urination, which can lead to dehydration, in addition, high blood sugar levels damage the nerves responsible for regulating blood pressure;
drugs - any drugs for hypertension, as well as any antidepressants, can cause orthostatic hypotension;
neurological diseases - diseases that affect the nervous system (for example, Parkinson's disease) can cause orthostatic hypotension.

Heart disease - the cause of cardiac syncope

Heart disease can also disrupt the blood supply to the brain and lead to temporary loss of consciousness. Such fainting is called cardiac. Its risk increases with age. Other risk factors:

pain in the heart cell (angina pectoris);
suffered a heart attack;
pathology of the structure of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy);
violations on the electrocardiogram (ECG);
recurring sudden fainting without warning symptoms.

If you suspect that fainting is caused by heart disease, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Reflex anoxic convulsions

Reflex anoxic seizures are a type of syncope that develops after a brief cardiac arrest due to overload of the vagus nerve. It is one of the 12 cranial nerves that runs down from the head to the neck, chest, and abdomen. Reflex anoxic seizures are more common in young children, especially when the child is upset.

Diagnosis of causes of fainting

Most often, fainting is not dangerous and does not require treatment. But in some cases, after fainting, you should consult a doctor to find out if the loss of consciousness was caused by any disease. See a neurologist if:

fainting occurred for the first time;
you regularly lose consciousness;
injury due to loss of consciousness;
you have diabetes or heart disease (such as angina pectoris);
fainting occurred during pregnancy;
before you fainted, you had chest pain, an irregular, fast or strong heartbeat;
during the blackout of consciousness, urination or defecation involuntarily occurred;
you were unconscious for several minutes.

During the diagnosis, the doctor will ask about the circumstances of fainting and recent illnesses, and may also measure blood pressure and listen to the heartbeat with a stethoscope. In addition, additional studies will be required to diagnose the causes of loss of consciousness.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is prescribed for suspicion that fainting was caused by heart disease. An electrocardiogram (ECG) records heart rhythms and the electrical activity of the heart. Electrodes (small sticky discs) are attached to the arms, legs and chest, which are connected to the ECG machine with wires. Each heartbeat creates an electrical signal. The ECG marks these signals on paper, recording any abnormalities. The procedure is painless and takes about five minutes.

Carotid sinus massage carried out by a doctor in order to exclude carotid sinus syndrome as the cause of fainting. If the massage causes dizziness, heart rhythm disturbances, or other symptoms, the test is considered positive.

Blood tests allow to exclude diseases such as diabetes mellitus and anemia (anemia).

Blood pressure measurement in the supine and standing positions to detect orthostatic hypotension. In orthostatic hypotension, blood pressure drops sharply when a person stands up. If the test results reveal a medical condition, such as heart disease or orthostatic hypotension, your doctor may prescribe treatment.

First aid for fainting

There are certain precautions to be taken when someone is near fainting. It is necessary to lay the person in such a way as to increase blood flow to the head. To do this, just put something under your legs, bend them at the knees or lift them up. If there is nowhere to lie down, you need to sit down and lower your head between your knees. Such actions, as a rule, help to avoid fainting.

If the person does not regain consciousness within 1-2 minutes, do the following:

put it on its side, resting on one leg and one arm;
tilt your head back and raise your chin to open
Airways;
continuously monitor breathing and pulse.

Then you should call an ambulance by calling 03 from a landline, 112 or 911 from a mobile phone and stay with the person until the doctors arrive.

Treatment after fainting

Most fainting spells do not require treatment, but it is important that your doctor rule out possible medical conditions that may have caused the loss of consciousness. If the latter are found during the examination, you will need treatment. For example, if diabetes is diagnosed, diet, exercise, and medication can help lower blood sugar levels. Treatment of cardiovascular diseases associated with fluctuations in blood pressure, arrhythmias, or atherosclerosis also minimizes the likelihood of recurrent syncope.

If the syncope is neurogenic in nature or is situational, then you need to avoid those causes that usually lead to loss of consciousness: stuffy and hot rooms, excitement, fear. Try to spend less time standing on your feet. If you faint at the sight of blood or medical manipulations, tell your doctor or nurse about it, then the procedure will be carried out in a lying position. When it is difficult to determine which situations are causing you to pass out, your doctor may recommend keeping a symptom diary to record all the circumstances of your fainting.

To prevent syncope caused by carotid sinus syndrome, pressure on the neck area should be avoided - for example, avoid wearing shirts with high, tight collars. Sometimes, to treat carotid sinus syndrome, a pacemaker, a small electronic device, is placed under the skin to help maintain a regular heart rhythm.

To avoid orthostatic hypotension, try not to abruptly change the position of the body. Before getting out of bed, sit down, stretch, take a few calm deep breaths. In summer, water consumption should be increased. Your doctor may also recommend smaller, smaller meals and increased salt intake. Some medications can lower blood pressure, but you should stop taking prescribed medications only with your doctor's permission.

To stop the pressure drop and prevent fainting, there are special movements:

crossing legs;
muscle tension in the lower body;
clenching the hands into fists;
arm muscle tension.

You need to learn how to properly perform these movements. In the future, these movements can be performed, noticing the symptoms of impending fainting, such as dizziness.

Sometimes drugs are used to treat fainting. However, drug therapy must be prescribed by a doctor.

In addition, syncope can create a hazardous situation in the workplace. For example, when handling heavy equipment or dangerous mechanisms, when working at height, etc. Issues of working capacity are resolved in each case with the attending physician after the diagnosis is completed.

Which doctor should I contact after fainting?

With the help of the On the Correction service, you can, which will diagnose the possible causes of fainting and offer treatment, if necessary.

If your blackouts are accompanied by other symptoms not covered in this article, use the Who treats this section to help you choose the right specialist.

Localization and translation prepared by site. NHS Choices provided the original content for free. It is available from www.nhs.uk. NHS Choices has not been reviewed, and takes no responsibility for, the localization or translation of its original content

All materials on the site have been checked by doctors. However, even the most reliable article does not allow taking into account all the features of the disease in a particular person. Therefore, the information posted on our website cannot replace a visit to the doctor, but only complements it. Articles are prepared for informational purposes and are advisory in nature.