Who is at risk of fainting?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Huynh An Thien - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Fainting is a common phenomenon in life, occurring when the patient loses consciousness because the brain does not receive enough oxygen. People with fainting will recover on their own after the brain recovers completely, although it is not serious, the patient needs to find out the cause of the fainting to prevent other medical problems.

Fainting, also known as unconsciousness, is a condition in which a person loses consciousness for a short time due to low blood pressure that prevents blood from reaching the brain, or because the heart cannot pump enough oxygenated blood to the brain. Brain. Patients often fall to the ground when they suddenly faint, however, this is different from seizures that cause the patient to convulse, after fainting, the patient will regain consciousness after a few seconds and feel normal. come back, many cases feel very tired after waking up.
If the patient suddenly faints, there is a cause, due to pain or standing for a long time in a hot environment... Therefore, anyone is at risk of fainting in daily life. .
According to statistics, about 95% of patients have their first fainting before the age of 40, and if the first sudden fainting occurs after the age of 40, it is most likely related to some medical problem, the elderly, Syncope is usually caused by heart disease, low blood pressure, or a side effect of medication.

There are many causes of sudden fainting spells, but some of the most common include:
Sudden neurologically mediated syncope: Also known as vagal syncope, is the cause. Most common in patients, it can occur in a variety of situations such as extreme fear, pain, panic or mental breakdown, heavy exercise, vomiting, or wearing a high collar that suffocates the neck. Accompanying fainting is pallor, sweating... Postural hypotension: A decrease in blood pressure when changing positions (standing for a long time, using antihypertensive drugs or due to neurological diseases such as: Parkinson's disease or after a large meal) can also cause sudden fainting spells. Fainting due to cardiovascular disease: Some heart problems or a family history of sudden death can also cause a person to faint, fainting that occurs after chest pain or palpitations, after exertion. In addition, patients may experience fainting from other causes including seizures, anxiety-related neuropsychiatric syncope, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), lack of oxygen, rapid breathing (hyperventilation). ), fell, was hit in the head, drank too much alcohol, or had a stroke.

Anyone of any age is at risk of fainting. However, if you fall into one of the following cases, the risk of fainting will be higher, specifically:
Donating blood without eating Standing for too long or lying down for too long and then getting up suddenly The patient has a heart disease or other diseases Nervous stress Chronic low blood pressure

When the patient faints, the doctor will perform some first-aid movements for fainting, when the patient regains consciousness, he will conduct a clinical examination.
The patient will be asked about the medications he is taking, the signs before fainting, how he feels when he wakes up... Next, the doctor will have the patient perform some tests to check the heart. blood pressure, or an electrocardiogram (ECG), in many cases a person may need blood tests to screen for anemia and diabetes. More specialized tests of the heart and nervous system are sometimes also needed.

Usually, people with sudden fainting will recover on their own after the cerebral circulation is restored, in case the fainting is caused by the heart not pumping enough blood, more tests are needed to check.
Treatment for fainting will depend on the cause of fainting, the person may be asked to keep a diary of the events that occurred. If fainting episodes recur or the patient cannot fully recover from fainting, it is necessary to notify the doctor immediately, for timely treatment.
For people who often faint, it is possible to re-establish life habits to limit the condition by:
Drink enough water Do not starve When you feel like fainting, you should sit down or lie down immediately so that blood can reach the brain Raise the head of the bed Wear medical stockings Do exercises to cross your legs and stretch your arm muscles

Although fainting is not life-threatening, it can be an early warning sign of many other diseases, therefore, when fainting frequently, the patient should go directly to the hospital for medical attention. Doctors check and promptly intervene when detecting other dangerous diseases, absolutely not be subjective with their health.
Department of Medical Examination and Internal Medicine - Vinmec International General Hospital holds specialized functions in the examination and treatment of diseases related to the central nervous system (cranial, meninges, brain, cerebral blood vessels, nerves in the skull, pituitary gland, spine, discs, spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system (nerves and ganglia outside the brain and spinal cord).