Presentation
The symptoms and presentation of syncope are similar to many other conditions, which can lead to difficulty in establishing a diagnosis in the ED. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Entire Body System
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Falling
Often when people fall, they develop a fear of falling, even if they were not injured in the initial fall. [sah.org.au]
You lose muscle control at the same time, and may fall down. Most people recover quickly and completely. Fainting usually happens when your blood pressure drops suddenly, causing a decrease in blood flow to your brain. [icd9data.com]
Non accidental falls These patients experience recurrent episodes of non accidental and unexplained falls which occur when there is transinet brain hypoperfusion and loss of consciousness. [medicaljoyworks.com]
When the patient falls to the floor due to the syncope, it often causes fall injuries. 5 Medical history Medical history plays a decisive role in the diagnostics of syncopes. [flexikon.doccheck.com]
Indeed, the heart rate increases slowly as the arterial pressure falls. [courses.washington.edu]
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Anemia
[G. synkopē, cutting short] syncope a temporary suspension of consciousness due to cerebral anemia; fainting. cardiac syncope sudden loss of consciousness due to cerebral anemia caused by ventricular asystole, extreme bradycardia or ventricular fibrillation [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]
The term syncope (or fainting) refers to cerebral anemia. Syncope causes collapse, which may last from seconds to minutes. Most fainting spells are due to low blood pressure or lack of oxygen delivery to the brain. [canine-epilepsy.com]
Anemia Anemia (low red blood cell count), whether it occurs acutely from bleeding or gradually for a variety of reasons, can cause fainting because there aren't enough red blood cells to deliver oxygen to the brain. [medicinenet.com]
Low blood pressure, ineffective pumping by the heart because of heart disease (heart failure), or heart valve abnormalities may cause fainting, as can anemia (low red blood cell count), drugs (especially those for high blood pressure), lung diseases, [spectrumhealth.org]
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Unconsciousness
The most common symptoms include: Unconsciousness Dizziness Pallor In some cases, unconsciousness is accompanied by myocloni 4.1 Prodromes Nausea Vomiting abdominal sensation of pressure Chills Sweating Blurred vision Aura A syncope can be followed by [flexikon.doccheck.com]
[…] assist an elderly woman who fainted due to the heat while waiting among the large crowds of people.jpg 1 200 1 800; 408 KB US Navy 110614-N-XD935-042 Navy Diver 2nd Class Ryan Arnold guides Chief Hospital Corpsman Nathanael Warren, who is acting as an unconscious [commons.wikimedia.org]
In pathology, "failure of the heart's action," hence "unconsciousness." MORE RELATED WORDS FOR SYNCOPE coma noun deep unconsciousness Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright 2013 by the Philip Lief Group. [thesaurus.com]
Usually seconds Usually more than a few seconds, up to minute Incontinence Absent May be present Confusion on waking Absent Marked for 20-30 mins Tonic-clonic movements, presence and timing Occasionally & brief particularly if unconsciousness is prolonged [rch.org.au]
After fainting, an individual may be unconscious for a minute or two, but will revive and slowly return to normal. Syncope can occur in otherwise healthy people and affects all age groups, but occurs more often in the elderly. [ninds.nih.gov]
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Pallor
[…] men and during familiarization sessions (in which BFR was applied alone) but not thereafter (BFR sessions combined with NMES): 1 subject experienced a brief syncope and 2 other subjects exhibited presyncopal symptoms (sweating, lightheadedness, and pallor [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
In the second to minutes leading up to the fainting, the patient may feel weakness, nausea, pallor, and sweating. [courses.washington.edu]
The most common symptoms include: Unconsciousness Dizziness Pallor In some cases, unconsciousness is accompanied by myocloni 4.1 Prodromes Nausea Vomiting abdominal sensation of pressure Chills Sweating Blurred vision Aura A syncope can be followed by [flexikon.doccheck.com]
[…] at-risk patient Reduce Stress Treat patient in a supine position Ensure profound local anesthesia Use local anesthetic agents containing a vasoconstrictor congruent with the patient’s functional capacity Signs and symptoms: Adrenergic component Anxiety Pallor [dentalcare.com]
Gastrointestinal
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Nausea
Premonitory symptoms, such as nausea, diaphoresis, abdominal discomfort, and blurred vision, are caused by autonomic activation and are distinguishing features of neurally mediated syncope. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
In the second to minutes leading up to the fainting, the patient may feel weakness, nausea, pallor, and sweating. [courses.washington.edu]
Important associated symptoms immediately before or after the event include whether there was a sense of impending LOC, nausea, sweating, blurred or tunnel vision, tingling of lips or fingertips, chest pain, or palpitations. [merckmanuals.com]
Cardiovascular
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Hypotension
Syncope suspected of orthostatic hypotension (OH) can be mediated by neurogenic conditions, dehydration, or drugs. [acc.org]
It is a subset of a broader class of medical conditions, including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), orthostatic hypotension, and neurally mediated syncope (NMS), that may result in TLOC. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Syncope (fainting), vasovagal Syncope (loss of consciousness, fainting) Syncope and collapse (fainting) Syncope due to orthostatic hypotension Syncope, cough Syncope, micturition Syncope, vasovagal Transient loss of consciousness Tussive syncope Vasovagal [icd9data.com]
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Orthostatic Hypotension
It is a subset of a broader class of medical conditions, including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), orthostatic hypotension, and neurally mediated syncope (NMS), that may result in TLOC. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
hypotension Syncope (fainting), vasovagal Syncope (loss of consciousness, fainting) Syncope and collapse (fainting) Syncope due to orthostatic hypotension Syncope, cough Syncope, micturition Syncope, vasovagal Transient loss of consciousness Tussive [icd9data.com]
In contrast, in patients with orthostatic hypotension due to autonomic failure, these cardiovascular homeostatic reflexes are chronically impaired. [accessmedicine.mhmedical.com]
A double-blind, dose-response study of midodrine in neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, Neurology, 1998;51(1):120–4. [ecrjournal.com]
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Palpitations
We report a 55-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus, who later developed episodes of syncope and dizziness along with diaphoresis and palpitations. She also had associated abdominal pain and vomiting. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Efficacy of implantable loop recorders in establishing symptom-rhythm correlation in young patients with syncope and palpitations. Pediatrics, 112(3), 228-233. Snyder, C., (2010). Refer or reassure: guidance on managing patients with syncope. [pedclerk.bsd.uchicago.edu]
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Slow Pulse
pulse Neurally mediated syncope (vasovagal), cardiac syncope (bradyarrhythmia) Tonic-clonic movement or posture Seizure None Vasovagal or cardiac syncope in older patients, cardiac syncope in younger patients Table 3. [aafp.org]
Symptoms include deep and fast respiration, weak and slow pulse and respiratory pauses that may last for 60 seconds. [en.wikipedia.org]
Skin
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Cold, Clammy Skin
clammy skin Skin paleness Slow, weak pulse Jerky, abnormal movements which usually are seen once someone has actually passed out Infrequently, blood pressure can drop enough to cause a reactive seizure These symptoms can be associated with other health [barrowneuro.org]
Marked pallor in conjunction with cold clammy skin favors neural-reflex syncope (vasovagal or situational syncope). [thecardiologyadvisor.com]
Physical findings often reported by bystanders (if the physician asks) in these cases include marked pallor, damp and cold (“clammy”) skin, and confusion. [scielo.edu.uy]
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Increased Sweating
Additionally, wearing heavy equipment (such as football pads or firefighter bunker gear) and a uniform increases sweating, resulting in dehydration. [ksi.uconn.edu]
Neurologic
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Dizziness
We report a 55-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus, who later developed episodes of syncope and dizziness along with diaphoresis and palpitations. She also had associated abdominal pain and vomiting. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Certain movements can also be done to keep dizziness from leading to fainting. [cincinnatichildrens.org]
[…] syncope in a Sentence syncope has been reported in a small percentage of patients taking the drug Recent Examples on the Web According to the Harford County Health Department, heat illness takes many forms, including heat fatigue, heat syncope (sudden dizziness [merriam-webster.com]
How to Get Rid of Dizziness Getting rid of feeling dizzy depends on what is causing the dizziness, some treatments to get rid of dizziness include: Home remedies can relieve nausea and vomiting, for example, ginger tea. [medicinenet.com]
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Confusion
The overlap of these clinical conditions leads to confusion regarding syncope classification that can hinder evaluation strategies, and pose challenges for diagnosis and treatment, particularly in young women. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
On the other hand, seizures are easily confused with syncope and remain in the differential diagnosis of the patient who appears to have had syncope (see Figure 31-1). [accessmedicine.mhmedical.com]
The most common symptoms include: Unconsciousness Dizziness Pallor In some cases, unconsciousness is accompanied by myocloni 4.1 Prodromes Nausea Vomiting abdominal sensation of pressure Chills Sweating Blurred vision Aura A syncope can be followed by confusion [flexikon.doccheck.com]
[…] consciousness breathing pattern (snoring) movements (tonic, clonic, tonic-clonic or minimal myoclonus, automatism) and their duration, onset of movement in relation to fall, tongue biting End of attack Nausea, vomiting, sweating, feeling of cold, confusion [lifeinthefastlane.com]
[…] to fainting can result from many factors, such as: Stress Pain Dehydration Exhaustion Sweating Heart disorders Metabolic disorders Lung disorders Symptoms of Syncope Symptoms of syncope can include: Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmias) Blurry vision Confusion [utswmed.org]
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Vertigo
RESULTS: In the current study sample, attacks of syncope were reported by 38 patients (4%) in association with the vertigo attack. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Uusally associated with a prodrome (nausea/vomiting/vertigo/sweating). No post-ictal state, vs. seizures. [pedclerk.bsd.uchicago.edu]
Syncope must be separated from seizures and other states of altered consciousness such as dizziness, vertigo, coma, and narcolepsy. [healthcentral.com]
It has many causes, and is distinct from vertigo, seizures, coma, falls, psychogenic pseudosyncope, drop attacks, transient ischaemic attacks, and states of altered consciousness. [3] Strickberger SA, Benson DW, Biaggioni I, et al. [bestpractice.bmj.com]
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Drop Attacks
double images, dysarthria) Duplex ultrasound of the carotid and subclavian arteries showing stenosis Vertebrobasilar insufficiency “Drop attacks” can be seen with a TIA in the vertebrobasilar circulation. [amboss.com]
The classification chosen here only represents one possibility. 2.1 Vascular syncopes Orthostatic hypotension Stenosis of the cerebral arteries Subclavian-Steal-syndrome (" drop attack ") Takayasuís arteriitis Aneurysm of the internal carotid artery 2.2 [flexikon.doccheck.com]
Autonomic failure 8.1.2 Epilepsy and ictal asystole 8.1.3 Cerebrovascular disorders 8.1.4 Migraine 8.1.5 Cataplexy 8.1.6 Drop attacks 8.2 Neurological tests 8.2.1 Electroencephalography 8.2.2 Brain computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging 8.2.3 [escardio.org]
It has many causes, and is distinct from vertigo, seizures, coma, falls, psychogenic pseudosyncope, drop attacks, transient ischaemic attacks, and states of altered consciousness. [3] Strickberger SA, Benson DW, Biaggioni I, et al. [bestpractice.bmj.com]
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Altered Mental Status
mental status until treated, onset seldom abrupt, sweating, piloerection Usually history of diabetes or insulinoma Fingerstick glucose Response to glucose infusion Psychiatric disorders Not true syncope (patient may be partially or inconsistently responsive [merckmanuals.com]
Unlike patients with syncope, these patients will not return to baseline mental status but typically will have neurologic deficits, altered mental status, or severe headache. [reliasmedia.com]
The AHA defines patients as unstable if any of the following are present: 17 Hypotension; New-onset altered mental status; Signs of shock; Ischemic chest discomfort; Acute heart failure. [emsworld.com]
Workup
In the absence of clinical suspicion, a routine diagnostic workup for APE in patients with syncope cannot be recommended. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Even at best, the SF Syncope Rule is not 100% sensitive, so if there is any concern for serious underlying disease, the patient should undergo further workup. [mdcalc.com]
Third, all participating hospitals used a standardized protocol for the diagnostic workup of syncope that was based on international guidelines, 1,2 but a specific workup was not mandated by the study protocol. [nejm.org]
Treatment
Non‐pharmacological “physical” treatments are emerging as a new front line treatment of vasovagal syncope. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Psychogenic factors include: Fright Anxiety (due to the anticipation of discomfort or the fee) Stress Receipt of unwelcome news (treatment or the treatment fee) Sudden and unanticipated pain (injection or during treatment) The sight of blood (gauze, dental [dentalcare.com]
Using the latest science-based tools and treatments, our specialists offer a range of diagnosis and treatment options. [utswmed.org]
Prognosis
Through the extensive Danish registries we examined the characteristics and prognosis of the patients hospitalized due to syncope in a nationwide study. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Prognosis Cardiac syncope has a poorer prognosis than other forms of syncope. The 1-year endpoint mortality has been shown to be as high as 18-33%. [emedicine.com]
Etiology
However, vascular etiologies can result in patient morbidity and mortality. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Electrophysiologic study is reasonable in selected patients with syncope suspected of arrhythmic etiology (Class IIa). [acc.org]
Epidemiology
Traditionally the data on epidemiology of syncope has been taken from smaller studies from different clinical settings with wide differences in patient morbidity. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
There are also some difficulties interpreting epidemiological estimates because of inconsistencies in methodology and definitions used between studies. [bestpractice.bmj.com]
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY Syncope is a common presenting problem, accounting for approximately 3% of all emergency room visits and 1% of all hospital admissions. [accessmedicine.mhmedical.com]
Pathophysiology
In addition, long sinus pauses were noted during carotid sinus massage, suggesting that the two distinct entities may be associated, and further supporting the mechanism of neurally mediated syncope in the pathophysiology of swallow-induced syncope. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Prevention
[…] invited to comment on preventative measures they had taken (if any) to prevent syncopal episodes reoccurring. [doi.org]
Avoidance of syncope may be more effective than anti-seizure medications in preventing reflex anoxic seizures. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Although fainting itself might or might not be preventable, it is important to prevent injuries when people do faint. Fainting and related injuries after immunization can be prevented. [cdc.gov]
Prevention & Risk Assessment Prevention & Risk Assessment What causes syncope? The common reason behind each syncopal or fainting episode is a temporary lack of oxygen-rich (red) blood getting to the brain. [childrensnational.org]