What happens if a person loses consciousness? In most cases, the cause of fainting is unknown. How to lose consciousness correctly

Fainting- This is a short-term loss of consciousness, while consciousness is restored spontaneously. Temporary loss of consciousness or fainting, according to various sources, occurs in 3% of patients who seek emergency medical help.

Fainting is a consequence of a temporary reduction in blood flow (and oxygen supply) to the brain, which may manifest as confusion, blackout, or loss of consciousness.

Fainting can last from a few seconds to several minutes. Usually a person comes to his senses after a while. Fainting in itself is not a disease, but a symptom.

Causes of fainting

There are many known factors that can temporarily reduce blood flow to the brain. Temporary loss of consciousness may be associated with heart disease and other conditions. More often, temporary loss of consciousness is caused by factors that directly not connected to the heart.

These factors include:

dehydration;
medications that affect blood pressure;
vascular diseases of the legs in the elderly;
diabetes;
Parkinson's disease.

In addition, fainting is possible when changing body position- from a lying or sitting position, a sharp transition to a vertical position (postural hypotension);

Decreased total blood volume and/or bad condition leg vessels leads to a disproportionate distribution of blood in the legs and insufficient blood supply to the brain when a person assumes a standing position.

Other non-cardiac causes of temporary loss of consciousness include loss of consciousness after blood drains, or after certain situational events ( situational fainting) such as urination, defecation, or coughing. This happens due to a reflex nervous system(vasovagal reaction), which causes the heart rate to slow and dilate blood vessels in the legs, thus reducing blood pressure.

The result is that less blood (and therefore less oxygen) reaches the brain as it is directed to the legs. With situational fainting, patients often note nausea, sweating, and weakness that occur before loss of consciousness.

Vasovagal reaction is also called vasovagal crisis, and situational syncope is also called vasovagal syncope, vasodepressor syncope. Cerebral hemorrhage - stroke or pre-stroke (transient ischemic attack) and migraines can also lead to temporary loss of consciousness.

Factors related to heart function that may lead to temporary loss of consciousness include:

Profound fainting may be a symptom of the following diseases:

Symptoms of fainting

When you faint, consciousness may suddenly turn off. But sometimes it is preceded fainting state, characterized by the following features:

severe weakness;
dizziness;
tinnitus;
a feeling of “emptiness” in the head;
numbness of the limbs;
darkening of the eyes;
yawning;
nausea;
pale face;
sweating

Fainting most often occurs in a standing position, much less often in a sitting position, and as a rule, passes when the patient moves to a lying position.

When fainting, in addition to a short-term loss of consciousness, a number of symptoms are observed vegetative-vascular disorders:

paleness of the face;
cold extremities;
the skin becomes covered with sweat;
slow pulse;
blood pressure is low;
breathing is rare, shallow;
the pupils are sometimes dilated and sometimes constricted, reacting quickly to light;
tendon reflexes are normal.

Fainting usually lasts from a few seconds to one minute, rarely up to 2-5 minutes due to longer and deeper anemia of the brain, more often with heart disease or disturbances in homeostasis. Prolonged fainting may be accompanied by convulsive twitching of the muscles of the face and limbs, increased salivation.

After recovering from a fainting state, some patients (mainly with a longer loss of consciousness) experience a so-called post-fainting state for several hours, which is manifested by weakness, headache, and increased sweating.

In persons prone to fainting, these phenomena under the influence of the above reasons may occur again. During the period between paroxysms, patients experience various disorders(asthenodepressive manifestations, predominance of vegetative reactions, etc.).

Diagnosis after fainting

The cause of temporary loss of consciousness can only be diagnosed after a detailed study individual factors(before, during and after fainting), assessments medicines and consideration of the main medical indications. It should be noted that many of the causes of temporary loss of consciousness can be detected only through a thorough examination.

Dizziness after standing in older people indicates postural hypotension.

Temporary loss of consciousness after urination, defecation, or coughing indicates situational syncope.

Cardiac causes causing temporary loss of consciousness, such as aortic stenosis or cardiomyopathy, are assumed to occur before loss of consciousness.

Signs of weakness in certain areas of the body, with temporary loss of consciousness, suggest a stroke. Blood pressure and pulse are assessed in the supine, sitting and standing positions. Different pressures in each arm may be a sign of aortic dissection.

The heart is examined with a stethoscope, sounds that may indicate valve pathology are listened to. Study of the nervous system, sensations, reflexes and motor functions can identify disorders of the nervous system and brain.

An ECG can detect abnormal heart rhythms. Depending on the presence or absence of accompanying symptoms, people with certain forms of temporary loss of consciousness may be admitted to the hospital for observation and further evaluation.

Other tests to evaluate temporary loss of consciousness due to a cardiac cause include:

echocardiography;
heart rate control (monitoring);
electrophysiological studies of the heart.

When cardiac factors are not suspected, a test may be performed to identify the cause of temporary loss of consciousness. examination of the patient in the supine position with additional tilt. This type of examination involves placing the patient on a table with leg support. The table is raised up and blood pressure and pulse are measured, i.e. possible causes are recorded in various positions.

Treatment of fainting

Treatment for a patient with temporary loss of consciousness depends on the cause of the incident. For many non-cardiac causes of temporary loss of consciousness (such as postural hypotension, vasovagal reaction and situational syncope) no special treatment is required, and consciousness will return when the victim simply sits or lies down.

After this, people are advised to avoid challenging this state situations. For example, not straining, standing up abruptly, sitting or lying in bed when coughing, using these measures can help prevent situational fainting.

Causes related to the heart and nervous system are considered according to specific disease . Elderly people are advised to carry all medications prescribed by their doctor with them, and to exercise caution when changing positions they were in. long time. Raising your body slowly allows you to adjust to the new position, which minimizes the chance of fainting. In addition, elderly patients should avoid dehydration.

Which doctors should you contact if you faint?

First aid for fainting

In a pre-fainting state, a person sharp turns pale, weakens, his pupils dilate and he slowly slides to the ground. If this is noticed in time, then fainting can be prevented; for this it is necessary for the person to sit on a chair and lower his head below his knees, as if tying his shoelaces (this way we will cause blood flow to the head and eliminate the very cause of fainting).

If fainting does occur, then the following must be done:

In most cases, these measures are quite sufficient for a person to came to my senses.

But if this does not happen, then resuscitation efforts must be continued. It is necessary to “turn on” the victim’s brain. But how? Where is the “turn on” button?

If we explain from a medical point of view, then to “turn on” it is necessary to initiate formation in the brain dominant focus of excitation, that is, to give the brain some signal from the outside world so that it reacts, reflexively launches some center, and with it the whole “system” starts up. What needs to be done for this? Any strong irritant will do.

I think everyone knows it from childhood, and it often appears in films - it is necessary give ammonia a sniff, also known as an ammonia solution (a very unpleasant specific smell that almost immediately wakes a person up), sprinkle water on the face, or lightly pat the cheeks (kind of like light slaps in the face, but don’t overdo it).

Immediately after fainting, you should not try to lift the person - the blood supply has not yet been fully restored and the fainting may recur. It is better to gradually bring him to his senses, talk about something and, as far as possible, control the person’s condition.

If all of the above did not help, then call ambulance , because prolonged brain hypoxia (lack of oxygen) causes irreversible changes, even death.

Questions and answers on the topic "Fainting"

Question:Good afternoon I’m 72, loss of consciousness began in grades 5-7, then for a long time there were no attacks, or their frequency was insignificant. But literally in July-August there were three days in a row and 3-5 times a day. At the same time, the pressure is 140-94. Wherever I consulted, the ECG is normal with minor deviations, which, as I was told, do not affect the loss of consciousness. Speak healthy. So what could be the reasons and what can be done. Thank you and I look forward to your answer.

Answer: You need an in-person consultation with a neurologist.

Question:Hello. Girl, 31 years old. Didn't give birth. A month ago I flew to Sochi, on the fourth day after arrival I took the cat to the veterinary clinic to trim its claws, the cat meowed a lot because it was in pain. I was holding her and suddenly I felt suddenly dizzy, for about 2 seconds I fainted. According to the stories of those present, I suddenly turned pale, said that I felt bad (I remember this), turned blue, fell, they couldn’t unclench my jaw, urination occurred, they couldn’t bring me to my senses, then they pressed hard on my eyes, I woke up, they immediately began to lift me up and water, vomited. After that I came home exhausted. And after that, for a week, I had a headache, then I felt dizzy, and now spots appeared before my eyes. I did an EEG, an MRI of the brain, an ECG, an ultrasound of everything - they found nothing. Only anemia. They prescribed iron. 7 years ago they installed VSD with panic attacks, in I didn’t faint then. I was treated for a year and after that there were almost no symptoms, sometimes anxiety creeps up, but I calmly dealt with it. In recent months I have lost a lot of weight, I weigh 48 kg with a height of 168 cm. A week before, I was very nervous, ate poorly, was general weakness, I didn’t get enough sleep even if I slept for a long time, there was a feeling of tightness in my chest, in Sochi 5 days before the events I drank heavily (although in general I don’t drink often), on the morning of the day I only drank coffee and smoked a cigarette. There is no history of epilepsy in the family. What are the possible options for what happened?

Answer: Dizziness is one of the symptoms of anemia.

Question:My adult son, 33 years old, began to lose consciousness very often, there was a lot of stress in the family, I have a wife but no sex, and with my son, attacks are repeated several times a day.

Answer: There can be many reasons; an in-person consultation with a neurologist is necessary for examination.

Question:Hello. My husband had surgery. The left lung and recurrent nerve were removed. Could this be the cause of short-term fainting?

Answer: Hello! Yes, it is possible after lung removal. Everything must be done rehabilitation measures recommended by your attending physician.

Question:Hello, my 7-year-old daughter hit her elbow and after walking a little she fainted, luckily she fell on the bed. Could this fainting be a consequence of the blow?

Answer: Hello! More likely, low threshold pain sensitivity, so there was mild degree painful shock, leading to a short-term loss of consciousness.

Question:Hello! My daughter is 7 years old, and from the age of 4 she faints at the sight of blood, turns white, and when brought to her senses she also begins to become a coward. It doesn’t matter whether it’s her blood or not, if she’s scratched, she’ll faint. We go to get tested - they already know us there without ammonia and they don’t greet us. Tell me what is this? Why is this happening?

Answer: Hello! This phobia is not uncommon, it exists in 3-4% of people on our planet, it occurs as a result of the vasovagal reaction of the parasympathetic nervous system (this theory belongs to John Sanford), reflexively at the sight of danger (blood), the person “plays dead”, then there is losing consciousness. You can fight this; you need to see a psychologist.

Question:I am 30 years old. Since childhood, she suffered from VSD of the hypotonic type and was weather dependent. Over the past 5 years, symptoms have decreased significantly. However, for Last year There have already been 3 strange fainting spells. I go to bed absolutely healthy, I get out of bed the same way, but 2-3 minutes after getting out of bed I have a sudden deep fainting spell (I fall to my full height), it’s hard for me to come to my senses. For half an hour after that, I still have trouble thinking clearly. What could be the reason for this and how to prevent the situation from happening again.

Answer: These are orthostatic fainting (from standing up suddenly). Sit down first.

Question:Hello. I am 17 years old. Fainting began in early autumn last year. Before this, there were short-term blurred vision and a little shaking. Usually, fainting begins when there is unbearable stuffiness outside, or the room is poorly ventilated, or in public transport. Please help me with advice on which doctor is best to see.

Answer: Hello! You need to see a neurologist. You may need a comprehensive examination: EEG, Doppler ultrasound of blood vessels head and neck, fundus examination, endocrinologist consultation, blood tests.

Question:Hello, I'm 21 years old. Yesterday I was going to meet friends and got caught in heavy rain. I ran home. When I stopped, my vision darkened and I was short of breath. Weakness appeared. I stopped seeing. I sat down on the side of the road. When I tried to continue moving, I fainted. I don’t remember anything for 2-3 minutes. I continued moving slowly. My vision also periodically grew dark. All the muscles were very relaxed, the legs did not obey, palpitations, shortness of breath. The first fainting spell. Should I see a doctor? What could it be? How dangerous?

Answer: Good afternoon. This is a manifestation of VSD. The pressure drops sharply and the vision becomes dark. See a neurologist.

Question:Hello! My daughter (13 years old) has fainting spells, frequent dizziness and headaches. What kind of examination is necessary?

Answer: Hello! Frequent fainting is a syncope, I recommend that you do an EEG and consult a neurologist/epileptologist.

Question:Hello, I'm 26 years old. After giving birth (a year ago), I began to faint, 3 times in a year. I took an x-ray of the cervical vertebra, and the result was a diagnosis: osteochondrosis of the spine. According to the results of an ultrasound scan of the brain: Signs of vasospasm in the MCA, right and left. Right and left vertebral artery small diameter. There is sufficient blood flow in the vertebrobasilar basin. No hemodynamic significant obstructions to blood flow in the BCA were identified. Do I need to carry out any other examinations or do x-rays and ultrasounds explain everything how to treat this?

Answer: Hello! With the results of ultrasound and x-ray, you need to contact a neurologist to determine treatment tactics.

Question:Once every 1.5 years adult daughter began to lose consciousness. First time at 19 years old. Everything was examined. Tomograph of the head, neck, blood vessels. Eat cervical chondrosis 4-5 vertebrae. Slight vasoconstriction. One day my cholesterol was elevated. Sometimes with a headache the pressure is 130-80, the working pressure is 110-70. We went from doctor to doctor and couldn’t find anything. It all starts again - at first a long headache, nausea, darkening of the eyes and fainting. And after fainting, all symptoms disappear. It was as if nothing hurt. There are no cramps or foam. The neurologist prescribed Supradin and Mexidol, 1 tablet 3 times a day for 3 months. What then? Who should I go to for the correct treatment and diagnosis?

Answer: Go to a neurologist with a preliminary diagnosis of migraine and carry out normal treatment. And cholesterol has nothing to do with it.

Question:Hello! I am 24 years old. Starting at the age of 16, I began to lose consciousness due to pain in the stomach (the pain is terrible), this happens every time I eat something fatty, and 8 hours after eating this food, usually at night (I wake up from pain, go to the toilet and fall into fainting). This happens approximately every 3 months, sometimes more often. After fainting, vomiting and profuse loose stools. Then I don’t go to the toilet at all for a week. I went to the doctor, but nothing was found (6 years ago I had 2 stomach ulcers, but they had healed long ago), only ordinary gastritis. The gastric mucosa is normal. They only prescribe the usual antispasmodic drugs, but they don’t help, I still lose consciousness. What could be my problem and is it possible to somehow cure it (otherwise I’m tired of falling, I’ve already broken my nose and it’s generally painful)?

Answer: Your symptoms are very unusual, it is advisable to carry out the examination in a hospital, since it is possible that there are not only problems with the gastrointestinal tract. But you also need to exclude so-called neuroendocrine diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In general, I recommend going for an examination at diagnostic center without waiting for the next attack.

In the 19th century, ladies from high society very often lost consciousness. This happened according to various reasons: with unpleasant news, from heat or fright. At that time, doctors explained this phenomenon as a result of insufficient nutrition or a consequence of wearing tight corsets. How to faint now? To do this, it is not at all necessary to wear clothes that tighten your chest or exhaust yourself with hunger - this phenomenon can affect almost everyone.

What is fainting

Fainting is a short-term loss of consciousness that occurs completely suddenly and is most often associated with metabolic disorders in the brain. The reasons for this situation may be different - you can actually lose consciousness due to poor nutrition or lack of fresh air. Some people may faint in very specific situations: at the sight of blood, a small mouse, or a huge bear.

How to faint on purpose? Oddly enough, this question worries many. Actors very often have to lose consciousness on stage, and this must be done as believably as possible. Some people faint on purpose in order to attract attention. Fortunately or unfortunately, a person cannot control his consciousness, so it is almost impossible to purposefully lose it. However, there are several recommendations that can trigger this process.

How to faint

First of all, it is worth noting that causing loss of consciousness artificially unsafe. This may entail quite serious consequences, which, in turn, may be accompanied by negative phenomena.

Women's tricks have always aroused admiration among others. Losing consciousness is a great way to attract the attention of a young man. In fact, he wouldn’t ignore such an incident? However, it should be recalled once again that artificial loss of consciousness can provoke quite serious health problems, in particular with the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Moreover, without knowing how to faint quickly and correctly, you can seriously hit your head.

How can you provoke loss of consciousness?

There are several ways that may help with the issue of how to faint on purpose. They are mostly caused by poor circulation or lack of oxygen in the brain. In addition, hyperventilation can also trigger a short-term loss of consciousness.

For example, you can find some tips on how to faint. Here is one of them: you need to do several deep squats (about 20), stand up sharply, close your mouth thumb hands and blow into it with all your strength. The likelihood that you will lose consciousness after this is maximum. When doing such an experiment with your body, it would be wise to worry in advance about the safety of the fall. To do this, it is better to place pillows or mattresses on the floor, and also remove all furniture with sharp corners away.

How to lose consciousness

Of course, such an experiment is not suitable for all cases. Agree, in order to attract the attention of strangers, this method is irrelevant. You won’t be squatting hard next to a young man, and then blowing into your finger with all your might. There's one more enough effective method: first you need to squat down, then stand up sharply, hold your breath and at the same time try to tense all the muscles of the body as much as possible. Most likely, loss of consciousness will follow immediately after this.

There is another option to lose consciousness artificially. It’s worth warning everyone right away, this is a rather dangerous method. You just need to squeeze your carotid artery. First, you need to take several deep breaths and exhales, and then, holding your breath for a few seconds, press on the carotid artery. This method must be used very carefully.

All these methods are good when you need to faint just like that, for the sake of experiment. What if the situation requires you to lose consciousness, but in such a way that it looks natural?

How to lose consciousness correctly

Of course, in front of a young man, a girl is unlikely to squat or squeeze her carotid artery. Moreover, such experiments can lead to very undesirable consequences. For example, artificial fainting can cause quite serious oxygen deprivation and, as a result, coma. In addition, during a short-term loss of consciousness, convulsions may be observed - not a very pleasant sight.

That is why it is worth turning to more safe ways simulating fainting. Anyone can artistically play a fainting state, and even more so for girls. To begin with, it is worth noting that the loss of consciousness itself is accompanied by certain signs, so there is no need to make sudden falls. So, in order to simulate a fainting state, you need to gradually slow down your speech, blink your eyes often and wince. People around you should get the impression that you feel bad and are trying to concentrate your attention.

How to fake fainting

Imitation of fainting begins first of all with slow speech and attempts to concentrate. Then you need to complain to others about feeling unwell and ask for help (bring water or take you to fresh air). And after that, while moving, you need to show all your acting skills - carefully stumble and fall. There are also several nuances here: it is advisable to fall on your knees, and only then completely lower your entire body. It is worth paying attention to one detail - in no case should you put your hands forward when falling, as this is a protective reaction of the body.

After this, you need to close your eyes and relax as much as possible. If suddenly someone around you raises your hand, it should naturally return to its original position. Only in this case will fainting look realistic and truthful. You shouldn’t lie too long - someone might get seriously scared and call an ambulance.

Now seriously

Performing a performance in front of others is a simple matter. But how to behave if a person really fainted, the reasons for which are unknown to anyone? First of all, it is necessary to ensure proper blood flow to the brain; to do this, you need to put the victim on his back and slightly raise his legs. It will be important to ensure maximum influx fresh air. And then you can bring ammonia to your nose or just spray it on your face cold water. It’s good if there are people nearby who can help the victim who has lost consciousness.

What to do if you find yourself alone in such a situation? It is clear that a person cannot control his consciousness and direct his actions. However, as already mentioned, fainting is preceded by some signs that eloquently signal the onset of the condition.

First self aid

It is worth noting that natural loss consciousness is a phenomenon worth paying attention to. The types of fainting make it possible to determine the presence of some pathology, and timely access to the hospital will help to avoid serious complications.

Fainting is accompanied by various symptoms. Before losing consciousness, a person experiences weakness and dizziness, sounds seem to become distant, appear dark spots before your eyes. In this case, you need to lower yourself as quickly as possible so as not to cause harm to your body. After this, you need to try to take a horizontal position and raise your legs slightly above head level, as well as ensure maximum flow of fresh air.

You should not resort to such dubious methods that can provoke loss of consciousness. Sometimes, in order for others to really think so, it is enough just to show a little artistry and exclaim: “Oh, I almost fainted!”

Fainting is enough unpleasant condition, causes and harbingers, which everyone should know.

It gets dark before your eyes, and the ground disappears from under your feet - this is how people describe the fainting that happened to them. Although a momentary loss of consciousness is not always a sign of serious problems, it is better to know why it happened.

Fainting occurs as a result of decreased blood flow and, consequently, lack of oxygen in the brain. A sudden narrowing 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 blackout. This short-term loss of senses, lasting from a few seconds to two minutes, is medically called syncope or fainting.

Despite the rapid development of this condition, it is possible to notice the characteristic signs of impending loss of consciousness. Feeling weak in the legs or general lightheadedness, dizziness, flickering before the eyes and ringing in the ears, skin pale and covered in cold sweat.

A person instinctively tries to lie down or sit down with his head hanging between his legs, which helps prevent falling and even loss of consciousness itself. For some time after recovering from a fainting state, a rare and weak pulse, low blood pressure, pallor and general weakness persist.

General classification of fainting

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 the rise in the elevator.

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

Neurogenic - occurs due to disruption of the autonomic nervous system.
Somatogenic - their occurrence is caused by changes in the body due to diseases or disruptions in the functioning of internal organs. Among them, the most common are loss of consciousness of a cardiogenic nature, occurring due to diseases of cardio-vascular system.
Psychogenic - caused by nervous shock, accompanying 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 growth period. The cause may be either vasodilation (in this case we speak of vasomotor syncope) or a decrease in pulse rate (vasovagal syncope). The reasons that cause them are different, but usually obvious.

Strong emotions (pain, fear, jar of Hearts, type of blood), prolonged standing, heat or stuffiness provoke vasopressor fainting. They develop gradually and can be prevented by noticing the signs mentioned above.
When a person stands up suddenly, especially after sleeping or sitting for a long time, there is a risk of orthostatic syncope. It also occurs due to hypovolemia (as a result of blood loss, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.), after a long period of bed rest, as a result of receiving medicines, lowering blood pressure. But sometimes its cause lies in autonomic failure or polyneuropathy.
A tight collar, tie or neckerchief that is too tight when turning your head pinches the arteries that carry blood to the brain. Carotid sinus syndrome (sinocarotid syncope) is observed. Similar irritation of the peripheral nerves leads to loss of consciousness when swallowing.
Nighttime urination after sleeping in a warm bed can cause a rare occurrence of nocturic syncope in men (mainly older people).

Heart disease and other somatic causes of loss of consciousness

Of all the fainting spells of a somatic nature, the leading one is cardiogenic. 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 cardiac output.

The reasons lie in diseases such as:

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

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

Why do people still faint?

Mental illnesses 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, is added a feeling of fear and even panic.

However, sometimes for the sake of condition strong fear All it takes is a visit to the dentist, the sight of blood, or the need to speak in front of a large gathering of people. A person experiences a feeling of lack of air, breathing becomes excessively frequent and deep. Sometimes increased 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 prone to hysterical manifestations and who has already fainted. The loss of senses does not last long, is accompanied by picturesque poses, occurs only in the presence of strangers, typical circulatory disorders (decreased pressure, change in pulse rate) and changes in breathing are not observed.

Sometimes such an attack can last several hours, with no changes vital functions. Although the purpose of hysterical fainting is to attract attention, it is not always a conscious phenomenon. The victim’s emotions 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 the slowing of blood supply to the brain.

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

changes 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 (heatstroke and sunstroke);
decrease in oxygen in the air (for example, when climbing mountains) or carbon monoxide poisoning;
poisoning leading to a decrease in blood pressure, including vasodilation under the influence of alcohol;
taking medications (especially antihypertensives).

Since they are often neurogenic in nature, their onset can be prevented.

Although most of Fainting occurs for understandable and low-risk reasons; it is better to avoid situations that can cause such a condition. When it's unclear why does 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 maintain a horizontal position or sit with his head bowed to increase blood flow to the brain.

Syncope is a short-term sudden fainting caused by sharp decline blood flow in the brain.

What could be the reasons for loss of consciousness? Learn the first signs, risks and methods of helping a person affected by sudden loss consciousness.

What is syncopation

Syncope is physical state, characterized sudden and quick loss consciousness(usually accompanied by a fall) followed by an equally rapid spontaneous recovery.

In common parlance, the described condition is called by the more familiar term - fainting.

It must be emphasized that sudden fainting can be considered if the following conditions are simultaneously met:

Unconscious state should be short(on average 15 seconds, and only in some cases several minutes) and be accompanied by spontaneous recovery. Otherwise, what occurs is not fainting, but coma.
Loss of consciousness must be accompanied loss of balance. In some forms of seizures that cannot be classified as syncope, there is no loss of postural tone (standing or sitting position is maintained).
Loss of consciousness must be a consequence stopping or reducing blood flow to the brain. Which, however, quickly returns to normal physiological values. For this reason, for example, a decrease in blood glucose levels, which can also lead to loss of consciousness and a fall, is not classified as syncope, since cerebral perfusion (blood supply) remains normal.

Pathogenesis - the process that leads to fainting

To maintain a state of consciousness, the brain needs to receive 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 maintained by perfusion, i.e. the pressure with which blood circulates in the brain tissues, which, in turn, is a direct consequence of blood pressure and cerebral vascular resistance.

For this reason, any factor that lowers blood pressure and increases cerebral vascular resistance will reduce cerebral perfusion pressure and therefore the amount of blood flowing to the brain.

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

To summarize, a decrease in cerebral blood perfusion depends on:

Reduced stroke volume.
Decreased heart rate.
Increased vasodilation.
Increased cerebral vascular resistance.

Symptoms that accompany sudden fainting

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

This symptomatology is called presyncope and is characterized by:

dizziness and nausea.
feeling of lightheadedness.
cold sweat and pallor.
lack of strength, which does not allow maintaining an upright position.
flashes and disturbances in the field of vision.

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

Recovery from syncope, as already mentioned, occurs quickly and completely. The only symptom that elderly patients sometimes complain about is a feeling of fatigue and amnesia, which concerns events that occurred during fainting, but which, however, does not compromise the ability to remember subsequent events.

From what has been said, it is obvious that syncope is not a disease, it is transitional symptom, which happens quickly and unexpectedly, and passes just as quickly. Syncopation, in most cases, does not imply serious illnesses, but in some situations may represent a signal of serious danger to the patient's life.

Types of syncopation and causes

Causes of fainting...

Depending on the pathology of the mechanism that causes this condition, syncope can be divided into:

Neurotransmitter frill. This is a group of fainting spells, the peculiarity of which is a general temporary hyperactivity of the autonomic nervous system, which, regardless of our will, regulates blood pressure with the help of blood vessels and heart rate.

As a result of this hyperactivity, blood circulation changes, in particular, bradycardia or vasodilation develops, or both conditions at once. The consequence is a decrease in blood pressure or systemic hypotension, which determines cerebral hypoperfusion and, therefore, a decrease in the release of blood that reaches the brain.

There are different types of neurotransmitter syncope, the most common are:

Vasovagal. Various syndromes that result from stimulation of the vagus nerve and lead to temporary loss of consciousness. The triggers that cause this condition are very diverse, for example, prolonged standing, emotions, etc.
Carotid. Develops due to increased sensitivity of the carotid sinus located in the initial section carotid artery. Common activities such as shaving, adjusting a shirt collar, or tying a knot in a tie can activate the sinus reflex, which causes temporary cardiac asystole (absence of systole (beating of the heart)) as well as hypotension. The consequence is cerebral hypoperfusion and syncope.
Situational. Due to the multitude different situations, which combine forced exhalation with the glottis closed. All this leads to increased pressure inside the chest, which counteracts the return of venous blood to the heart. This results in a decrease in stroke volume and, consequently, in systemic blood pressure. Receptors located in the carotid sinus “detect” a drop in pressure and, to compensate for the imbalance, excite sympathetic system, which causes an increase in heart rate and constriction of blood vessels. Syncope, in this rapid sequence of events, is a consequence of a decrease in pressure caused by a decrease in stroke volume. Situations that most often cause this type of fainting are coughing, sneezing, straining to defecate, urinating, swallowing, physical exercise, lifting weights, after eating, etc.

Orthostatic hypotension. Orthostatic hypotension is said to occur when, within a few minutes of moving to a vertical position from a lying position, the systolic pressure in the artery decreases by more than 20 mmHg. This condition is quite common in older people.

It is often based on the following mechanism:

When moving to a vertical position, about a liter of blood, under the influence of gravity, moves from the chest to the legs. This situation determines a significant decrease in venous return to the heart and, as a consequence, a decrease in stroke volume, since the cavities of the heart are not completely filled. This results in a decrease in stroke volume and blood pressure.

Under physiological conditions, the body reacts to such situations through a variety of countermeasures. In older people, however, this subtle mechanism is impaired (neurovegetative failure) and therefore there is no recovery normal pressure, which can lead to fainting.

Neurovegetative failure is caused by several conditions, the most common are:

Parkinson's disease. Degenerative disease of the central nervous system - can affect and alter the autonomic nervous system and therefore the sympathetic nervous system.
Diabetic neuropathy. It is a complication of diabetes that can damage the peripheral nervous system.
Amyloid neuropathy. Degeneration of the autonomic and peripheral nervous system occurs as a result of mutation of a protein (transthyretin) that circulates in the blood. The altered protein settles and attaches to the tissues of the autonomic nervous system, leading to neurovegetative failure.
Alcohol abuse and opiate use. Alcohol and opium derivatives interfere with the functioning of the sympathetic nervous system.
Medicines. ACE inhibitors used for arterial hypertension, alpha blockers for hypertension and hypertrophy prostate gland, tricyclic antidepressants, etc. may cause fainting, especially in older people.
Orthostatic hypotension, and then syncope due to neurovegetative failure may result from hypovolemia. Those. a decrease in circulating blood volume, which determines a deficiency of venous return.

Syncope from cardiac arrhythmia. Cardiac arrhythmias are disturbances in the normal rhythm of the heart. With these abnormalities, the heart may beat faster (tachycardia) or slower (bradycardia). Both abnormalities can cause decreased cerebral perfusion and thus syncope.

Some of the diseases that most often cause heart rhythm disturbances are given below.

Pathological sinus tachycardia . Increased pulsation due to various reasons (elevated temperature, anemia, hyperfunctioning thyroid gland) above 100 beats per minute.
Ventricular tachycardia. An increase in heart pulsation of more than 100 beats per minute, with the formation of electrical signals from muscle contractions outside the heart, that is, the sinus node. What gives violations in reduction.
Pathological sinus bradycardia . Decrease in heart rate below 60 beats per minute. It can have many causes - hypothyroidism, diseases of the sinus node (the part of the heart that generates impulses), etc.

Syncope from cardiac or cardiopulmonary disorders. They are heterogeneous, but are determined by a decrease in blood output and, as a consequence, a decrease in cerebral perfusion.

The main ones are:

Heart disease. Those. heart valve disorders. Determines incomplete filling of the cavities of the heart and, consequently, a decrease in stroke volume and hence a decrease in perfusion pressure.
Myocardial infarction. Necrosis of cardiac tissue caused by ischemia due to blockage of one of the arteries of the heart.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy . Weakening of the muscle tissue of the heart. This condition results in loss of cardiac function and in some cases may result in sudden fainting.
Pulmonary hypertension . Increased pressure in the pulmonary artery, which connects the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs and carries venous blood. The increase in pressure occurs due to increased vascular resistance in the lungs or in the case of embolism.

Violations cerebral circulation . Caused by cerebral perfusion (reduced blood flow) when blood flow is blocked in the vessel that supplies the brain and limbs.

Diagnosis of the causes of fainting

Since syncope appears suddenly, lasts very little, on the order of a few seconds, and disappears quickly and spontaneously without a trace, it is reasonable to assume that it will be very difficult to make a correct diagnosis. That is, find the reason causing loss consciousness. All this means that in many situations the patient will have to undergo a long diagnostic course. A process that does not always lead to the identification of the exact cause.

One of the diagnostic methods is the exclusion technique. For this:

Study the medical history. The patient's previous medical history and its possible relationship to loss of consciousness.
Patient examination with measuring blood pressure both in the supine and orthostatic (standing) positions.
ECG to detect any abnormalities in the development of the heart.

Upon completion of this first stage, the data obtained is consolidated and more specific studies are prescribed:

Doppler ultrasound of the heart. To view the muscles in action, along with the valves that close the cavities.
Holter blood pressure study. To evaluate changes in values blood pressure in 24 hours.
Holter ECG. To assess heart rate during the day.
ECG under stress. The presence of coronary heart disease is checked, which may reduce the range of blood delivery.

How to save a person who has fainted

Treatment for fainting will of course depend on the cause and, in general, efforts should be made to avoid further recurrences.

If syncope is based on somatic diseases, it is necessary to direct treatment to it - when the disease is cured, the problem of fainting disappears. Alternatively, chronic pathologies need to be kept under control.

If fainting caused by arrhythmia, you can install a pacemaker, which normalizes the pulsation of the heart.

If syncope occurs due to severe hypovolemia, intravenous fluids may be given.

Typically, moving to a prone position allows you to return to a state of consciousness. It is also recommended that the victim:

lay down on the floor on his stomach;
raised his legs up so that, under the influence of gravity, blood rushed to the brain.
remained lying there until he recovered completely.

If the patient is quickly brought to an upright position, another syncope may occur.

If loss of consciousness persists for several minutes, you should immediately call an ambulance.

Forecast and possible consequences

Except in cases of serious heart disease that may threaten the patient's life, the prognosis is usually positive.

As already mentioned, syncopation is benign disorder , so it can not be considered a real disease. As such, it does not harm the victim. But, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Loss of consciousness includes loss of vertical position, which is accompanied by a sharp, awkward fall, often leading to serious injuries, especially in older people.

This is a state that, for sure, even if it has not happened in everyone’s life, is nevertheless familiar as such. Fainting is a sudden, but short-term attack loss of consciousness, the condition of which is a temporary disruption of cerebral blood flow. In addition to cases of fainting of a neurogenic or other nature loss of consciousness can occur as a manifestation of various conditions and a symptom of various diseases.

Causes of fainting and other types of loss of consciousness

Accompanies the following body conditions:

epilepsy;
hypoglycemia (temporary decrease in blood glucose levels);
cerebrovascular accidents (for example, due to fatigue or lack of oxygen);
sudden changes in blood pressure;
brain concussion.

Persistent loss of consciousness happens with more serious consequences for the body. Even with timely medical care and resuscitation actions, such conditions pose a danger to human health and life. These include:

extensive cerebral hemorrhage, stroke;
stop or serious violations heart rate;
rupture of aortic aneurysm (subarachnoid hemorrhage);
various types of shock;
severe traumatic brain injury;
acute poisoning of the body;
vital damage important organs And internal bleeding, heavy blood loss;
various types of asphyxia, conditions that develop as a result of oxygen starvation;
diabetic coma.

Loss of consciousness of neurogenic origin observed in the picture of primary peripheral autonomic failure. It is also called progressive autonomic failure, which has chronic course and is represented by diseases such as idiopathic orthostatic hypotension, strio-nigral degeneration, Shy-Drager syndrome (variants of multiple system atrophy).

Loss of consciousness of somatogenic origin observed in the picture of secondary peripheral failure. She has acute course and develops against the background somatic diseases(amyloidosis, diabetes, alcoholism, chronic renal failure, porphyria, bronchial carcinoma, leprosy and other diseases). Dizziness in the picture of peripheral autonomic failure is always accompanied by other characteristic manifestations: anhidrosis, fixed heart rate, etc.

In general, call loss of consciousness There can be a variety of circumstances, for example:

severe hypothermia or overheating, resulting in freezing or heat stroke;
lack of oxygen;
dehydration of the body;
severe pain and traumatic shock;
emotional shock or nervous tension.

The reasons may lie in insufficient oxygen content in the blood due to suffocation, poisoning, metabolic disorders, for example, or , . Loss of consciousness may also contain direct effects, such as head injuries, hemorrhages of various natures (mainly in the brain), poisoning (for example, alcohol or mushrooms), as well as indirect effects (for example, internal and extensive external bleeding, states of shock, heart disease and inhibition of the brain center responsible for blood circulation).

Clinical manifestations of loss of consciousness

Usually, fainting is a symptom of a more serious illness, indicating the need to contact medical specialist, create or adjust a treatment regimen. In certain cases, fainting passes without a trace. However, loss of consciousness is accompanied by a wide range of symptoms - from an exclusively faint state to a complex of symptoms and organic disorders during coma or clinical death.

As mentioned earlier, this is a sudden and short-term loss of consciousness that occurs as a result of a temporary disruption of cerebral blood flow. Symptoms of fainting usually consist of a feeling of lightheadedness and nausea, foggy consciousness, flickering in the eyes, and ringing in the ears. The patient develops weakness, yawning, legs give way, the person turns pale, and sometimes perspiration appears. IN as soon as possible comes loss of consciousness- the pulse quickens or, conversely, slows down, muscles weaken, neurological reflexes disappear or weaken, blood pressure decreases, heart sounds weaken, the skin turns pale and gray, the pupils dilate, and their level of reaction to light decreases. At the peak of fainting or if it lasts too long, convulsions and involuntary urination are likely to develop.

It is necessary to distinguish between fainting of epileptic and non-epileptic nature. non-epileptic nature develops in the following pathological conditions:

decreased cardiac output - heart rhythm is disturbed, aortic stenosis develops or pulmonary arteries, angina attack or heart attack;
violation nervous regulation vessels - for example, when quickly taking a vertical position from a horizontal one;
decreased oxygen content in the blood - anemia, asphyxia, hypoxia.

Epileptic seizure

Develops in sick individuals. Its occurrence depends on a combination of intracerebral factors - the activity of the seizure focus and general seizure activity. Factors that provoke an epileptic attack may be various states body (menstruation, sleep phases, etc.) and external influences (for example, flickering light). Difficulties in identifying a seizure may be due to the fact that in certain cases the seizure is non-convulsive and there are no characteristic symptoms. Diagnostic information is provided by a blood test for creatine phosphokinase and electroencephalography (EEG).

An epileptic attack begins suddenly with tonic muscle contractions, lasting about a minute and moving into a phase with sharp twitching of the whole body. Often a seizure begins with a scream. In the majority of cases, saliva mixed with blood is released from the mouth. Epileptic dizziness and fainting are less common and are especially often combined with attacks caused by cardiovascular disorders. The correct diagnosis can be made if they are recurrent in nature without signs of circulatory disorders.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia- a pathology that develops when the concentration of glucose in the blood decreases. The reasons for a drop in sugar levels may include dehydration, poor nutrition, excessive physical activity, disease state of the body, alcohol abuse, hormonal deficiency and other factors.

Manifestations of hypoglycemia are as follows:

excitement and increased aggressiveness, restlessness, anxiety, fear;
excessive sweating;
arrhythmia and tachycardia;
tremor and muscle hypertonicity;
pupil dilation;
visual disturbances;
pale skin;
increased blood pressure;
disorientation;
headache, dizziness;
impaired coordination of movements;
focal neurological disorders
respiratory and circulatory disorders (central origin).

Hypoglycemia, with its rapid development, can contribute to neurogenic syncope in individuals predisposed to it or lead to a soporous and comatose state.

Traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury- damage to the bones of the skull and/or soft tissues (brain tissue, blood vessels, nerves, meninges). Depending on the complexity of the damage, there are several types of TBI:

concussion is an injury that is not accompanied by persistent disturbances in brain function; symptoms that occur immediately after injury either go away over the next few days or mean more serious damage brain; the main criteria for the severity of a concussion are the duration (from several seconds to hours) and the subsequent depth of loss of consciousness and amnesia;
brain contusion - there are mild, moderate and severe bruises;
compression of the brain - possibly through a hematoma, foreign body, air, focus of injury;
diffuse axonal damage;
subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Symptoms of TBI include impairment or loss of consciousness (stupor, coma), damage to cranial nerves, and cerebral hemorrhages.

State of shock

Shock - a pathological condition of the body that develops under the influence of a super-strong irritant that causes disturbances in vital functions. The causes of shock and loss of consciousness against its background are severe conditions of the body, which are accompanied by:

severe pain reaction;
major blood loss;
extensive burns;
a combination of these factors.
A state of shock is manifested by a number of symptoms:
instant depression of body functions after short-term stimulation;
lethargy and indifference;
the skin is pale and cold;
the appearance of perspiration, cyanosis or grayishness of the skin;
weakening of the pulse and acceleration of its frequency;
breathing is frequent but shallow;
dilated pupils, subsequently loss of vision;
possibly vomiting.

First aid for loss of consciousness

Loss of consciousness is a condition that can pass without a trace for the body, can mean a dangerous symptom of a developing disease, and can already at a given specific moment pose a danger to the life of the victim. Therefore, despite the need to promptly apply for professional help, you need to know the measures first first aid a person who has lost consciousness.

When fainting

The main danger of fainting is that all muscles relax, including the tongue, the retraction of which can block Airways. Before the ambulance arrives, it is necessary to ensure that the victim is in a recovery position - on his side. Since at the first aid stage it is not always possible to determine the cause of fainting, for example, to differentially diagnose fainting from coma, it is imperative to seek professional help.

During an epileptic attack

The purpose of first aid for epileptic seizure- this is to prevent harm to the health of the epileptic. The onset of an attack is often, but not always, accompanied by loss of consciousness and a person falling to the floor, which must be prevented if possible in order to avoid bruises and fractures. Then you need to hold the person’s head, promoting the flow of saliva through the corner of the mouth so that it does not enter the respiratory tract. If the victim's jaws are tightly closed, there is no need to try to open them. After the end of the convulsions and relaxation of the body, it is necessary to put the victim in a recovery position - on his side, this is necessary to prevent the root of the tongue from retracting. Usually 10-15 minutes after the attack, the person completely returns to his normal state and no longer needs first aid.

For hypoglycemia

Loss of consciousness during hypoglycemia usually does not develop spontaneously; it is preceded by a gradually deteriorating state of health of the victim. Patients who are already unconscious in a state of hypoglycemia should never be given liquids or other foods, as this can lead to undesirable consequences, such as asphyxia. As first aid in such situations, 1 mg of glucagon should be administered intramuscularly; it indirectly causes an increase in blood glucose. In a hospital setting intravenous administration 40% of glucose is more available than glucagon and results in a rapid return of consciousness.

For traumatic brain injury

If there is an episode of loss of consciousness, the patient, regardless of his current condition, needs to be transported to a hospital. This is due to the high potential risk of developing severe life-threatening complications. After admission to the hospital, the patient undergoes clinical examination, anamnesis is collected, if possible, and the nature of the injury is clarified with him or those accompanying him. Then a set of diagnostic measures is performed aimed at checking the integrity of the bone frame of the skull and the presence of intracranial hematomas and other damage to brain tissue.

In shock

First aid consists of providing the victim with peace. If his condition is accompanied by a fracture of a limb, immobilize it; if injured, stop the bleeding by applying a bandage or tourniquet. To improve blood flow to the brain and heart, raise the victim’s legs slightly above head level, warm him up - cover him with outerwear or wrap him in a blanket. If consciousness is preserved and there is no danger of vomiting, give the victim painkillers and fluids. Loss of consciousness is an unfavorable symptom, indicating an urgent need to seek professional help. Urgent hospitalization is required.

The above cases are not exhaustive of the conditions for the development of fainting, and then it is necessary to adequately respond to the person’s condition and certainly seek professional help if fainting affects a pregnant woman, an elderly person or a person with visible manifestations of other diseases.