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Related Subjects: |Transient Loss of Consciousness |Vasovagal Syncope |Syncope |Aortic Stenosis |First Seizure |Carotid Sinus Syncope
The immediate management of syncope or impending syncope is to lie the patient down and raise their legs increasing cerebral blood flow.
Type | Details |
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Vasovagal syncope | Clinical context - vasovagal often situational - church, standing in line, hot bath, on toilet having severe gastroenteritis and usually sitting up or standing. Vasovagal usually hearing goes distant with tinnitus as does vision and sense of impending syncope. The patient goes pale. Then rapidly spontaneously recover once they go to the ground. Flushed and sweaty but not confused. May have urinary incontinence. May jerk. Ask about precipitants, standing, fear, venesection, micturition or pain. |
Postural syncope (fainting on standing) | Seen in patients with autonomic disorders, salt and water depletion, hypovolaemia or due to certain drugs especially antianginal and antihypertensive medication. |
Cardiac arrhythmias may reduce CO and result in syncope. | This may occur in bradycardias or tachycardias (inadequate ventricular filling time). The loss of consciousness occurs irrespective of the patient's posture. A Stokes-Adams the attack is a loss of consciousness related to a sudden loss of ventricular contraction particularly seen during the progression from second to third-degree heart block. |
Carotid sinus syncope | A rare condition mainly seen in the elderly. As a result of hypersensitivity of the carotid sinus, light pressure, such as that exerted by a tight collar, causes severe reflex bradycardia and hence syncope. |
Exertional syncope | occurs in aortic valve or subvalve stenosis. The syncope results from an inability of the heart to increase cardiac output in response to increased demand. |