Committed to Care
Cardiovascular diseases
Fainting / Syncope
A fainting spell does not always have the same cause.
What is it
Syncope is a brief loss of consciousness followed by relatively rapid, spontaneous recovery.
There are many possible causes. Many are benign, but in some cases a cardiac cause needs to be ruled out.
What we are interested in knowing
Of particular importance are:
- what was happening before the episode
- if there were warning symptoms
- if it happened while standing or exercising
- if there were palpitations or chest pain
- how quickly the patient recovered
- known cardiac history
- family history of sudden death or major heart disease;
How is the evaluation done?
The investigation begins with the history and clinical examination.
Depending on the features they may need:
- electrocardiogram
- blood pressure measurements in different body positions
- Holter or other sustained recording
- Echocardiogram
- other targeted tests.
Not every fainting episode requires the same tests.
When are we most concerned?
Special attention is needed when loss of consciousness:
- occurs during exercise
- appears without warning
- accompanied by chest pain or strong palpitations
- concerns a person with known heart disease
- combined with significant family history.
In case of emergency call it 112 or the 166. Do not wait for a response from the contact form.