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Syncope is an abrupt loss of consciousness due to a temporary drop in blood flow to the brain. When this fainting happens due to triggers like seeing blood or strong emotions, it’s called ‘vasovagal syncope’ or ‘reflex syncope’. Before fainting, many people experience a few seconds of symptoms, known as a prodrome. This may include dizziness, lightheadedness, warmth or coldness, pale skin, nausea, sweating, heart palpitations, blurry vision, and unusual sounds or changes in hearing. This blog discusses everything you must know about vasovagal syncope and the signs that you should visit a doctor.
Synopsis
What Causes Vasovagal Syncope?
Several triggers can result in vasovagal syncope. To help decrease the risk of fainting, you can stay away from the triggers, such as:
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Standing for long periods
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Excess heat
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Intense emotions, such as fear
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Intense pain
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The sight of blood or a needle
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Prolonged exercise
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Dehydration
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Skipping meals
Other triggers include:
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Urinating
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Swallowing
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Coughing
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Having a bowel movement
What Are the Symptoms of Vasovagal Syncope?
Fainting is the signature symptom of vasovagal syncope. Often, you may experience certain symptoms before you faint, such as:
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Turning pale
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Getting sweaty palms
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Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
If you lie down as soon as you notice the first signs, you can often prevent fainting. This type of fainting almost always occurs while sitting or standing. However, not everyone notices symptoms before fainting. When someone does faint, lying down helps restore blood flow to the brain, and consciousness usually returns quickly. After fainting, you might not feel completely normal right away. You could feel tired, down, or even nauseous, and some people might vomit. Some people experience vasovagal syncope only once or twice in their life, while others may have it more often without any warning. If any of these symptoms persist, visit our best cardiologist in Sarjapur Road, Bangalore for relief.
How Is Vasovagal Syncope Diagnosed?
Your doctor will start by reviewing your medical history and doing a physical exam. This usually includes checking your blood pressure while lying down, sitting, and standing. An electrocardiogram (ECG) may also be done to check your heart's rhythm. For many children and young adults, this may be enough to diagnose vasovagal syncope, and the doctor can safely assume the fainting isn’t caused by something more serious.
Sometimes, the doctor needs to rule out other possible causes of fainting, especially if they could be dangerous. To do this, your doctor might order tests like:
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Continuous portable ECG monitoring to check heart rhythms over time
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An echocardiogram to look at blood flow and heart motion
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Blood work, if there’s a suspicion of any abnormalities
If these tests are normal, you might need a “tilt table test.” For this test, you lie on a padded table while your heart rate and blood pressure are monitored. The table is then tilted upward, and sometimes medication is given to trigger fainting. If you have vasovagal syncope, you might faint during the tilt.
How Is Vasovagal Syncope Disease Treated?
If you experience warning signs of vagal syncope syndrome, like dizziness, nausea, or sweaty palms, and think you might faint, lie down immediately. Tensing your arms or crossing your legs can help prevent vagal response fainting, and raising your legs can improve blood flow to the brain.
If someone faints due to vasovagal syncope, help them lie down and lift their legs to restore blood flow to the brain. They should regain consciousness quickly but should lie down for a while afterwards.
To help prevent future episodes, your doctor might suggest:
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Avoiding triggers like standing for too long or the sight of blood
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Doing moderate exercise
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Stopping medications that lower blood pressure, such as diuretics
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Eating more salt to maintain blood volume
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Drinking plenty of fluids
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Wearing compression stockings or abdominal binders
Sometimes, medication is needed if fainting episodes are frequent. However, the benefits of these medications can be uncertain, and they are usually considered only after multiple episodes. Your doctor might recommend:
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Alpha-1-adrenergic agonists to increase blood pressure
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Corticosteroids to raise sodium and fluid levels
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Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to regulate the nervous system
If the above vasovagal syncope treatment doesn't work, doctors may try orthostatic training, gradually increasing the time you spend upright using a tilt table. A pacemaker might be necessary in rare cases where there's a significant slowing of the heartbeat.
Conclusion
Vasovagal syncope is fainting caused by a sudden drop in heart rate or blood pressure. While it’s usually not dangerous, you should see a doctor at our cardiology hospital in Sarjapur Road, Bangalore if you faint and have other symptoms or if you fall and get injured. Also, if you're unsure why you fainted, seeking medical advice is important. Check our blog page for the latest medical updates.
FAQ's
Vasovagal syncope can happen to anyone, but some people are more likely to experience it:
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Young adults and adolescents: Over 85% of fainting episodes in people under 40 are due to vasovagal syncope. It's also the cause of about half of fainting episodes in older adults.
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People with recurrent syncope: Those who faint frequently often start having episodes during their teen years, triggered by things like the sight of blood.
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People with dysautonomia: This condition, where the autonomic nervous system (which controls functions like heartbeat and breathing) is out of balance, can make someone more prone to vasovagal syncope.
Seek immediate help if you or someone else faints and:
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Falls from a height or sustains a head injury
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Takes > 2 to 3 minutes to regain consciousness
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Experiences breathing difficulties, chest pain, or pressure
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Has trouble speaking, hearing, or seeing
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Loses bladder or bowel control
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Seems to have had a seizure
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Is pregnant
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Remains confused for hours after fainting
To help prevent fainting, you can:
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Eat regular meals. Smaller, more frequent meals can help.
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Drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated.
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Identify and avoid triggers, like the sight of blood or intense pain.
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Stand up slowly to prevent sudden drops in blood pressure.
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Avoid tight collars on shirts, which can help with certain types of fainting.
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