Loses consciousness and comes. The main causes of sudden loss of consciousness

Often we become witnesses of how a person suddenly falls unconscious. How to act in this situation and what caused it? We will talk about this further. Be sure to consider the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness. What should be the emergency assistance to a person?

What is fainting?

Fainting is not a disease. It can be a symptom of some disease, and even then not always. This is just a sudden loss of consciousness as a result of reduced blood flow to the head. Consciousness is restored at the same time spontaneously.

Fainting can be:

Epileptic.
Non-epileptic.

After an epileptic, a very long period of return of the victim to a normal state.

Non-epileptic syncope includes:

Convulsive. Muscle twitching joins the usual fainting.
Simple fainting.
Lipotomy. Mild fainting.
arrhythmic form. It happens with some types of arrhythmias.
Orthostatic fainting. With a sharp change from horizontal to vertical.
Bettolepsy. Syncope that appears during a period of chronic lung disease.
Drop attacks. Very unexpected falls, while the person may not lose consciousness.
Vasodepressor syncope. It happens in childhood.

Syncope symptoms

Fainting can happen unexpectedly. But sometimes before this there is a pre-fainting state.

The first symptoms are:

Unexpected weakness.
Darkening in the eyes.
There is noise in the ears.
Pallor.
Sweating increases.
Numb limbs.
May be bothered by nausea.
Yawn.

Fainting - a short-term loss of consciousness - most often happens to a person at the moment when he is standing. In a sitting position, this happens much less often. And, as a rule, when the position of the body changes, the symptoms of fainting disappear.

Fainting is most often accompanied by symptoms of vegetative-vascular disorders. Namely:

The face turns pale.
Cold limbs.
Sweating increases.
There is a weak pulse.
The blood pressure drops a lot.
Breathing is weak, shallow.
In this case, the pupils react to light and tendon reflexes are preserved.

In this state, a person can be from a few seconds to 2-5 minutes. Prolonged exposure to fainting can cause increased salivation or convulsive twitching of the muscles, limbs, and facial muscles.

Factors that cause fainting

The causes of fainting and loss of consciousness are very similar:

Sometimes fainting can smoothly flow into loss of consciousness. What is it, we will consider further.

What happens when you lose consciousness

The person suddenly falls and does not respond to external stimuli, such as:

Light slaps.
Loud voices.
Cold or warm.
Claps.
Chips.
Pain.

This condition is the result of a dysfunction of the nervous system. If a person is unconscious for a sufficiently long time, then this is already considered a coma.

Loss of consciousness is divided into:

Short-term. Lasts from 2 seconds to 2-3 minutes. In such cases, no special medical attention is required.
Persistent. This condition can have serious consequences for the body. And if you do not provide the necessary medical care in a timely manner, then this can pose a threat to the life and health of the victim.

Manifestations of loss of consciousness are very similar to fainting.

Causes of loss of consciousness

There are several reasons that lead to loss of consciousness:

Insufficient blood supply to the brain.
Lack of nutrition for the brain.
Insufficient oxygen content in the blood.
Problems in the work of the cardiovascular system. Heart rhythm disorder, heart attack.
Atherosclerotic plaques inside the vessels of the brain.
The presence of thrombi.
Quite a long time low blood pressure.
Sudden change in body position. For example, if you suddenly stand up from a sitting position.
shock states:

Anaphylactic.
Allergic.
infectious shock.

10. Complications of serious diseases.

11. Anemia.

12. Pubertal stage of development.

13. Poisoning with oxygen oxide.

14. Head injury.

15. Epilepsy.

16. Stroke.

17. Sharp pain.

18. Nervous tension, lack of sleep, overwork.

The causes of fainting and loss of consciousness in men and women are different.

Women experience loss of consciousness due to internal bleeding, gynecological diseases, if the pregnancy proceeds with pathologies, excessive emotionality or a too strict diet.

In men, alcohol poisoning and heavy physical exertion more often provoke loss of consciousness.

Fainting and loss of consciousness: what's the difference?

They differ from each other in causes and possible consequences. So, with fainting, the cause is a decrease in the volume of blood flowing to the brain, which is accompanied by a sharp drop in blood pressure.

If there is a loss of consciousness for more than 5 minutes, serious damage to the brain tissue can occur, which will affect the person's life. The causes of such conditions can be heart disease, epilepsy, stroke.

These two states differ in their duration. So, fainting lasts most often a few seconds, but not more than 5 minutes. Loss of consciousness is considered to be more than 5 minutes.

Above, we examined the reasons for fainting and loss of consciousness. What is the difference and how the recovery goes, we will study further.

After fainting, all reflex, physiological and neurological reactions are quickly restored.

After loss of consciousness, the recovery of the above reactions is very slow or they are not restored at all. It depends on the time the person has spent in an unconscious state. The longer it takes, the harder it is to recover. It will also be affected by the disease itself, that is, the cause of the loss of consciousness.

When a person faints, as a rule, there is no memory loss, as well as any changes during the ECG.

After a person wakes up, he may not remember what happened, and also, most likely, changes on the ECG will be visible.

Causes of deep fainting

A few words about deep fainting. This is a sudden loss of consciousness. The lack of blood flow to the brain contributes to poor metabolism and the supply of oxygen and glucose.

The reasons for this condition may be the following:

Decrease in blood flow to the brain can be the result of such diseases:

Arrhythmia.
Heart failure.
Violation of cardiac function during physical exertion.

2. Insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain, or hypoxia. May occur in severe upper respiratory tract infections.

3. A sharp drop in blood glucose levels.

Deep syncope with loss of consciousness is a great danger, as it can lead to oxidation of the brain.

If this happens, you should immediately consult a doctor and conduct a complete examination of the body.

Diagnosis after loss of consciousness or fainting

After first aid was provided for fainting and loss of consciousness, and the person came to his senses, it is necessary to analyze the symptoms that may appear.

It is worth paying attention to:

Many dangers can be fraught with fainting and loss of consciousness. What is the difference in developing consequences depends on many factors and the presence of certain diseases in the body. For example:

Fainting in diabetes mellitus, caused by a sharp decrease in blood sugar, can go into a coma.
In case of carbon monoxide poisoning, the victim loses consciousness, brain hypoxia sets in, and myocardial muscle contraction is inhibited.
Loss of consciousness after or during exercise is a signal of a serious cardiac pathology.
A high probability of cardiac pathologies is in older people during loss of consciousness.
Serious heart diseases are signaled by interruptions in his work and before fainting exceed 5 seconds.
With loss of consciousness, convulsions that appear may indicate not only epilepsy, but also cerebral ischemia caused by heart disease.
If a person has cardiovascular pathologies, then loss of consciousness should be considered as a very serious symptom.
If the patient has had a heart attack and has angina pectoris, cardiomegaly, and symptoms of insufficient blood supply, fainting can be fatal.

With a short-term loss of consciousness, fainting, it is necessary to undergo examinations to clarify the cause of this condition. What - we will consider further:

To exclude vegetovascular dystonia, a consultation with a neurologist is necessary.
Consultation with a therapist is needed to exclude hypotension or to prescribe therapy for hypertension.
Ultrasound, ECG, heart holter for finding cardiac pathologies.
Ultrasound, dopplerography for the study of cerebral vessels to detect pathologies.

If there was a loss of consciousness, then the following examinations will be needed:

Blood test to determine the amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
An x-ray is required to examine the lungs.
Get tested for allergens and visit an allergist if allergic asthma is suspected.
Undergo spirography to assess external respiration.

It is worth noting that if fainting occurs in a patient under 40 years of age and there are no anomalies on the cardiogram, then it is necessary to look for the cause along the neurological line. If after 40 there are no signs of damage on the cardiogram of the heart, it is still necessary to start with a complete examination of it.

Consequences of fainting and loss of consciousness

Such changes in health status cannot be ignored.

For a person, fainting and loss of consciousness can have different consequences. The differences are that fainting in a mild form can pass without a trace, and loss of consciousness can be a dangerous symptom of any disease and pose a danger to life.

But in any case, it is advisable to consult a doctor after the incident. So, when fainting, there is a great danger of falling tongue, which can block the airways and the person will die from suffocation. With a traumatic brain injury, loss of consciousness is a risk of developing severe dangerous complications, as well as the risk of coma and death.

In case of loss of consciousness or fainting, metabolic disturbances occur in the brain tissue. This can affect the work of the brain, namely, memory worsens, psychological disorders may occur, and attention will decrease. And of course, it can affect the work of all internal organs. The longer the unconscious state, the more dangerous for life, since irreversible processes in the brain tissues can occur. Therefore, first aid should be provided in a timely manner in case of fainting and loss of consciousness. More on this later.

Assistance to the injured

Consider what first aid is in a condition such as fainting and loss of consciousness: what is the difference is difficult to answer. Assistance is provided in both cases in almost the same way.

As we described earlier, before fainting, a person experiences the first symptoms, that is, he has a pre-syncope state:

Sharp weakness.
The face turns pale.
Pupils dilate.
Perspiration appears.

At this point, if you notice these signs, you need to help the person. What should be done:

Find a place to move the person to a sitting position.
Lower your head below your knees.

With these actions, we will improve the blood flow to the head and prevent fainting, as we will eliminate its cause.

What should be the actions in case of fainting, loss of consciousness:

It is necessary to check the presence of a pulse on the carotid artery and the reaction of the pupils to light.
Lay the victim in a horizontal position, while the legs should be raised above the level of the head. This action ensures blood flow to the head.
If a person has been vomiting, it is necessary to lay him on his side.
Clear the mouth of vomit and prevent the tongue from sinking into the throat.
Loosen or loosen tight clothing.
Provide good air access.

If this is a simple fainting, then these actions are enough for the person to come to his senses. If this was not enough, it is necessary to start resuscitation measures.

It is necessary to make an external influence on the brain in order to start the whole system. For this, as a rule, use:

Ammonia.
Cold water. She can splash her face.
Light pats on the cheeks.

2. If none of the above measures helped, you should call a doctor.

3. If there is no pulse and breathing, artificial respiration and chest compressions should be immediately started and continued until the ambulance arrives.

After a person comes to his senses, he cannot immediately get up, since the blood supply has not yet been fully restored. There is a danger that fainting will recur. At this point, it is important to talk with the victim, gradually bringing him to his senses, while controlling his condition. What should be paid attention to, we considered earlier.

Prolonged oxygen starvation of the brain will cause irreversible changes in the functioning of the whole organism and can lead to death.

We examined such serious conditions as fainting and loss of consciousness, how they differ from each other, and also tried to explain. Everyone should not only know about this, but also be able to apply their knowledge in an unexpected situation.

Preventive actions

First of all, if you feel that you may pass out, or if this has already happened to you, it is necessary to avoid such situations. Namely:

Take medications in a timely manner if there are chronic diseases.
Do not stay in stuffy rooms.
Do not bring yourself to excessive fatigue.
Learn to control yourself in stressful situations.
Don't go on strict diets.
It is also not recommended to get out of bed abruptly.
Avoid overworking in the gym.
Remember that feeling hungry can also lead to loss of consciousness.

As a prevention of fainting and loss of consciousness, it is recommended to observe the regime of work and rest, exercise moderately, carry out hardening procedures, and eat rationally and in a timely manner. If there are chronic pathologies, then it is necessary to regularly visit a specialist and undergo therapy for ailments.

Fainting is a rather unpleasant condition, causes and harbingers that everyone should know.

It darkens in the eyes, and the earth leaves from under the feet - this is how people describe the fainting that happened to them. Although a brief loss of consciousness is not always a harbinger of serious problems, it is better to know why it happened.

Fainting occurs as a result of a decrease in blood flow and, accordingly, a lack of oxygen in the brain. A sudden constriction of blood vessels, a drop in blood pressure due to a sudden change in posture, disruption of the heart - all these factors disrupt cerebral circulation, causing a blackout. This momentary loss of feeling, lasting from a few seconds to two minutes, is medically known as syncope or fainting.

Despite the rapid development of this condition, one can notice the characteristic signs of an impending loss of consciousness. There is weakness in the legs or general dizziness, dizziness, flickering before the eyes and ringing in the ears, the skin turns pale and covered with cold sweat.

A person instinctively tries to lie down or sit down, hanging his head between his legs, which helps to prevent a fall and even the very loss of consciousness. For some time after coming out of fainting, a rare and weak pulse, low blood pressure, pallor, and general weakness persist.

General classification of syncope

It is not always possible to find out why a person faints. Transient spasm of cerebral vessels also occurs in healthy young people who do not have heart problems. It can be caused by one or several factors: sudden external influences (pain, fear), accidental malfunction of any organ or serious illness, and even acceleration due to climbing in an elevator.

Depending on the cause, the following types of fainting are distinguished:

Neurogenic - occur due to disruption of the autonomic nervous system.
Somatogenic - their occurrence is due to changes in the body due to diseases or malfunctions in the activity of internal organs. Among them, the most common loss of consciousness of a cardiogenic nature, occurring due to diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Psychogenic - caused by a nervous shock, accompanied by anxiety or hysteria.
Extreme - provoked by extreme environmental factors: poisoning, lack of oxygen in the air, changes in atmospheric pressure when climbing mountains, etc.

neurogenic syncope

Most of all cases of loss of consciousness occur due to an imbalance of the peripheral nervous system. which leads to a sharp decrease in blood pressure, causing an autonomic reflex reaction. Such fainting occurs even in children during the period of growth of the body. The cause can be both vasodilation (in this case they speak of vasomotor syncope) and a decrease in pulse rate (vasovagal syncope). The reasons for them are varied, but usually obvious.

Strong emotions (pain, fear, nervous shock, the sight of blood), prolonged standing, heat or stuffiness provoke vasopressor syncope. They develop gradually and can be prevented by feeling the above signs.
When a person gets up abruptly, especially after sleeping or sitting for a long time, there is a risk of orthostatic fainting. It also occurs due to hypovolemia (as a result of blood loss, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.), after prolonged bed rest, as a result of taking medications that lower blood pressure. But sometimes its cause lies in autonomic failure or polyneuropathy.
A tight collar, an overly tight tie, or a neckerchief, when you turn your head, pinch the arteries that carry blood to the brain. Carotid sinus syndrome (sinocarotid syncope) is observed. A similar irritation of the peripheral nerves leads to a loss of consciousness when swallowing.
Nighttime urination after sleeping in a warm bed can cause a rare nicturic syncope in men (mainly the elderly).

Heart disease and other somatic causes of loss of consciousness

Of all the syncope of a somatic nature, cardiogenic is in the lead. It occurs when a person has diseases of the cardiovascular system. Loss of consciousness in this case occurs suddenly, without pain or other previous symptoms, as a result of a decrease in cerebral blood flow due to a sharp decrease in cardiac output.

The reasons lie in diseases such as:

arrhythmias;
vegetative-vascular dystonia;
cardiac ischemia;
pulmonary embolism;
other vascular lesions that prevent the flow of blood to the heart.

Chronic respiratory diseases (pneumonia, bronchial asthma, pulmonary emphysema) contribute to bettolepsy - loss of consciousness during an attack of severe coughing.
Changes in the composition of the blood in anemia, kidney or liver failure increases the risk of oxygen starvation of the brain and sudden fainting.

Why else do they faint

Mental illness, accompanied by anxiety disorders, and simply excessive impressionability lead to. They are characterized by prolonged pre-fainting states, to which, in addition to physiological sensations, a feeling of fear and even panic is added.

However, sometimes a visit to the dentist, the sight of blood, or the need to speak in front of a large gathering of people is enough for a state of intense fear. A person has a feeling of lack of air, breathing becomes excessively frequent and deep. Sometimes the increase in breathing occurs involuntarily. As a result, there is a drop in vascular tone due to respiratory alkalosis.

It is worth highlighting separately. It occurs in a person who is prone to hysterical manifestations and who has already been in a swoon. The loss of feelings does not last long, is accompanied by picturesque postures, occurs only in the presence of strangers, typical circulatory disorders (lowering pressure, changes in pulse rate) and changes in breathing are not observed.

Sometimes such an attack can last several hours, while there are no changes in vital functions. Despite the fact that the purpose of a hysterical faint is to attract attention, it is not always a conscious phenomenon. Emotions in the victim prevail over reason, and the desire to lose consciousness is not considered.

Extreme factors of the external world have a strong influence on a person, surpassing the physiological ability to adapt to them. These, predominantly exogenous effects, lead to a drop in blood pressure, a decrease in vascular tone, or another reason for slowing down the blood supply to the brain.

Such situational syncope occurs as a response of the body to:

change in ambient pressure when circling on a carousel, climbing mountains or as a result of decompression;
acceleration during vertical ascent (on an elevator or in an airplane taking off);
extreme heat and overheating of the body (heat and sunstroke);
a decrease in oxygen in the air (for example, when climbing mountains) or carbon monoxide poisoning;
poisoning, leading to a decrease in pressure, including vasodilation under the influence of alcohol;
taking medications (especially antihypertensives).

Since they often have a neurogenic nature, their onset can be prevented.

Although most fainting occurs for understandable and harmless reasons, it is best to avoid situations that can cause such a condition. When it is not clear why a person lost consciousness, and even more so if such cases are repeated, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination. Before the victim regains consciousness and for some time after that, he needs to remain horizontal or sit with his head bowed to increase blood flow to the brain.

Heat, stress are common causes of loss of consciousness. But even more often, such a symptom speaks of much more serious problems, for example, with the heart. So, let's find out what is the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness, about the signs and causes in a person and the necessary actions for this symptom.

What is loss of consciousness

Loss of consciousness is an abnormal condition with a short-term disorder of the functions of nervous activity and cerebral disorders, which occurs with an acute oxygen deficiency in the brain tissues due to a violation of blood flow. Often accompanied by inhibition of all reflexes. At this moment, the patient falls, does not move (except for muscle twitches, an attack), reflexively does not respond to irritating factors (pinches, pops, heat, cold, pain, screams).

Loss of consciousness, which lasts from a few seconds to half an hour, with varying degrees of severity, consequences and causes, is referred to in medicine as “syncope” (syncope).
Severe and prolonged unconscious states are distinguished as coma.

When syncope occurs, the patient is examined with the obligatory identification of typical neurogenic, cardiac and other probable causes. Let's talk about the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness.

This video will tell about the three most common causes of loss of consciousness:

Difference from fainting

There are two basic types of loss of consciousness:

fainting;
namely, loss of consciousness.

Their difference is in the causes and further consequences, which are considered separately, as well as the therapy regimen. The root cause of fainting, as a rule, lies in a reversible disorder of the blood supply to cerebral cells with a sudden drop in pressure.

A deep and long loss of consciousness with a prolonged lack of oxygen in the brain tissues has serious organic damage at the base, leading to a breakdown in vital functions. The deepening of the state is expressed in the growth of all signs with the development of coma.

Options	Fainting	Loss of consciousness
The reasons	neurological reactions; orthostatic hypotension of the brain (lack of blood supply with a pronounced drop in blood pressure); Morgagni-Adams-Stokes syndrome	Cardiac pathologies; stroke; epilepsy
Duration	a few seconds, but no longer than 5 minutes	More than 5 minutes
Recovery and orientation	Fast and complete recovery of all reflex, physiological, neurological reactions	slow or not recovering
Amnesia of upcoming events, ECG changes	Not	There is

First manifestations

Restlessness, feeling very weak, "wobbly legs", frequent yawning, deep sighs;
pallor, perspiration;
pressing or squeezing pain in the head, ringing and noise in the ears, dizziness, deafness, suffocation;
heat in the fingertips (release of adrenaline);
flickering, "midges", darkening before the eyes;
muscle spasms (tetanic spasms);
a strong increase in heart rate, a jump in pressure;
nausea, vomiting, sour taste in the mouth.

During the period of fainting:

the body is motionless, the muscles are relaxed;
breathing is slow;
blood pressure - low
with a deep loss of consciousness, urination, convulsions are possible;
pupils are dilated, may not respond to light in case of serious illness.

We will talk with you further about the symptom of which disease is loss of consciousness.

Disorders and underlying diseases

The main reason for any type of syncope is the lack of oxygen in the brain cells, but the oxygen deficiency itself is also determined by various abnormal conditions.

Simple vagal syncope

As a rule, occurs with a spasm that causes narrowing of the supply vessels or a rapid drop in pressure, without association with severe organic diseases. The most "harmless" reasons for a simple syncope:

stressful influences (pain and its expectation, the type of blood, severe fear, nervous tension);
reflex conditions: an attack of coughing, sneezing, painful urination, ingestion of a foreign body in the throat; difficult defecation, intense physical exertion, change of posture;
vegetovascular disorders in panic attacks.

Sometimes, with vagal syncope that has already taken place, a slowdown, weakness of the pulse is detected. For this reason, simple syncope is confused with asystole (failure of the conduction process with the cessation of the heart), which makes it difficult to diagnose.

Consciousness after syncope of vascular origin is fully restored. There may be a feeling of exhaustion, panic attacks. About whether a sudden short-term loss of consciousness can talk about problems with the heart, we will discuss below.

Cardiogenic syncope

Heart disease is the root cause of cardiogenic syncope in 25% of all cases. The detection of the underlying pathology that provokes syncope of a heart attack is mandatory, since without an accurate diagnosis and a competent treatment regimen, you can miss a serious illness with a negative prognosis.

As a rule, the factor leading to oxygen deficiency in the brain and loss of consciousness in cardiogenic disorders is a sharp decrease in blood volume during cardiac output (expelled into the aorta in one contraction - systole). More often this happens with a severe degree of heart rhythm disorder (and expressed with a frequency of more than 140 - 160 beats / min).

Typical rhythm pathologies accompanying cardiac syncope are referred to as the Morgagni-Adams-Stokes syndrome. Loss of consciousness caused by an unexpected decrease in cardiac output and subsequent ischemia (lack of blood supply) to cerebral cells occurs unexpectedly. Usually, such states rarely last longer than 2 minutes and do not provoke further pathologies in the neuropsychiatric area.

If a patient younger than 40 years of age does not show abnormal defects in the structure of the heart on the cardiogram, then, most likely, the cause of fainting is not a small cardiac output. And then consider the possibility of syncope due to neurological disorders.
In any case, with frequent relapses of fainting, diagnosis in a hospital is indicated.
Even if there are no signs of damage on the cardiogram, in patients older than 40 years, diagnosis begins with a complete examination of the heart.

Not all cardiac anomalies associated with low cardiac output are equally life-threatening.

Doctors note that blockade of ventricular nerve fibers (), often recorded on an ECG, should not lead to loss of consciousness.
Young men often faint for a reason leading to serious complications.
And, which is not considered as a serious defect, can also cause loss of consciousness with a sharp tilt, standing up, especially in tall thin teenagers and young men.

Other causes of syncope

Other causative factors of syncope are also possible:

epileptic syndrome (often);
steal-syndrome (vertebral-subclavian steal);
strokes ( , );
injuries with blood loss, shock conditions (pain, hypothermia, heat stroke);
decrease in the volume of circulating blood with diarrhea, bleeding, vomiting;
bleeding in the stomach, intestines;
oxygen deficiency in brain cells with asthma, thromboembolism (blockage of a pulmonary artery by a thrombus);
anemia with significantly reduced hemoglobin (70 - 80);
hypoglycemia (loss of consciousness occurs gradually against the background of tachycardia, cold sweat, trembling of the limbs);
general exhaustion;
anaphylactic allergic shock;
toxic shock in severe infections;
alcohol poisoning, carbon monoxide, intoxication with poisons;
orthostatic syncope (drop in pressure with a sharp change in body position, not associated with valvular prolapse);
sepsis;
Addison's disease (dysfunction of the adrenal cortex);
Sudden increase in intracranial pressure with hemorrhage, hydrocephalus, neoplasm;
atherosclerotic deposits on the walls of the vessels of the neck, head;
increase in intrathoracic pressure in mature men (when coughing, defecation, urination).

"Keys" for diagnosis

To make it easier to navigate and help relatives, friends, colleagues with a possible fainting attack, as well as yourself, the ability to analyze the symptoms that appear is useful.

The most dangerous signs that appear during loss of consciousness:

chest pain, shortness of breath;
paroxysmal tachycardia (above 160 contractions per minute);
profuse clammy and cold sweat;
- slow heartbeat (less than 45 beats per minute);
low blood pressure that persists in the supine position;

Need to know:

Loss of consciousness during physical exertion (and after) is considered dangerous for people of any age. This is a clear symptom of cardiogenic syncope in serious pathologies.
The older the person who has lost consciousness, the higher the likelihood of a serious cause of syncope, including heart disease.
If the duration of "interruptions" in the heart before fainting exceeds 5 seconds, these interruptions signal severe heart disease.
Involuntary muscle twitches and short convulsive seizures develop not only with an epileptic seizure, but also with temporary cerebral ischemia, which is caused by heart disease.
Loss of consciousness of any duration with existing cardiac pathologies in the patient is considered as a serious symptom.

About what to do after losing consciousness, what is the first aid for this, read below.

Measures for loss of consciousness

The initial care provided for syncope can save many if the cause is a severe disorder in the body.

In any case, you need:

check for injuries and bleeding;
check the pulse beat on the carotid artery, the pupils - for light reaction.

In the absence of a pulse and breathing, immediately begin artificial ventilation of the lungs and heart massage until the ambulance arrives (after 4-6 minutes, brain cells deprived of oxygen die irrevocably).

unbutton clothes on the chest, belts or any objects compressing the chest and stomach;
provide fresh air;
remove vomit from the mouth and do not allow the tongue to sink into the throat;
put the person on the right side with emphasis on the left knee (left hand under the head). This position will prevent choking from vomiting and the tongue blocking the airway.
apply the old effective method for simple fainting - ammonia on a cotton swab under the nose.

Elena Malysheva will tell about first aid for fainting in this video:

Loss of consciousness is a problem that can happen to anyone. There are various reasons for its occurrence, for example, acute oxygen starvation of the brain. Such a condition can be one of the signs of various diseases, sometimes even the most serious ones. Regardless of the cause of the unconscious state, such phenomena greatly frighten others and the person himself who has fallen into this situation.
In the article we will try to figure out what loss of consciousness is, what reasons contribute to the onset of this phenomenon and how to deal with it.

General information

Fainting also called syncope(This word comes from the Latin word syncope, which, in fact, is translated as "fainting"). The definition of fainting sounds like this: it is an attack of loss of consciousness for a short time, associated with a temporarily disturbed cerebral blood flow, in which a person loses the ability to maintain an upright position. The ICD-10 code is R55 fainting (syncope) and collapse.

Fainting and loss of consciousness - what's the difference?

However, unconsciousness is not always unconscious. The difference between fainting and loss of consciousness is that an unconscious state can develop not only due to a deterioration in the blood supply to the brain, but also due to other reasons.

You can talk about fainting in the following cases:

The man completely lost consciousness.
This condition happened suddenly and quickly disappeared.
Consciousness returned on its own and without consequences.
The patient could not maintain a vertical position of the body.

If at least one of these points does not correspond to what happened, it is important to conduct an examination to determine the reason for the fainting condition.

Syncope, which is characterized by one or two of the above points, is sometimes mistakenly considered to be syncope. Syncope may be accompanied by severe manifestations: epilepsy, stroke, heart attack, metabolic disorders, intoxication, cataplexy, etc. In the description, where the ICD-10 code for the syncope is indicated, a number of manifestations are noted that have similar signs, but are not syncope.

Preventive actions

First of all, if you feel that you may pass out, or if this has already happened to you, it is necessary to avoid such situations. Namely:

Take medications in a timely manner if there are chronic diseases.
Do not stay in stuffy rooms.
Do not bring yourself to excessive fatigue.
Learn to control yourself in stressful situations.
Don't go on strict diets.
It is also not recommended to get out of bed abruptly.
Avoid overworking in the gym.
Remember that feeling hungry can also lead to loss of consciousness.

Pathogenesis

The basis of the pathogenesis of syncope is a transient cerebral hypoperfusion developing suddenly. Normal cerebral blood flow is 50-60 ml/100 g of tissue per minute. A sharp decrease in cerebral blood flow to 20 ml/100 g of tissue per minute and a decrease in the level of blood oxygenation leads to the development of syncope. If the cerebral blood flow stops abruptly for 6-8 seconds, this leads to a complete loss of consciousness.

The mechanisms for the development of this phenomenon can be as follows:

There is a reflex decrease in the tone of the arteries or the work of the heart is disrupted, which leads to a deterioration in blood flow.
Heart rhythm is disturbed - abruptly occurs tachycardia, bradycardia episodic cardiac arrest.
The development of changes in the heart, due to which the blood flow is disturbed inside the heart chambers.
System level blood pressure- syncope develops with a sharp decrease in the level of systolic blood pressure.
In older people, this is often associated with narrowing of the vessels that feed the brain, as well as with heart disease.
In young patients, syncope is most often associated with dysfunction of the central nervous system or mental disorders - the so-called reflex syncope.

Therefore, the development of such a condition due to various reasons is due to different mechanisms of manifestation of impaired cerebral circulation. Summarizing, the following mechanisms can be distinguished:

Decrease or loss of vascular tone.
Decreased venous blood flow to the heart.
Decreased volume of blood circulating in the body.
Insufficient ejection of blood from the left or right ventricle of the heart into one of the circles of blood circulation, which leads to impaired cerebral blood flow.

Taking into account pathophysiological mechanisms, the following types of syncope are distinguished.

neurogenic

The most commonly developed variety. In most cases, they are not associated with serious diseases, and do not pose a danger to humans. So-called essential syncope sometimes occurs in healthy people, and their causes remain unknown. However, as a rule, they develop in overly emotional individuals against the background of a psychovegetative syndrome. They are associated with a violation of the neurohumoral regulation of the cardiovascular system, which develops due to dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system.

In turn, there are several types of this type of fainting:

Vasodepressor or vasovagal syncope- this condition develops most often, in about 40% of cases. This is due to transient insufficiency of autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system. Vasovagal syncope begins with an increase in the tone of the sympathetic nervous system. This increases blood pressure, heart rate and systemic vascular resistance. Further, the tone of the vagus nerve increases, which entails hypotension. It develops as a reaction of the body to stress. It can be provoked by a number of reasons - fatigue, alcohol consumption, overheating, etc.
orthostatic- syncope of this type develops mainly in the elderly, in whom the volume of circulating blood does not correspond to the instability of vasomotor function. In addition, many older people take blood pressure medications, vasodilators, and anti-Parkinsonian drugs, which can lead to orthostatic syncope. It develops when a person very quickly moves from a horizontal to a vertical position.
hypovolemic- develops when a person loses a lot of blood, with dehydration (severe vomiting, diarrhea, dry fasting). It leads to hypotension, decreased venous return to the heart, inefficient cerebral blood flow.
Sinocarathode- develops if a person has a high sensitivity of the carotid sinus. Most often occurs in older men with atherosclerosis and hypertension. Such syncope may be associated with irritation of the carotid sinus when turning the head, wearing tight ties, etc.
situational- happens in stereotypical situations - coughing, swallowing, eating, etc. It is associated with high sensitivity of the vagus nerve, reflex reactions to irritation and pain.
hyperventilating is the result of over-breathing.

Cardiogenic

This type of loss of consciousness is diagnosed in about 20% of cases. It develops due to "cardiac" causes - a decrease in the minute output of the heart, which develops as a result of a decrease in heart rate or stroke volume of the heart. Occurs in diseases of the heart and blood vessels. They are subdivided into fainting arrhythmias and due to obstructive processes in the left half of the heart. In turn, arrhythmogenic syncope is divided into:

Bradyarrhythmic- syncope develops with a sharp decrease in heart rate to below 20 beats per minute or with asystole lasting longer than 5-10 s.
Tachyarrhythmic- develop with a sudden increase in heart rate to more than 200 per minute.

Cerebrovascular

The consequence of cerebrovascular diseases with stenosing lesions of the main arteries, metabolic disorders, the use of certain drugs. In addition, this type of loss of consciousness may be associated with transient ischemic attacks, which occurs most often in older people.

There are also non-syncope forms of short-term loss of consciousness. In some forms of epilepsy, there is a brief loss of consciousness when the person loses normal motor control, causing them to fall. However, a short-term loss of consciousness for a few seconds is a condition that can also be associated with the reasons described above.

Taking into account the pace of development and duration, the following types of disorders of consciousness are distinguished:

Sudden and short-term (loss of consciousness for a few seconds).
Sharp and prolonged (for several minutes, hours or days);
Gradual and prolonged (for a period of several days);
With unknown start and duration.

Pathogenesis - the process that leads to fainting

To maintain a state of consciousness, the brain needs a lot of blood, which is about 50/60 milliliters per minute for every 100 grams of its tissue.

The supply of this amount of blood is supported by perfusion, i.e. pressure with which blood is distributed in the tissues of the brain, which, in turn, is a direct consequence of blood pressure and vascular resistance of the brain.

For this reason, any factor that leads to a decrease in blood pressure and increases the resistance of cerebral vessels, reduces the perfusion pressure of the brain and, consequently, the amount of blood entering the brain.

On the other hand, blood pressure is closely related to the distance of blood flow and the decrease in peripheral vascular resistance. The range of blood passage, in turn, is provided by the heart rate, i.e. the amount of blood that is pumped for each hit. The decrease in vascular resistance depends mainly on the mechanisms that determine vasodilation and, therefore, on the action of the sympathetic system.

Summing up, we can say that the decrease in brain blood perfusion depends on:

Decreased stroke volume.
Decreased heart rate.
Increased vasodilation.
Increased cerebrovascular resistance.

Causes of fainting

The causes of loss of consciousness are associated with various diseases and conditions of the body. So, a sudden loss of consciousness can be associated with diseases of various body systems - nervous, endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular, as well as other phenomena - medication, excessive physical activity, overheating, etc.

Speaking about what they faint from, we can distinguish the following groups of reasons:

"Benign", meaning not associated with serious problems. Answering the question of what you can faint from, you should not discount some of the natural causes leading to a short-term cessation of oxygen supply to the brain. This, for example, can happen if a person stands for a long time or lies in a forced position, abruptly rises from a lying position or unbends. Frequent fainting due to this cause is characteristic of some pregnant women, the elderly, patients with varicose veins and atherosclerosis.
associated with hypotension. People who have low blood pressure often lose consciousness compared to those who have normal blood pressure. Fainting is highly likely to develop in those who suffer from vegetovascular dystonia, due to which the regulatory vascular mechanisms are violated. In such people, the impetus for the development of syncope can be severe stress, sharp pain, etc.
As a result of problems with the cervical spine . With osteochondrosis of this part of the spine, venous outflow and blood supply to the brain are disturbed. Sudden fainting in this case is possible due to sharp turns of the head or clamping of the neck.
Consequence of cardiac arrhythmias. The answers to the question of why they faint can be more serious. One of these causes is an arrhythmia, in which the rhythm, frequency, or sequence of heartbeats is disturbed. This can happen at high pressure as a result of tachycardia. In this case, it is important to consult a doctor so that he can determine if the loss of consciousness is a symptom of a disease. In people with diseases of the heart and blood vessels, loss of consciousness is a symptom that requires an immediate visit to a specialist.
Pulmonary embolism. This is a very serious condition in which the pulmonary artery is blocked by a thrombus that has come off the walls of the vessels of the lower extremities.
Pregnancy. Causes of fainting in women may be related to pregnancy. Often, expectant mothers show hypotension due to hormonal changes in the body or, conversely, an increase in pressure due to impaired blood flow. Physiological changes in the body can also lead to loss of consciousness in women. As the future baby grows, the amount of blood circulating in the woman's body increases, and while he adapts to such changes, this can lead to fainting. It is possible that this is also due to the manifestation of pregnancy in different semesters. toxicosis. In girls, syncope due to restructuring of the body may occur during puberty.
Powerful emotions. In both men and women with psychovegetative instability, syncope can occur with severe stress, nervous shock and an overabundance of emotions. In this case, the answer to the question of how to cause fainting is simple. A susceptible person can bring himself to such a state by simple things for others, since the sight of blood or an emotional quarrel can provoke syncope in them, for example. In this case, a person can experience the state of “As if I’m going to faint” for a short period, after which syncope occurs. How to prevent fainting in this case, you should ask your doctor.
The development of neoplasms in the brain. In this condition, the patient's tumor compresses the blood vessels and nerve endings, resulting in fainting with convulsions, and such attacks are repeated quite often. This is a very alarming syndrome that should be treated immediately by a doctor.
Epilepsy. The causes of loss of consciousness and convulsions can also be associated with epilepsy. In this case, episodes of loss of consciousness and convulsions appear suddenly. Although seizures can occur without convulsions. So-called small epileptic seizure- this is a state when there is a loss of consciousness with open eyes. It lasts for several seconds, while the patient's face turns pale, and the gaze is focused at one point. The disease requires complex treatment, which will help reduce the number and frequency of attacks.

In addition, if an adult or child faints, the reasons may be as follows:

Taking a number of medications - antidepressants, nitrates, etc.
poisoning toxins, alcohol, carbon monoxide.
Anemia.
Bleeding - uterine, gastrointestinal, etc.
Neuroinfection.
Hepatic and kidney failure.
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
Metabolic disorders.
neurological diseases.

What is fainting?

Fainting can be:

Epileptic.
Non-epileptic.

After an epileptic, a very long period of return of the victim to a normal state.

Non-epileptic syncope includes:

Convulsive. Muscle twitching joins the usual fainting.
Simple fainting.
Lipotomy. Mild fainting.
arrhythmic form. It happens with some types of arrhythmias.
Orthostatic fainting. With a sharp change from horizontal to vertical.
Bettolepsy. Syncope that appears during a period of chronic lung disease.
Drop attacks. Very unexpected falls, while the person may not lose consciousness.
Vasodepressor syncope. It happens in childhood.

Symptoms and signs of fainting

Syncope often occurs suddenly. But sometimes signs of fainting can be noticed in a timely manner and prevent loss of consciousness. With a pre-fainting state, the following symptoms appear:

excessive sweating;
impending nausea;
skin blanching;
dizziness and a sharp manifestation of great weakness;
darkening in the eyes, the appearance of "flies" before the eyes;
noise in ears;
frequent yawning;
numbness of hands and feet.

If you notice such symptoms in a timely manner and immediately sit down or lie down, then the blood in the vessels will quickly redistribute, the pressure in them will decrease, and syncope can be prevented. If fainting nevertheless occurred, then the person will at least protect himself from falling.

Directly, the signs of fainting in a person are manifested as follows:

Extremities become cold.
The pulse slows down.
The pupils will dilate or constrict.
The pressure is dropping.
The skin turns pale.
The person breathes irregularly and at a slower rate than usual.
Muscles relax sharply.
With prolonged syncope, the muscles of the face and trunk may twitch.
There may be severe salivation and dry mouth.

This state does not last long - from a few seconds to 1-2 minutes. At the same time, breathing and heartbeat do not stop, involuntary urination and defecation do not occur, and there is no urge to vomit.

The symptoms of hunger syncope, which manifests itself due to a lack of nutrients in the body, are similar. Hunger syncope occurs in those who practice very strict diets or prolonged fasting. Such symptoms indicate that nutrition must be corrected immediately, since a hungry faint is evidence of a deficiency in the body of substances important for its functioning.

Symptoms that accompany sudden fainting

Not always, but sometimes the development of syncope is preceded by prodromal symptoms(proactive).

This symptomatology is called presyncope and is characterized by:

dizziness and nausea.
feeling of lightness.
cold sweat and pallor.
lack of strength, which does not allow maintaining a vertical position.
flashes and disturbances in the field of view.

The symptoms described are usually accompanied by loss of consciousness and a fall. In some cases, however, syncope does not occur and normality can be restored. Then they talk about interrupted fainting.

Recovery after syncope, as already mentioned, is fast and complete. The only symptom that elderly patients sometimes complain about is a feeling of fatigue and amnesia regarding the events committed during the syncope, but which, however, does not compromise the ability to remember subsequent events.

From what has been said, it is clear that syncope is not a disease, it is transient symptom, which happens quickly and unexpectedly, and just as quickly passes. Syncope, in most cases, does not imply serious illness, but in some situations it can be a signal of a serious danger to the patient's life.

Analyzes and diagnostics

To determine why a person is losing consciousness, the doctor takes the following steps:

Performs an initial assessment of the condition. To do this, an anamnesis is collected or, if necessary, a survey of eyewitnesses. It is important to find out whether there was actually an episode of loss of consciousness or multiple fainting.
Takes into account the likelihood of psychogenic attacks or epileptic seizures and conducts differential diagnosis.
Assigns the necessary research.

In the process of diagnosis, if necessary, the following methods are practiced:

Physical research.
Electrocardiogram.
Daily ECG monitoring.
Ultrasound to determine structural changes in the heart.
orthostatic test.
Clinical stress test to determine hypoxia myocardium.
Coronary angiography.
Blood test with determination of hematocrit, level hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, troponin levels, etc.

If necessary, other studies and laboratory tests are prescribed.

Etiology of the pathological condition

Spontaneous loss or loss of consciousness is divided into a short and persistent form, somatogenic and neurogenic genesis. The first type of syndrome does not pose a particular danger to the victim, lasts from 2-3 seconds to 4 minutes and most often does not require medical intervention.

It is observed in the following conditions of the human body:

Sudden fainting.
epileptic seizures.
Hypoglycemia: reduction of glucose in the blood plasma.
Violation of normal blood flow: with a lack of oxygen, fatigue.
Sudden pressure drops.
Concussion of the "gray matter".

Persistent syncope and long-term loss of consciousness occurs with the most serious consequences for a person. Even with the provision of timely assistance, such conditions are dangerous for the life of the patient.

These pathologies include:

heart rate fluctuations or complete stop;
ischemic stroke, cerebral hemorrhage;
vessel aneurysm damage;
fainting can cause different types of shock;
severe form of TBI;
severe intoxication of the body;
profuse blood loss, organ damage;
fainting is provoked by various forms of asphyxia, pathologies arising from a lack of oxygen;
coma (diabetic).

The state of prolonged syncope of a neurogenic nature is noted in the primary vegetative pathology of the peripheral type. The syndrome is chronic and is represented by orthostatic idiopathic hypotension, as well as systemic atrophy.

Vascular aneurysms - a condition that provokes loss of consciousness

Persistent or short-term loss of consciousness of a somatic nature is diagnosed in the picture of peripheral secondary insufficiency. The condition proceeds in an acute form, it is noted in the presence of somatic pathologies: diabetes, amyloidosis, alcohol abuse, chronic kidney failure, bronchial carcinoma, porforia.

Dizziness against the background of fainting is accompanied by other symptoms: a fixed heart rate, anhidrosis.

In general, various circumstances can provoke a sudden drop:

Severe overheating or hypothermia.
Lack of fresh air.
Shock after injury, unbearable pain.
Nervous strain or stress.

Syncope and its causes may be related to oxygen starvation in intoxication, suffocation, diabetes, uremia, or hypoglycemia. Short attacks often occur as a result of TBI, hemorrhages of various origins, poisoning, external and superficial extensive bleeding, and heart disease.

Procedures and operations

If vasovagal syncope recurs frequently, it is recommended to increase the amount of fluid and salt intake.

People prone to reflex syncope are taught to recognize signs of pre-syncope and take steps to prevent fainting. They are also advised to change their lifestyle, avoid the influence of provoking factors.

In some cases, no special treatment is required.

In general, the choice of treatment tactics depends on what kind of problem caused the impairment of consciousness.

Syncope treatment

Prior to the arrival of qualified doctors, the victim must be given first aid emergency. The person who is near the victim should know what to do in case of loss of consciousness. If the patient fainted, a number of measures should be taken, as a result of which the person should regain consciousness:

Protect a person from possible injuries, pay special attention to the head.
During fainting, place the victim on a comfortable, flat couch.
Raise your legs slightly above your body.
When fainting, remove tight, uncomfortable things.
The victim is placed on his side, and not on his back (since the relaxed muscle tissues of the tongue can disrupt the breathing process).
Ensure normal air circulation in the room in which the patient is located.
When menstrual bleeding, a hot heating pad should not be applied to the stomach.

A person can faint for various reasons, but if such a condition lasts more than 5-7 minutes, is accompanied by involuntary excretion of urine, convulsions, it is urgent to call the SMP team.

A sudden loss of consciousness can catch the victim anywhere, the main thing is not to get confused and provide first aid in a timely manner before the arrival of qualified doctors.

When a person is constantly experiencing fainting, the method of its treatment will depend on the causes that provoke its development. If a pathological syndrome occurs against the background of any disease, the goal of complex therapy is to eliminate the disease itself. For effective therapy of the syndrome, medications are often prescribed that improve the nutrition of the brain.

Substances - adaptogens allow a person to get used to climate conditions. If you lose consciousness as a result of malnutrition, you should supplement the diet with healthy foods, abandon strict diets.

First steps for fainting

If a representative of the weaker sex faints during heavy bleeding during menstruation, you need to use medications that facilitate the flow of this process. When the syndrome is observed as a result of urinary incontinence at night, he needs to stop drinking water 2-3 hours before bedtime.

The victim, who has come to his senses after a faint, should not be given nitroglycerin if he hurts, his heart tingles. It can sharply lower the pressure, which will cause a second loss of consciousness. Often, the pathological condition is observed against the background of hypotension, in which nitrate-based drugs are categorically contraindicated for the patient.

Treatment with folk remedies

The use of some folk remedies helps to reduce the frequency of syncope. However, these methods are not ways to treat the causes of loss of consciousness, but only auxiliary methods to improve the condition.

A decoction of gentian. To prepare a decoction of this herb, you need to take 2 tsp. crushed raw materials and pour 1 tbsp. boiling water. Drink half a glass before each meal.
Burdock compresses. A fresh leaf of burdock should be kneaded and put on the solar plexus. The compress helps to recover from fainting.
Calming tea. It helps if a person loses consciousness due to dysfunction of the nervous system. To prepare it, you can take mint, lemon balm, St. John's wort, linden in equal proportions, mix the crushed raw materials, and 2 tbsp. l. pour 2 cups boiling water. After 20 minutes, strain and drink 2 times a day for 1 glass.
Wormwood oil. Grind 25 g of wormwood seeds in a coffee grinder and pour 100 g of olive oil. After a day, pour into a jar of dark glass and store the product in the refrigerator. Take 2 drops 2 times a day (drip on sugar).
Infusion of mountain arnica. 3 art. l. Pour dried arnica flowers into a thermos and pour 200 g of boiling water. After an hour, strain and drink with milk 4 times a day, adding 1 tbsp to 100 g of milk. l. infusion.
Means for the normalization of blood circulation. If the loss of consciousness nevertheless occurred, then after that the person should be given a glass of warm tea or chamomile decoction. Coffee or 1 tbsp is also suitable. l. cognac to normalize blood circulation.
Special point massage. When fainting, the massage of the points above the upper lip and under the lower lip will help to bring the patient to life. You need to press hard on them, as a sharp pain helps to improve blood circulation in the brain. Also for this purpose, you can rub the skin in the stomach area.
Cold water. It is sprayed on someone who has lost consciousness. It is especially important to do this if overheating is the cause of the syncope. It is recommended to cool the limbs. Also, a person who has come to his senses should drink some cold water in small sips.

How to distinguish from hysteria and epilepsy

Epilepsy is a serious illness that is accompanied by seizures. The clinical picture of a seizure is different than that of a normal syncope, so the two conditions are easy to distinguish.

A seizure, unlike fainting, begins suddenly. Symptoms such as ringing in the ears and weakness, the patient does not feel. The pressure during the attack remains normal, the skin does not become gray, but, on the contrary, turns red. Epilepsy is characterized by cases of involuntary urination, which occur extremely rarely during fainting.

After the seizure, the epileptic does not understand what happened to him. Often after this, the person falls asleep.

In hysterical fainting, unlike ordinary, there are also no precursors in the form of nausea and weakness. Hysterical fits are often demonstrative in order to attract attention.

Everyone should know how to provide first aid for fainting, since such cases can occur in different situations. The correct sequence of first aid for fainting is very important, since adequate first aid will help to avoid more serious problems.

The algorithm of actions by which emergency care is provided for fainting and loss of consciousness should be as follows:

If a person faints, then those who are nearby must first of all put him down so that his legs are above the level of his head and body. Such first aid is practiced if the patient is breathing and his pulse can be felt.
Further, PMP consists in quickly unbuttoning those clothes that squeeze the body. We are talking about the belt, collar, bra.
A person needs to put a wet cold towel on his forehead or simply moisten his face with water. Such actions in case of loss of consciousness will help narrow the blood vessels and restore cerebral blood flow.
To the nose of the victim you need to bring ammonia or cologne with a strong odor.
If the victim vomits, his body must be put in a safe position so that he does not choke, or simply turn his head to the side. Lying on your side will help prevent airway blockage, as the tongue can relax during syncope.
Provided that a person is unconscious for several minutes, he needs medical emergency help. In this case, most likely, we are not talking about the usual fainting.
You can't give a person Nitroglycerine and other medicines.

It is important not only to provide first aid for fainting, but also to provide first aid after the victim has regained consciousness. What to do after fainting depends on the feelings of the patient. If he still feels dizzy or other unpleasant symptoms, you should leave him to lie with his legs elevated. It is worth preparing hot tea or coffee for the victim. Chamomile tea will work too. When the patient feels better, you need to help him get up, doing it slowly and gradually.

Despite the fact that adequate first aid in case of loss of consciousness helps the victim to recover quickly, it is still necessary to visit a doctor if such episodes are often repeated. Indeed, only if the cause of such manifestations is determined, it is possible to say exactly what to do with fainting and how to cure the cause that provokes it.

Diagnosis after loss of consciousness or fainting

After first aid was provided for fainting and loss of consciousness, and the person came to his senses, it is necessary to analyze the symptoms that may appear.

It is worth paying attention to:

Fainting in diabetes mellitus, caused by a sharp decrease in blood sugar, can go into a coma.
In case of carbon monoxide poisoning, the victim loses consciousness, brain hypoxia sets in, and myocardial muscle contraction is inhibited.
Loss of consciousness after or during exercise is a signal of a serious cardiac pathology.
A high probability of cardiac pathologies is in older people during loss of consciousness.
Serious heart diseases are signaled by interruptions in his work and before fainting exceed 5 seconds.
With loss of consciousness, convulsions that appear may indicate not only epilepsy, but also cerebral ischemia caused by heart disease.
If a person has cardiovascular pathologies, then loss of consciousness should be considered as a very serious symptom.
If the patient has had a heart attack and has angina pectoris, cardiomegaly, and symptoms of insufficient blood supply, fainting can be fatal.

With a short-term loss of consciousness, fainting, it is necessary to undergo examinations to clarify the cause of this condition. What - we will consider further:

To exclude vegetovascular dystonia, a consultation with a neurologist is necessary.
Consultation with a therapist is needed to exclude hypotension or to prescribe therapy for hypertension.
Ultrasound, ECG, heart holter for finding cardiac pathologies.
Ultrasound, dopplerography for the study of cerebral vessels to detect pathologies.

If there was a loss of consciousness, then the following examinations will be needed:

Blood test to determine the amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
An x-ray is required to examine the lungs.
Get tested for allergens and visit an allergist if allergic asthma is suspected.
Undergo spirography to assess external respiration.

Prevention

To prevent loss of consciousness, the following preventive measures should be followed:

Drink enough liquid.
Do not drink alcohol during the hot season.
Hypertensive patients need to choose the right means for treatment, visiting a doctor, and adequately adjust their amount.
Do not stay upright for a long time. If there is such a need, you need to shift from foot to foot all the time, tensing your muscles.
If there is a feeling that a loss of consciousness is about to happen, you should immediately sit or lie down to help distribute blood throughout the body, or at least prevent a fall. If there is no opportunity to lie down, it is worth crossing your arms and legs, straining your muscles at the same time.
Avoid the influence of factors provoking fainting. We are talking about dehydration, wearing tight clothes, overheating, strong emotional upheavals, etc.
Visit a doctor in a timely manner in order to diagnose the development of diseases in time. It is important to treat the ailments that provoke syncope correctly and in time.
It is better to sleep in a position where the head is elevated. For this, an additional pillow is suitable.
People with vascular problems should wear compression stockings.
It is necessary to practice adequate physical activity and eat right.

Diagnostics

Despite the fact that fainting often goes away on its own, it is necessary to diagnose and treat it, because this condition is often a symptom of various diseases that may threaten a person’s health and life. In addition, it is not always clear why fainting occurs, and diagnostics will help determine the causes of the appearance.

During the diagnostic examination, the doctor pays special attention to such factors:

patient's age;
when and after what happened the first fainting;
the frequency of subsequent attacks;
signals that preceded the attack;
activities that bring the patient back to consciousness.

Valuable information is often provided by people who were close to the person during the attack.

It is very important to collect an anamnesis, in particular, information about the presence of chronic diseases (cardiovascular system, diabetes mellitus, etc.), as well as regular intake of any drugs.

In this case, the priority is to exclude urgent conditions that can manifest fainting (PE, acute myocardial ischemia, bleeding, etc.).
At the second stage, it is established whether syncope is a manifestation of an organic disease of the brain (aneurysm of cerebral vessels, intracerebral tumor, etc.).

Of the laboratory methods in the diagnosis of the genesis of syncope, the following help:

general analysis of urine and blood,
study of the gas composition of the blood,
determination of blood sugar,
performing a glucose tolerance test,
blood chemistry.

The plan for examining patients with syncopal conditions usually includes: ECG, EEG, REG, Echo-EG, ultrasound of extracranial vessels. If the cardiogenic nature of syncope is suspected, ultrasound of the heart, phonocardiography, daily ECG monitoring, stress tests are additionally prescribed. If an organic brain lesion is suspected, then MSCT or MRI of the brain, MRA, duplex scanning or transcranial ultrasound, X-ray of the spine in the cervical region are performed.

Fainting in women

The causes of loss of consciousness in women can be associated with the following problems:

Internal bleeding as a result of diseases of the genitourinary system.
Too strict food restrictions and starvation.
Pregnancy.
Too much emotional upheaval.

It is advisable to consult a doctor if a woman suddenly faints. The reasons for girls and women, due to which syncope manifests itself, are most often harmless. But still, the development of serious diseases should be excluded.

Symptoms of fainting

People who have seizures often enough can easily sense an impending crisis. Symptoms of fainting can be different, but the main ones are considered to be:

nausea, dizziness;
cold clammy sweat;
weakness, disorientation;
pallor of the integument of the epidermis;
extraneous noise in the ears, white flies before the eyes.

Symptoms and signs of loss of consciousness: gray complexion, low blood pressure, barely perceptible pulse, tachycardia or bradycardia, dilated pupils.

After a fall, most often the patient wakes up after 2-3 seconds. With prolonged attacks, convulsions, uncontrolled release of urine can be observed. This syncope is sometimes confused with an epileptic seizure.

The causes of the syndrome must be established in a timely manner in order to treat the disease in the early stages of its development. Late diagnosis can significantly complicate the course of pathology.

Weakness and dizziness are signs of loss of consciousness

In children

If a child faints, the causes of this phenomenon can be associated with both diseases and age-related changes. Most often, syncope manifests itself in a teenager, since during this period the process of puberty is actively taking place, which leads to changes in the body. According to experts studying syncope in children, girls are more prone to fainting. Most often, such manifestations are observed in children aged 10-12 years. Small children lose consciousness very rarely.

Although this phenomenon may be temporary, if a teenager faints often, the reasons must be determined by a specialist by conducting a study. It is important to find out if a child who often faints has epilepsy or other serious illnesses. In most cases, we are talking about the reflex nature of such conditions in children. Potential health hazards are relatively rare. But still it is better to consult a doctor and follow his advice.

Prevention of a pathological condition

The treatment of fainting sometimes takes quite a long time. In some cases, it can be prevented if the syndrome is not associated with a serious illness. Simple methods of prevention:

proper, balanced nutrition for fainting: eating foods with an increased amount of fiber (greens, fresh fruits, vegetables), it is better to cook food for a couple without hot spices;
food divided into small parts (up to 6 times / day);
feasible physical, mental stress during fainting: visiting the pool, jogging;
refusal of cigarettes, alcoholic beverages.

With fainting and an unsuccessful fall, some complications may develop: craniocerebral injuries, fractures, disruption of work. As a result of complications, the patient cannot lead a normal life.

Fainting is a rather dangerous symptom, indicating the presence of serious disorders in the human body. The provision of first aid should begin urgently - the eyewitness does not have time to think. The sooner a person takes up resuscitation procedures, the more likely the victim is to make a full recovery.

Fainting during pregnancy

This condition may be one of the signs of pregnancy. Dizziness and fainting during early pregnancy can occur as early as a few weeks after conception and be a reason for a test.

The answer to the question why pregnant women faint is the changes that occur with the female body from the first days of pregnancy. Loss of consciousness during pregnancy occurs due to a sharp decrease blood pressure caused by hormonal changes. Most often, fainting during pregnancy occurs in women suffering from hypotension.

Various factors can lead to a drop in pressure during the period of bearing a baby - severe stress, exacerbation of chronic diseases, colds, overwork. Also, the cause of loss of consciousness can be a sharp drop in blood sugar, which occurs due to malnutrition or malnutrition.

If such a phenomenon occurs once, it should not cause much concern for the expectant mother. But with the systematic manifestation of syncope, it is necessary to tell the doctor about this.

To avoid such unpleasant manifestations, the expectant mother should follow some important rules:

Do not stay too long in places where it is very hot and stuffy, do not travel in the heat in public transport.
Do not starve: the food should be correct, you need to eat often and in small quantities.
Do not get up abruptly from a sitting or lying position - this should be done slowly and smoothly.
More walks in the fresh air and sleep well.
Do not be alone if there is a tendency to dizziness and loss of consciousness.

Factors that cause fainting

The causes of fainting and loss of consciousness are very similar:

Sometimes fainting can smoothly flow into loss of consciousness. What is it, we will consider further.

Diet

Diet for the nervous system

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Nutrition in people prone to fainting should be complete and varied. To choose the right diet, first of all, you need to find out the cause of such manifestations. The diet is formed depending on the presence or absence of diseases of the heart, blood vessels, diabetes etc. The basic rules of nutrition should be as follows:

The menu should be dominated by fresh and properly processed products.
Nutrition should be varied in order to provide the body with the necessary trace elements and vitamins.
It is better to eat food 5-6 times a day in small portions in order to prevent the feeling of severe hunger.
If the condition of the body allows, as many vegetables and fruits as possible should be introduced into the diet.
A proper drinking regimen is necessary, because dehydration can also cause fainting.

If a person has reflex syncope, he should adhere to the principles diets for the nervous system.

Forms of the pathological syndrome

Why a person faints must be clarified after the first attack. Indeed, in this state, the patient is at risk of injury. The syndrome may indicate the presence of a serious illness.

After the first attack, it is necessary to establish the cause

At the initial stages of diagnosis, the form of pathology is determined. Depending on the cause of fainting, the following types are distinguished:

Neurogenic condition - a violation of the conduction of nerve endings:

emotional - strong unforeseen emotions (pain, fear);
maladaptive - appears with changes in addiction to external factors (overheating, increased loads);
dyscirculatory - a short-term violation of cerebral circulation (when the neck is turned, the vertebral vessels that feed the "gray matter" are bent).

Somatogenic state - associated with pathologies of internal systems, except for the brain:

cardiogenic - occurs during interruptions in the functioning of the heart muscle, a short-term stop;
anemic state - associated with the loss of red blood cells in the blood plasma and hemoglobin;
hypoglycemic phenomenon - may occur as a result of a drop in glucose.

Extreme loss of consciousness - occurs under the influence of third-party factors:

hypoxic - develops with a low oxygen content in the air;
hypovolemic - occurs with a decrease in blood volume during burns, significant blood loss;
intoxication loss of consciousness - develops as a result of oversaturation of the body with harmful substances (poisoning with alcohol, medicines);
drug pathology - the result of taking medications that lower blood pressure;
hyperbaric loss of consciousness - develops at high pressure in the atmosphere.

The causes of fainting in people can be of a different nature, but depending on their origin, the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment. With repeated attacks, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination in order to exclude or confirm the presence of a serious illness.

Consequences and complications

The consequences of such a state depend on what are the causes of its occurrence. The most serious consequences can be:

Development coma and cerebral edema, which leads to disorders of vital functions.
Suffocation due to retraction of the tongue in an unconscious state.
Miscellaneous injuries sustained during the fall.

With the frequent manifestation of this condition, a person sometimes has to change the type of activity.

What happens when you lose consciousness

The person suddenly falls and does not respond to external stimuli, such as:

Light slaps.
Loud voices.
Cold or warm.
Claps.
Chips.
Pain.

This condition is the result of a dysfunction of the nervous system. If a person is unconscious for a sufficiently long time, then this is already considered a coma.

Loss of consciousness is divided into:

Short-term. Lasts from 2 seconds to 2-3 minutes. In such cases, no special medical attention is required.
Persistent. This condition can have serious consequences for the body. And if you do not provide the necessary medical care in a timely manner, then this can pose a threat to the life and health of the victim.

Manifestations of loss of consciousness are very similar to fainting.

Forecast

According to medical statistics, about 93% of cases show benign syncope with a favorable prognosis that does not require medical treatment.

An unfavorable prognosis is noted in those patients in whom syncope provokes cardiovascular diseases. These people are at risk of death due to heart problems. Risk factors for sudden death in patients with syncope are as follows:

Age over 45 years.
Ventricular arrhythmias.
Heart failure.
The presence of pathological changes on the ECG, which indicate arrhythmogenic disorders.
myocardial infarction.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Syncope treatment

The tactics of treatment and prevention of syncopal conditions are built depending on the cause of fainting. And it's not always medication. For example, with vasovagal and orthostatic reactions, the patient is first of all taught to avoid situations that provoke syncope. To do this, it is recommended to train vascular tone, carry out hardening procedures, avoid stuffy rooms, a sudden change in body position, men are advised to switch to sitting urination. Usually, certain points are negotiated with the attending physician, who takes into account the origin of the attacks.

Emergency care for fainting, in the first turn, involves the restoration of hemodynamics by giving the body a horizontal position. In this case, the foot end must be raised.

What should be done when fainting?

Grab the casualty tightly when fainting to avoid injury from a fall.
Lay him on a hard horizontal surface on his back, then slightly tilt his head back.
Raise your legs by placing a pillow or roll of folded clothing under your ankles.
Unbutton the victim's collar, loosen a tie or scarf, and remove a hat.
Bring fresh cool air into the room, open a window or turn on the air conditioner.
If the loss of consciousness occurred on the street in hot weather - provide the victim with a shadow, wave in his face with a fan or a sheet of paper.
Call for emergency assistance.
Wipe the victim's face with water or spray it with water from a spray bottle.
You can lightly pat on the cheeks to bring the person back to consciousness.
If the victim cannot be brought back to consciousness, moisten a cotton swab with ammonia and bring it to the victim's nose.

In the interictal period, general strengthening treatment is carried out:

drugs that improve brain nutrition (nootropics);
adaptogens (drugs that improve the body's adaptation to changing environmental conditions);
venotonics (drugs that improve the tone of the veins);
vitamins (groups B, as well as C, A);
exclusion of the impact of extreme factors (overheating, high atmospheric pressure).

Fainting is a paroxysmal change in consciousness with a transient violation of the vital functions of breathing and cardiac activity. They are not always a manifestation of diseases of the nervous system, but repeated fainting significantly affects the patient's quality of life. To help the patient get rid of the disease, it is necessary to establish the cause of the development, since this plays a key role in choosing a treatment method. Reliable treatments for syncope are under development, sometimes only preventive measures are effective.

List of sources

Bova A.A. Syncope in clinical practice: textbook.-method. allowance. - Minsk: Asobny, 2009. - 45 p.
Vegetative disorders: Clinic, treatment, diagnosis / ed. A.M. Wayne. - M., 1998. - 752 p.
Guseva I.A., Bondareva Z.G., Miller O.N. Causes of syncope in young people // Ros. journal of cardiology. - 2003. - No. 3. - S. 25-28.
Stykan O.A. Akimova G.A. Differential diagnosis of nervous diseases: a guide for physicians. - St. Petersburg: Hippocrates, 2000. - S. 132-177.

What is fainting, what is dangerous and what causes it. Main causes of fainting

Fainting is a brief, sudden loss of consciousness. This can lead to serious consequences in the following cases:

Falling may result in head injury.
the tongue can get into the throat and block access to oxygen;
before fainting, the person was engaged in activities that require constant attention and concentration (was driving a car, etc.);
regular fainting indicates the presence of a chronic disease.

Blood pressure during fainting drops sharply, the brain does not receive enough oxygen, which causes a blackout. There are the following reasons for this condition:

unexpected psychological shock, fear (there is a sharp decrease in blood pressure);
weakness of the body, nervous exhaustion (weakness may be the result of poor nutrition, constant worries, physical overwork, etc.);
prolonged stay in a stuffy room (a large number of people may be in the building with the victim, there may be no good ventilation, the air is polluted with tobacco smoke, etc.);
a long standing position without movement (such a posture leads to stagnation of blood in the lower extremities and a decrease in its flow to the brain);
prolonged exposure to the hot sun, hypothermia;
the presence of diseases of the cardiovascular system, diabetes mellitus, anemia, hypoglycemia, osteochondrosis, epilepsy, etc.;
pregnancy, menstruation (fainting during the menstrual cycle is typical for teenage girls);
hidden bleeding;
physical activity, a sharp change in body position (rapid rise);
alcohol intoxication, acute poisoning with toxic substances, intoxication;
taking certain medications.

Short-term fainting can be caused by various reasons. In a single case, when a person did not need the help of doctors, you can not attach any importance to this.

If fainting occurs frequently, you should be examined by a specialist and find out the cause of their origin.

What are the causes of sudden loss of consciousness?

Sudden loss of consciousness can occur with severe physical overstrain. Also, a sudden loss of consciousness can provoke emotional stress.

It doesn't matter if the emotions are positive or negative. It's just a very strong feeling. Sudden loss of consciousness can be caused by the use of drugs that lower blood pressure. When using some of these drugs, the pressure drops very sharply, which can provoke a sudden loss of consciousness. It is also not uncommon for pregnant women to faint. Fainting can happen if a person falls from a height. Fainting is common in older people. Cardiovascular disease or diabetes can also cause fainting.

Loss of consciousness is characteristic of atherosclerosis. In such cases, the lumen of the vessels is narrowed, which interferes with the normal blood supply to the brain or myocardium. If a person has suffered a head injury, then he can also lose consciousness. When falling or bruising, the brain shakes in a hard cranium, which can cause loss of consciousness for several seconds.

Also, loss of consciousness can accompany diseases that pass with a strong increase in body temperature. When overheated in the sun, loss of consciousness is not uncommon. If you are a diabetic and your blood sugar drops suddenly, you may also pass out. With cerebral edema, loss of consciousness is not uncommon. With kidney failure, severe respiratory diseases, loss of consciousness can also occur. And a sudden loss of consciousness can signal the presence of a neoplasm in the brain.

Types of disorders and disorders of consciousness

Disorders of consciousness are divided into two large groups: quantitative and qualitative. The group of quantitative includes coma, stupor, stunning (somnolence) and stupor. Qualitative ones include twilight clouding of consciousness, ambulatory automatism, delirium, oneiroid clouding of consciousness, fugue, and some other disorders of the brain.

The main types of violation and (or) clouding of consciousness:

Stupor (stupor). Translated from Latin, this word means "numbness". A patient in a stupor stops responding to the surrounding reality. Even strong noise and inconveniences, for example, a wet bed, do not cause a reaction in him. During natural disasters (fires, earthquakes, floods), the patient does not realize that he is in danger and does not move. Stupor is accompanied by movement disorders and lack of response to pain.
Twilight clouding of consciousness. This type of disturbance is characterized by sudden onset and also suddenly disappearing disorientation in space. A person retains the ability to reproduce automated habitual actions.
locked-in syndrome. This is the name of the condition in which the patient completely loses the ability to speak, move, express emotions, etc. People around mistakenly believe that the patient is in a vegetative state and cannot adequately respond to what is happening. In reality, the person is conscious. He is aware of everything that is happening around him, but due to paralysis of the whole body, he does not even have the opportunity to express emotions. Only the eyes remain mobile, with the help of which the patient communicates with others.
Akinetic mutism. This is a condition in which the patient is conscious but confused. He retains an understanding of the surrounding reality. The patient easily finds the source of sounds, reacts to pain. At the same time, he completely or practically loses the ability to speak and move. After their cure, patients say that they were fully aware of everything that was happening around them, but some kind of force prevented them from adequately responding to reality.
hypersomnia. Characterized by a constant desire to sleep. At night, sleep lasts much longer than it should be. Awakening usually does not occur without artificial stimulation, such as an alarm clock. Two types of hypersomnia should be distinguished: the one that occurs in a perfectly healthy person, and the one that is characteristic of people with mental and other types of abnormalities. In the first case, increased drowsiness may be the result of chronic fatigue syndrome or stress. In the second case, hypersomnia indicates the presence of the disease.
Stun(or stupor syndrome). During stunning, the already mentioned hypersomnia and a significant increase in the threshold of perception of all external stimuli are observed. The patient may have partial amnesia. The patient is unable to answer the simplest questions by hearing voices and knowing where the source of the sound is. There are 2 types of stunning consciousness. In a milder form, the patient can follow the commands given to him, moderate drowsiness and partial disorientation in space are observed. In a more severe form, the patient performs only the simplest commands, his level of drowsiness will be much higher, disorientation in space will be complete.
Awake coma (apallic syndrome). Develops after serious traumatic brain injury. The name "coma" this condition received because, despite being conscious, the patient is not able to come into contact with the outside world. The patient's eyes are open, the eyeballs are rotating. However, the view is not fixed. The patient has no emotional reactions and speech. The patient does not perceive commands, but is able to experience pain, reacting to it with inarticulate sounds and chaotic movements.
Delirium. A mental disorder that occurs with impaired consciousness. The patient suffers from visual hallucinations. He has disorientation in time, orientation in space is partially disturbed. There can be many causes for delirium. Elderly people and alcoholics suffer from hallucinations. Delirium may also indicate the presence of schizophrenia.
Vegetative state. Due to trauma and for some other reasons, a person loses the ability to mental activity. The patient's motor reflexes are preserved. The cycle of sleep and wakefulness is maintained.
dissociative fugue. A type of mental disorder in which the patient completely loses his former personality and begins a new life. The patient usually seeks to move to a new place of residence, where no one knows him. Some patients change their habits and tastes, take a different name. The fugue can last from several hours (the patient, as a rule, does not have time to radically change his life) to several years. Over time, there is a return to the former personality. The patient may lose all memories of the life he led during the fugue. A mental disorder can be caused by events that traumatize the psyche of a character: the death of a loved one, divorce, rape, etc. Psychiatrists believe that the fugue is a special defense mechanism of our body that allows us to symbolically “escape” from ourselves.
amentia. A confusional disorder in which the patient loses the ability to synthesize. The general picture of the world for him breaks up into separate fragments. The inability to connect these elements together leads the patient to complete disorientation. The patient is not capable of productive contact with the surrounding reality due to the incoherence of speech, the meaninglessness of movements and the gradual loss of his own personality.
Coma. The patient is in an unconscious state, from which it is impossible to get him out of it by conventional means. There are 3 degrees of this condition. In a first-degree coma, the patient is able to respond to stimuli and pain. He does not regain consciousness, but responds to irritation with protective movements. Being in a coma of the second degree, a person is not able to respond to stimuli and experience pain. With a coma of the third degree, vital functions are in a catastrophic state, muscle atony is observed.
Brief loss of consciousness (syncope, fainting). Fainting is caused by a temporary disruption of cerebral blood flow. The causes of short-term loss of consciousness can be a state of low oxygen content in the blood, as well as conditions accompanied by violations of the nervous regulation of blood vessels. Syncope is also possible with some neurological diseases.

Etiology

The causes of loss of consciousness may be the following:

reaction to certain psychological factors - fear, severe shock, excitement, unforeseen situation;
cardiovascular pathologies;
violation of cerebral circulation;
epilepsy;
concussion;
hypertensive crisis;
pathological changes in blood vessels;
anaphylactic shock;
stroke;
hunger;
reduced oxygen levels in the blood;
diabetes;
early pregnancy.

It should be understood that loss of consciousness can be short-term and long-term. A short-term loss of consciousness does not require urgent medical intervention, as it is only episodic and does not pose a threat to life. Frequent sudden loss of consciousness requires a medical examination and treatment under the supervision of a doctor.

What to do?

Becoming an eyewitness of fainting, each person must know how to behave, although often the loss of consciousness does without any first aid, if the patient quickly came to his senses, did not get injured during the fall, and after syncope his health more or less returned to normal. First aid for fainting is reduced to the implementation of simple activities:

Lightly splash cold water on your face.
Lay the person in a horizontal position, put a roller or pillow under their feet so that they are above the head.
Unbutton the shirt collar, loosen the tie, provide fresh air.
Ammonia. If a faint happens - everyone runs after this remedy, but at the same time they sometimes forget that they need to be handled with care. Inhalation of its vapors can lead to reflex respiratory arrest, that is, one should not bring a cotton swab moistened with alcohol too close to the nose of the unconscious person.

Acute care for syncope is more related to its underlying cause(rhythm disturbance) or with consequences (bruises, cuts, traumatic brain injury). If, in addition, a person is in no hurry to return to consciousness, then one should be wary of other causes of fainting (drop in blood sugar, epileptic seizure, hysteria). By the way, with regard to hysteria, people who are prone to it are able to faint on purpose, the main thing is that there are spectators.

It is hardly worth presumptuously to find out the origin of a prolonged fainting, without having certain skills of the medical profession. The most reasonable would be to call an ambulance, which will provide emergency care and, if necessary, take the victim to the hospital.

Video: help with fainting - Dr. Komarovsky

When does loss of consciousness develop?

In the risk group (that is, the group of people who are especially prone to fainting) are those who have suffered various nervous disorders or suffer from some kind of phobia. In this case, even a strong emotional shock is not needed to lose consciousness, fainting can be the result of any factor that provokes a phobia. Such a factor can be, for example, a simple medical needle, and fainting should be considered rather a reflex reaction of the body.

Fainting can be observed in cigarette lovers. Heavy smokers are primarily at risk of losing consciousness, fainting can occur after a long bout of coughing.

In the case of smokers, the main cause of fainting is the lack of oxygen. The fact is that most of them suffer from chronic diseases that negatively affect the broncho-pulmonary system. As a result, it develops venous congestion and during coughing it provokes the development of severe oxygen deficiency.

However, a healthy person can also lose consciousness, for example, as a result of physical efforts that are unusual for the body. For example, running too fast, lifting excessive weights can cause fainting.

People with unstable blood pressure should perform any activity smoothly. For example, moving too quickly from a horizontal to a vertical position can cause fainting. That is why doctors recommend that such people get out of bed, slowly, smoothly. This recommendation is especially important in the morning, when a person has not yet fully woken up. At this time, the body is not yet 100% ready for normal loads.

Even the usual sharp tilting of the head back can provoke fainting. So a regular visit to a hairdresser or dentist can result in loss of consciousness.

Another factor that quite often provokes fainting is hunger. Many girls are fond of diets, but not all of them consult specialists on this matter. As a result, uncontrolled rigid diets become the cause of exhaustion of the body, and the girls themselves can become victims of a hungry faint at any moment. The same reason is true for all people who are malnourished.

This is a list of far from all the reasons that can cause loss of consciousness. In addition to overwork, overheating, profuse vomiting or nosebleeds, alcoholic beverages (more precisely, their abuse) can cause fainting. Even energy drinks or drinks containing caffeine can have a similar effect.

Sometimes fainting is a manifestation of a fairly serious illness. For example, anemia, a number of diseases of the vascular system, heart disease can also cause loss of consciousness.

Respiratory failure, damage to the body by powerful infections can also cause fainting. Severe intoxication (vapours and gases) can have a similar effect. Head injuries, past pathological conditions can also be attributed to the causes of loss of consciousness. Even diseases of the cervical spine (for example, ordinary osteochondrosis) can cause fainting.

Regular fainting can be a cause for serious concern. It does not really matter how long after the initial syncope the secondary loss of consciousness occurred (after a day, a week or two). In any case, if the loss of consciousness is systemic, you need to contact the doctors.

Indoor assistance features

The victim should be placed on a sofa or bed so that the legs are on the armrest, that is, above head level. After that, the belt on his trousers is unfastened for him, as well as the collar on his shirt. If a man has lost consciousness, then he definitely needs to loosen his tie to ensure the flow of oxygen. The face can be moistened with water at room temperature.

It is very important to ensure air circulation in the room. To do this, it is recommended to open the window and the door. But a patient who has lost consciousness should not be in a draft at this time.

How to help yourself?

If a person feels signs of fainting, it is necessary to find a place (if at the same time he was on the street) where you can sit or lie down. If fainting occurs frequently (perhaps in the presence of chronic diseases), it is necessary to memorize a list of actions in order to be able to help yourself. If there are people nearby, you need to explain to them how to act. To prevent sudden loss of consciousness, it is necessary to follow the advice of the attending physicians (among the general recommendations: good nutrition, a healthy lifestyle, etc.).

In the case when a person is alone, you need to sit down, lower your head below your knees, drink cool water (moisten your face with water) and be sure to call an ambulance or relatives. If possible, it is necessary to ensure the flow of fresh air, in hot weather - go to a cool room or shade.

In a fainting state, a person can rely on others.

Why does consciousness disappear?

To a person who is far from medicine, classification, in general, does not play any role. Most people in an attack with loss of consciousness, pallor of the skin and a fall see fainting, but they cannot be blamed for a mistake. The main thing is to rush to help, and what kind of loss of consciousness - the doctors will figure it out, therefore, we will not particularly convince readers.

However, based on the classification, but taking into account the fact that not everyone knows its subtleties, we will try to determine the causes of fainting, which can be both banal and serious:

Heat- the concept is different for everyone, one person feels tolerably at 40 ° C, another 25 - 28 - already a disaster, especially in a closed, unventilated room. Perhaps, most often, such fainting occurs in crowded transport, where it is difficult to please everyone: someone is blowing, and someone is ill. In addition, there are often other provoking factors (pressure, smells).
Prolonged lack of food or water. Fans of rapid weight loss or people who are forced to starve for other reasons beyond their control know something about a hungry faint. Syncope can be caused by diarrhea, persistent vomiting, or fluid loss due to other conditions (frequent urination, increased sweating).
Abrupt transition from a horizontal body position(he got up - everything swam before his eyes).
Sense of anxiety, accompanied by increased respiration.
Pregnancy (redistribution of blood flow). Fainting during pregnancy is a frequent phenomenon, moreover, sometimes loss of consciousness is one of the first signs of an interesting position for a woman. Emotional instability characteristic of pregnancy against the background of hormonal changes, heat on the street and in the house, fear of gaining extra pounds (hunger) provoke a decrease in blood pressure in a woman, which leads to loss of consciousness.
Pain, shock, food poisoning.
Jar of Hearts(why, before telling some terrible news, the person to whom it is intended will be asked to sit down first).
Rapid blood loss for example, donors lose consciousness during blood donation, not because some volume of precious fluid has left, but because it left the bloodstream too quickly and the body did not have time to turn on the defense mechanism.
Type of wounds and blood. By the way, men faint for blood more often than women, it turns out that the beautiful half is somehow more accustomed to it.
Decrease in circulating blood volume(hypovolemia) with significant blood loss or due to the intake of diuretics and vasodilators.
lowering blood pressure, vascular crisis, the cause of which may be the inconsistent work of the parasympathetic and sympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system, its failure to perform its tasks. Syncope is not uncommon in adolescents suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia of the hypotonic type or children in the pubertal period with diagnosed extrasystole. In general, for hypotensive people to faint is a common thing, so they themselves begin to avoid traveling in public transport, especially in summer, visiting steam rooms in the bathhouse and all sorts of other places with which they have unpleasant memories.
Drop in blood sugar(hypoglycemia) - by the way, not necessarily with an overdose of insulin in patients with diabetes mellitus. The "advanced" youth of our time knows that this drug can be used for other purposes (to increase height and weight, for example), which can be very dangerous
(!).
Anemia or what is popularly called anemia.
Recurrent fainting spells in children may be an indication of serious illness, for example, syncopal conditions are often a sign of a heart rhythm disorder, which is quite difficult to recognize in a young child
because, unlike in adults, cardiac output is more dependent on heart rate (HR) than stroke volume.
The act of swallowing in the pathology of the esophagus(reflex reaction caused by irritation of the vagus nerve).
Hypocapnia causing vasoconstriction which is a decrease in carbon dioxide (CO2) due to increased oxygen consumption during frequent breathing, which is characteristic of a state of fear, panic, stress.
Urination and cough(by increasing intrathoracic pressure, reducing venous return and, accordingly, limiting cardiac output and lowering blood pressure).
Side effect of certain drugs or overdose of antihypertensive drugs.
Decreased blood supply to certain parts of the brain(mini-stroke), although rare, can cause fainting in elderly patients.
Serious cardiovascular disease(myocardial infarction, subarachnoid hemorrhage, etc.).
Some endocrine diseases.
Volumetric formations in the brain, obstructing blood flow.

Thus, most often, changes in the circulatory system caused by a drop in blood pressure lead to loss of consciousness. The body simply does not have time to adapt in a short time: the pressure has decreased, the heart has not had time to increase the release of blood, the blood has not brought enough oxygen to the brain.

Video: causes of fainting - the program "Live great!"

Finding a reason

The conversation with the doctor promises to be a long one...

At the beginning of the diagnostic process, the patient should tune in to a detailed conversation with the doctor. He will ask a lot of different questions, the detailed answer to which the patient himself or the parents know if it concerns a child:

At what age did the first fainting appear?
What circumstances preceded it?
How often do seizures occur, are they the same in nature?
What triggers usually lead to fainting (pain, heat, exercise, stress, hunger, cough, etc.)?
What does the patient do when “feeling sick” sets in (laying down, turning his head, drinking water, eating, trying to go out into the fresh air)?
What is the period before an attack?
Features of the nature of the pre-fainting state (ringing in the ears, dizziness, darkening in the eyes, nausea, pain in the chest, head, stomach, heart beats faster or “freezes, stops, then knocks, then does not knock ...”, not enough air)?
The duration and clinic of the syncope itself, that is, what does fainting look like from the words of eyewitnesses (the position of the patient's body, skin color, the nature of the pulse and breathing, the level of blood pressure, the presence of convulsions, involuntary urination, tongue bite, pupil reaction)?
Condition after fainting, the patient's well-being (pulse, respiration, blood pressure, sleepiness, headache and dizziness, general weakness)?
How does the examined person feel outside of syncope?
What past or chronic illnesses does he notice in himself (or what did his parents tell)?
What pharmaceuticals did you have to use in the process of life?
Does the patient or his relatives indicate that paraepileptic phenomena took place in childhood (walking or talking in a dream, screaming at night, waking up from fear, etc.)?
Family history (similar seizures in relatives, vegetative-vascular dystonia, epilepsy, heart problems, etc.).

Obviously, what at first glance seems like a mere trifle can play a leading role in the formation of syncopal conditions, which is why the doctor pays such close attention to various trifles. By the way, the patient, going to the reception, must also delve into his life in order to help the doctor discover the cause of his fainting.

Inspection, consultations, equipment assistance

Examination of the patient, in addition to determining the constitutional features, measuring the pulse, pressure (on both hands), listening to heart tones, involves the identification of pathological neurological reflexes, the study of the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, which, of course, will not do without consulting a neurologist.

Laboratory diagnostics includes traditional blood and urine tests (general), a blood sugar test, a sugar curve, and a number of biochemical tests, depending on the suspected diagnosis. At the first stage of the search, the patient is required to make an electrocardiogram and use R-graphic methods, if necessary.

In case of suspicion of the arrhythmogenic nature of syncope, the main emphasis in diagnosis falls on the study of the heart:

R-graphy of the heart and contrasting of the esophagus;
Ultrasound of the heart;
Holter monitoring;
bicycle ergometry;
special methods for diagnosing cardiac pathology (in a hospital setting).

If the doctor thinks that syncope causes organic brain disease or the cause of fainting seems vague, the range of diagnostic measures is noticeably expanding:

R-graphy of the skull, Turkish saddle (location of the pituitary gland), cervical spine;
Consultation of an oculist (fields of vision, fundus);
EEG (electroencephalogram), including monitor, if there is a suspicion of an attack of epileptic origin;
EchoES (echoencephaloscopy);
Doppler ultrasound diagnostics (vascular pathology);
CT, MRI (mass formations, hydrocephalus).

Sometimes, even the listed methods do not fully answer the questions, so do not be surprised if the patient is asked to take a urine test for 17-ketosteroids or blood for hormones (thyroid, genital, adrenal glands), since it is sometimes difficult to look for the cause of fainting .

How to fall into a frill on purpose / recognize an imitation

Some manage to cause an attack with the help of breathing (breathing often and deeply) or, squatting on their haunches for a while, rise sharply. But then it could be a real faint?! It is quite difficult to simulate an artificial fainting; in healthy people, it still does not work out well.

Syncope during hysteria can mislead those very spectators, but not the doctor: a person thinks in advance how to fall so as not to get hurt and this is noticeable, his skin remains normal (unless it is pre-smeared with whitewash?), And if (suddenly?) to convulsions, but they are not caused by involuntary muscle contractions. Bending and taking various pretentious postures, the patient only imitates a convulsive syndrome.

Symptoms of unconsciousness

When consciousness is turned off, the victim suddenly falls, lies motionless, there are no reactions. Vomiting is preliminarily noted, the person complains of double vision or clouding in the eyes, breathing intermittently, wheezing, the pulse is rapid or thready.

Loss of consciousness is characterized by complete disorientation

Signs:

complete disorientation;
decreased sensitivity to pain;
neurological reflexes are absent or weak;
convulsions;
eyes are open, but roll back, the reaction of the pupils to light stimuli is weak or absent;
the skin is pale, inside the nasolabial triangle and the nail plates it has a bluish tint, when the body overheats, reddening of the epidermis is noticeable;
significant drop in blood pressure.

When consciousness is turned off, the muscles completely relax, which can provoke involuntary urination or bowel movements.

Convulsive syncope

Fainting in this case is characterized by the presence of convulsions. Therefore, it is worth paying special attention to the head and limbs, as they can be damaged as a result of chaotic movements.

The rules for providing first aid to the victim correspond to the general actions, as in a standard faint. In this case, it is worth distinguishing between convulsive fainting and an epileptic seizure. In the case of the latter, an unconscious person must hold his tongue, otherwise he may suffocate.

First aid errors. What can not be done?

In order to prevent serious consequences, it is necessary to properly provide first aid to the victim. If the victim is unconscious, it is not allowed to lift him to a vertical position. You can not let him sniff ammonia and splash ice water in his face. It is not recommended to slap the unconscious.

If the victim has a pulse on the carotid artery, it is unacceptable to start chest compressions. Do not apply a warm heating pad for pain in the abdomen or lower back.

It is forbidden to take alcohol, coffee or alcohol corvalol. It is not recommended to give the victim any medication if he is disoriented and inadequate.

When providing first aid for fainting, all measures must be taken to bring the person to consciousness.

Classification

There are types of syncope: neurogenic or reflex, associated with orthostatic hypotension, cardiogenic. Neurogenic forms correlate with deterioration of cerebral blood flow. Vasovagal syncope occurs against the background of vasodilation (relaxation of the smooth muscles of the vascular wall), physical exertion, hypovolemia (reduction in the volume of circulating blood), and emotional upheavals.

A decrease in venous return may occur due to blood loss, increased values of intrathoracic pressure (pressure in the pleural cavity), excitation of the vagus nerve. Provoke syncope of a situational type can be an attack of coughing, sneezing, lifting weights, playing wind instruments. The cardiogenic form often develops against the background of cardiac arrhythmias.

How to help with heat and sunstroke?

The cause of heat stroke can be a long stay in a stuffy, hot room, sunny - a long stay under the scorching sun. The main signs are reddening of the skin, high body temperature (up to 40°C).

The procedure for providing medical care for heat and sunstroke:

it is necessary to carry the victim to a cool place or under the shade (if this is not possible, you need to cover your head and chest);
put a wet towel on your head;
increase the flow of air by fanning the victim with improvised means (clothing, folder, towel, etc.), if possible, escort the person to a room with a fan (air conditioner);
Give the victim cold water to drink.

It is forbidden to abruptly plunge the victim into cold water: this action can cause a heart attack and complete cardiac arrest.

In order to prevent heat and sunstroke, you should follow the rules for working in hot rooms and in open spaces (use overalls, hats, drink large amounts of liquid, take a break from work, etc.).

Syncope classification

True syncope includes bouts of short-term loss of consciousness, which can be divided into the following types:

Neurocardiogenic (neurotransmitter) form includes several clinical syndromes, therefore it is considered a collective term. The formation of neurotransmitter syncope is based on the reflex effect of the autonomic nervous system on vascular tone and heart rate, provoked by factors unfavorable for this organism (ambient temperature, psycho-emotional stress, fear, type of blood). Fainting in children (in the absence of any significant pathological changes in the heart and blood vessels) or in adolescents during the period of hormonal adjustment often has a neurocardiogenic origin. This type of syncope also includes vasovagal and reflex reactions that can occur when coughing, urinating, swallowing, physical activity, and other circumstances not related to cardiac pathology.
orthostatic collapse or fainting develops due to a slowdown in blood flow in the brain with a sharp transition of the body from a horizontal to a vertical position.
Arrhythmogenic syncope. This option is the most dangerous. It is due to the formation of morphological changes in the heart and blood vessels.
Loss of consciousness, which is based on cerebrovascular disorders(changes in the vessels of the brain, impaired cerebral circulation).

Meanwhile, some states, called fainting, are not classified as syncope, although outwardly they are very similar. These include:

Loss of consciousness associated with metabolic disorders (hypoglycemia - a drop in blood glucose, oxygen starvation, hyperventilation with a decrease in carbon dioxide concentration).
Epilepsy attack.
TIA (transient ischemic attack) of vertebrogenic origin.

Exists a group of disorders resembling fainting, but occurring without loss of consciousness:

Short-term relaxation of the muscles (cataplexy), as a result of which a person cannot maintain balance and falls;
Sudden onset of motor coordination disorder - acute ataxia;
Syncopal states of a psychogenic nature;
TIA, caused by a violation of blood circulation in the carotid pool, accompanied by a loss of the ability to move.

The most frequent case

A significant proportion of all syncope belongs to neurocardiogenic forms. Loss of consciousness provoked by ordinary domestic circumstances (transport, stuffy room, stress) or medical procedures (various scopies, venipuncture, sometimes just visiting rooms resembling operating rooms), as a rule, is not based on the development of changes in the heart and blood vessels

.
the same blood pressure, which at the time of fainting decreases, outside the attack is at a normal level. Therefore, all responsibility for the development of an attack lies with the autonomic nervous system, namely, its departments - sympathetic and parasympathetic, which for some reason stop working in concert.
This kind of fainting in children and adolescents causes a lot of anxiety on the part of parents, who cannot be reassured only by the fact that this condition is not the result of a serious pathology. Repetitive fainting accompanied by injury

Which reduces the quality of life and can be dangerous in general.

Which doctor will help?

Often it turns out that the first doctor you have to contact is an emergency room worker. Further, if necessary (depending on the causes of fainting), the patient can be referred to a hospital, where he is treated by a general practitioner. Completely different specialists can be involved in the treatment process, depending on the situation: a surgeon, a neuropathologist, a psychiatrist, a cardiologist, an endocrinologist, an infectious disease specialist, and others.

If it turns out that the cause of fainting is a sharp emotional shock (for example, stunning news), which also often happens, or, for example, physical exhaustion of the body due to an infectious disease or heavy stress, then, in such cases, hospitalization may not be required.

Treatment

Treatment for syncope depends on the cause of the syncope. If syncope does not have a pathogenic nature of occurrence (neurotransmitter syncope), then symptomatic treatment of the post-syncope state with the help of drugs is prescribed - vasoconstrictor drugs, beta-blockers, drugs that increase the volume of circulating blood.

As a further prevention of fainting, the patient is advised to exclude, if possible, all provoking factors.

In case of orthostatic fainting, compression underwear and abdominal bandages are prescribed, regular exercise therapy and swimming, drug therapy with vasoconstrictors is carried out, sleep and wakefulness patterns are adjusted, and a special diet is prescribed.

If fainting is caused by a malfunction of the heart and blood vessels (cardiogenic syncope), then the underlying disease is treated:

in violation of sinus rhythm, radiofrequency catheter ablation of the heart is prescribed;
in case of ventricular tachycardia, drug therapy is carried out with class 3 antiarrhythmic drugs; in severe cases, a pacemaker is installed;
in case of serious lesions of the cardiovascular system, immediate hospitalization and treatment of the patient in a hospital are indicated.

With cerebrovascular syncope, carotid endarterectomy, subcutaneous or surgical revascularization is performed.

If fainting is caused by a violation of the patient's psycho-emotional state, psychotropic drugs are prescribed to restore the functioning of the central nervous system.

Symptoms

In this case, three stages in the development of the clinical picture can be distinguished:

pre-fainting state;
loss of consciousness;
post-fainting state.

The pre-fainting state is characterized by the following symptoms:

nausea;
dizziness;
increased secretion of cold sweat;
severe weakness;
weak breathing;
pallor of the skin;
lack of air.

As a rule, the manifestation of such additional signs is observed 10–30 seconds before the onset of loss of consciousness. If at this stage the clinical picture is complemented by chest pain, then this may be a sign of a heart attack. Stiffness of movement and impaired speech indicate a stroke, so first aid should be given and urgent medical attention should be called.

Loss of consciousness is characterized by the following symptoms:

unconscious state;
muscle relaxation;
too weak pulse;
involuntary defecation and urination;
decreased natural reflexes.

This state lasts no more than a minute. If the cause of fainting was a stroke or any other cardiovascular pathology, then the unconsciousness may last a little longer. Prolonged fainting is called a coma.

The post-fainting stage may be accompanied by such additional signs:

weakness;
increased sweating;
mild nausea;
headache.

In general, it should be noted that the condition of a person after an attack of loss of consciousness will depend on the etiology of this symptom. The patient should not get up abruptly, as the likelihood of a second attack is high.

Emergency medical care

PMP for fainting is to immediately determine the pulse. If there is no pulse, resuscitation measures are taken to restore the activity of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. If heart beats are audible, atropine (an anticholinergic drug) is used to correct bradycardia.

An alternative way to restore a normal rhythm is transthoracic pacing (stimulation of the heart muscle with electrical impulses). If anaphylactic shock is suspected, oxygenation is indicated - artificial oxygen supply through a mask. Adrenaline injection is indicated for anaphylaxis (immediate type life-threatening allergic reaction).

At the same time, blood pressure indicators and the frequency of contractions of the heart muscle are monitored. If a violation of the venous outflow is observed during loss of consciousness, the following must be done: the patient is placed in a horizontal position, the legs are raised, which leads to the restoration of normal blood circulation.

In parallel, saline solutions are administered intravenously. A pericardial puncture is performed in case of tamponade (accumulation of fluid between the plates of the pericardium). Drainage in the zone of the pleural cavity is carried out with tension pneumothorax (presence of air in the pleural cavity). Drug therapy is carried out in order to eliminate potentially dangerous conditions:

Significantly reduced blood pressure values. Assign Midodrin, Gutron, Phenylephrine, Mezaton, Caffeine, Niketamide.
Bradycardia, cardiac arrest. Appoint Atropine.
Tachycardia. Prescribe amiodarone.
Syncope of hypoglycemic etiology. Glucose preparations are prescribed.

Criteria for the effectiveness of treatment: bringing to consciousness, a stable state without signs of hemodynamic disturbances. Providing 1 assistance for fainting involves a visual inspection for damage. The doctor examines the history and circumstances of the incident to determine the causes of syncope.

After rendering medical assistance in case of loss of consciousness, the doctor briefly explains to the patient and his relatives the rules of care in the first hours after the syncope. In some cases, the patient is taken to the hospital. Hospitalization is usually indicated if there are signs:

Injuries and injuries that arose as a result of a fall during a clouding of consciousness.
Cardiac disorders that led to the development of syncope.
Failures in the respiratory system that provoked fainting.
Focal or cerebral neurological symptoms.

If syncope is associated with diseases of the cardiovascular system, adequate treatment of the primary pathology is prescribed.

The reasons

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).

Drug treatment

Undifferentiated therapy is used for any type of impaired consciousness to reduce neurovascular excitability, increase autonomic stability, and improve mental state.

The differentiated method is aimed at eliminating the main causes of the unconscious state.

Anaprilin eliminates dysfunctions of the heart and blood vessels

How to treat:

beta blockers- Atenolol, Metoprolol, Anaprilin, eliminate dysfunctions of the heart and blood vessels;
calcium channel blockers- Stugeron, dilates the vessels of the brain;
sedatives- Deprim, Dormiplant;
tranquilizers– Tenoten, Phenibut, Sibazon, reduce anxiety, improve the functioning of the autonomic nervous system
anticholinergics- Atropine, Aprofen, affect the neuro-reflex regulation of the body;
neuroprotector- Actovegin, improves peripheral circulation;
histamine analogues– Betahistine Betaserk, restores blood flow, stimulates microcirculation;
nootropics- Vinpocetine Forte, Piracetam, Cerebril, normalize the brain;
iron-containing products- Totem, Hemopher;
antihypertensive drugs- Magnesium sulfate, Captopril;
general strengthening drugs- complexes with phosphorus, ascorbic acid, B vitamins, Neurovitan.

Piracetam normalizes brain function

In chronic cardiac pathologies, arrhythmias, a pacemaker is installed to normalize the pulse.

How dangerous is fainting?

And when falling, various kinds of traumatic situations can be provoked, sometimes very severe.
If provocateurs of fainting are physiological influences on the body, then, in this case, the consequences are the most dangerous.

It is easy to explain this, a person can be taken to fresh air, brought to a normal state, eliminated stress, shock, etc., after which his condition is completely normal.

If a person briefly lost consciousness due to poisoning (there is nausea, pallor, as well as diarrhea), or an overdose of drugs, then it is quite easy to restore.

If the cause lies in the pathological state of the body, an urgent and correct diagnosis of the primary disease is necessary, since fainting can be only a small symptom of some kind of pathology.

Fact! After any fainting, it is better to undergo a full examination by a doctor to rule out or diagnose diseases.

Symptoms

The following conditions may be harbingers of an upcoming faint:

feeling of cold and hot flushes all over the body;
a sharp decrease in muscle tone - the legs give way, then the arms weaken and drop;
numbness of the limbs, tremor;
increased sweating - cold perspiration all over the body;
hearing impairment - noise, buzzing, ringing in the ears;
visual disturbances - the appearance of glare, flies and a dark veil before the eyes, the outlines of surrounding objects become fuzzy and blurry;
sudden pallor;
nausea;
feeling of lack of air;
rarely - a decrease in the tone of the urethra and sphincter.

When a person loses consciousness, the following symptoms are observed:

decrease in heart rate and / or its unevenness;
lability of blood pressure;
complete muscle relaxation;
pallor of the skin;
shallow breathing;
pupils are dilated, reaction to light is slow;
the body is covered with sticky cold sweat;
rarely - the appearance of cramps of the limbs, involuntary urination.

Cause is the heart

Meanwhile, one should not relax too much if syncope becomes too frequent and the causes of fainting are not clear. Fainting in children, adolescents and adults is often the result of cardiovascular pathology., where not the last role belongs to arrhythmias of various kinds (brady- and tachycardia):

Associated with weakness of the sinus node, a high degree of atrioventricular blockade, a violation of the conduction system of the heart (often in the elderly);
Caused by the intake of cardiac glycosides, calcium antagonists, β-blockers, improper functioning of the valve prosthesis;
Caused by heart failure, drug intoxication (quinidine), electrolyte imbalance, lack of carbon dioxide in the blood.

Cardiac output can also be reduced by other factors that reduce cerebral blood flow, which are often present in combination: a drop in blood pressure, dilation of peripheral vessels, a decrease in the return of venous blood to the heart, hypovolemia, and vasoconstriction of the outflow tract.

Loss of consciousness in the "cores" during physical exertion is a rather serious indicator of trouble, since The cause of fainting in this case may be:

PE (pulmonary embolism);
Pulmonary hypertension;
Aortic stenosis, dissecting aortic aneurysm;
Valvular defects: stenosis of the tricuspid valve (TC) and pulmonary artery valve (LA);
Cardiomyopathy;
cardiac tamponade;
myocardial infarction;
Myxoma.

Of course, such diseases listed are rarely the cause of fainting in children, they are mainly formed in the process of life, therefore they are a sad advantage of a respectable age.

Helping a fainted person on the street

First aid for fainting should begin with calling an ambulance. Then the victim must be carefully lifted from the ground and laid on the nearest bench or bench. If none are observed, then leave in place without removing outer clothing. You just need to loosen the belt and unfasten the collar. If there is a scarf, then it must be untied to allow normal breathing. In this case, the body should take such a position that the legs are higher than the head, which will help ensure the necessary blood circulation in the body for recovery.

After the patient regains consciousness, you can give him warm sweet tea to drink.

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, 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.

Indications for hospitalization

Experts identify several causes of fainting. You can find out what affected the body only in a medical institution. If the victim came to his senses within 2 minutes and feels well after half an hour, specialized medical care is not required (provided that this is an isolated case and the person does not suffer from chronic diseases).

If the patient is unconscious and his condition does not change within 10 minutes, it is urgent to call specialists. A doctor's call is necessary if a person has no breathing and heartbeat.

The following indications for mandatory hospitalization can be distinguished:

the presence of pain in the chest (possible heart attack, aortic dissection);
severe headaches (hemorrhage);
swelling of the neck veins (pulmonary hypertension, etc.);
the presence of injury (during a fall) and heart attacks;
taking medications (quinidine, disopyramide, procainamide, etc.);
a strong decrease in blood pressure in a standing position;
the victim is over 70 years old.

When fainting, the nurse puts the patient in a supine position, legs above the head. The doctor intravenously injects drugs that improve blood circulation. If required, the patient is admitted to the hospital for further examination.

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 with 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. That's why 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.