Fainting, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:38 Causes of Fainting
2:34 Symptoms of Fainting
3:04 Diagnosis of Fainting
3:44 Treatment of Fainting



Fainting is a sudden, brief loss of consciousness from a lack of oxygen to the brain.
• Medically referred to as syncope, a fainting episode has no medical significance, but sometimes it may be due to a serious illness, condition, or disorder.
• Every case of fainting should be treated as a medical emergency until a cause is ascertained and symptoms treated. It is important to figure out what triggered the fainting episode and prevent it from happening again.
• Anybody with a recurring episode of fainting should seek medical care.

CAUSES
Fainting is most commonly caused by a temporary glitch in the part of the nervous system that controls heart rate and blood pressure, usually in response to a trigger. This may cause the heart rate and blood pressure to drop suddenly, leading to reduced blood flow the brain, and in turn, resulting in a brief loss of consciousness. This type is called neurocardiogenic syncope. Common triggers of neurocardiogenic include:
• Seeing blood
• Heat exposure
• Standing still for long periods of time
• An unpleasant sight
• Sitting suddenly
• Sudden emotional upset such as when receiving bad news
• Extreme embarrassment
• Fear of bodily injury
Fainting can also result from a fall in blood pressure after standing up rapidly from a lying down or sited position, referred to as orthostatic hypotension. This condition is usually common in older adults, particularly those aged over 65. Possible triggers of orthostatic hypotension include:
• Untreated diabetes
• Alcohol
• Medications for high blood pressure
• Dehydration
• Antidepressants
• Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease
• Carotid sinus syndrome