Fainting
Passed out; Lightheadedness - fainting; SyncopeFainting is a brief loss of consciousness due to a drop in blood flow to the brain. The episode most often lasts less than a couple of minutes and you usually recover from it quickly. The medical name for fainting is syncope.
Considerations
When you faint, you not only lose consciousness, you also lose muscle tone and the color in your face. Before fainting, you may feel weak, sweaty, or nauseated. You may have the sense that your vision is constricting (tunnel vision) or noises are fading into the background.
Lose consciousness
Decreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleCauses
Fainting may occur while or after you:
- Cough very hard
- Have a bowel movement, especially if you are straining
- Have been standing in one place for too long
- Urinate, especially at night or after lying down for a prolonged period
Fainting can also be related to:
- Emotional distress
- Fear
- Severe pain
Other causes of fainting, some of which may be more serious, include:
- Certain medicines, including those used for anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure. These medicines may cause a drop in blood pressure.
- Drug or alcohol use.
- Heart disease, such as abnormal heart rhythm or heart attack and stroke.
- Rapid and deep breathing (hyperventilation).
Hyperventilation
Hyperventilation is rapid and deep breathing. It is also called overbreathing, and it may leave you feeling breathless.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
- Seizures.
- Sudden drop in blood pressure, such as from bleeding or being severely dehydrated.
Dehydrated
Dehydration occurs when your body does not have as much water and fluids as it needs. Dehydration can be mild, moderate, or severe, based on how much...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Standing up suddenly from a lying position.
Home Care
If you have a history of fainting, follow your health care provider's instructions for how to prevent fainting. For example, if you know the situations that cause you to faint, avoid or change them.
Get up from a lying or seated position slowly. If having blood drawn makes you faint, tell your provider before having a blood test. Make sure that you are lying down when the test is done.
You can use these immediate treatment steps when someone has fainted:
- Check the person's airway and breathing. If necessary, call 911 or the local emergency number and begin rescue breathing and CPR.
CPR
CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is an emergency life-saving procedure that is done when someone's breathing or heartbeat has stoppe...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Loosen tight clothing around the neck.
- Raise the person's feet above the level of their heart (about 12 inches or 30 centimeters).
- If the person has vomited, turn them on their side to prevent choking.
- Keep the person lying down for at least 10 to 15 minutes, preferably in a cool and quiet space. If this is not possible, sit the person forward with their head between their knees.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call 911 or the local emergency number if the person who fainted:
- Fell from a height, especially if injured or bleeding
- Does not become alert quickly (within a couple of minutes)
- Is pregnant
- Is over age 50
- Has diabetes (check for medical identification bracelets)
- Feels chest pain, pressure, or discomfort
- Has a pounding or irregular heartbeat
- Has a loss of speech, vision problems, or is unable to move one or more limbs
- Has convulsions, a tongue injury, or a loss of bladder or bowel control
Even if it is not an emergency situation, you should be seen by your provider if you have never fainted before, if you faint often, or if you have new symptoms with fainting. Call for an appointment to be seen as soon as possible.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
Your provider will ask questions to determine whether you simply fainted, or if something else happened (such as a seizure or heart rhythm disturbance), and to figure out the cause of the fainting episode. If someone saw the fainting episode, their description of the event may be helpful.
The physical exam will focus on your heart, lungs, and nervous system. Your blood pressure may be checked while you are in different positions, such as lying down and standing. People with a suspected arrhythmia may need to be admitted to a hospital for testing.
Arrhythmia
An arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rate (pulse) or heart rhythm. The heart can beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregul...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleTests that may be ordered include:
- Blood tests for anemia or body chemical imbalances
Anemia
Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Different type...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Cardiac rhythm monitoring
-
Echocardiogram
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart. The picture and information it produces is more detailed than a s...
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Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article -
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test to measure the electrical activity of the brain.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article -
Cardiac event monitor
Cardiac event monitor
A Holter monitor is a machine that continuously records the heart's rhythms. The monitor is worn for 24 to 48 hours during normal activity.
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X-ray of the chest
X-ray of the chest
A chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.
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Treatment depends on the cause of fainting.
References
Calkins H, Everett TH, Chen P-S. Hypotension and syncope. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 71.
Probst M. Syncope. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 11.
Winkel D, Cassimatis D. Episodic impairment of consciousness. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 2.
Review Date: 6/20/2023
Reviewed By: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.