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(Circulation. 2002;106:1048.)
© 2002 American Heart Association, Inc.

Cardiology Patient Page

Fainting

David G. Benditt, MD; MaryAnn Goldstein, MD

From the Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School (D.G.B.) and the Midwest Arrhythmia Research Foundation (D.G.B., M.G.), Edina, Minn.

Correspondence to David G. Benditt, MD, Mail Code 508, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. E-mail bendi001@umn.edu

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

The concept of fainting (also known as blacking-out, passing-out, or in former days, swooning) is generally well understood by the public. In fact, most people so readily accept fainting that fainters often seek medical attention only after several episodes have occurred. This apparent lack of concern possibly arises from the fact that about 30% of the population have survived a faint, whereas many others may have observed friends or associates recover spontaneously from faints. Nevertheless, few understand why fainting occurs, what the common causes are, and when and how faints should be evaluated.

The Faint

A faint (the medical term is syncope, derived from the Greek word meaning "to cut short") is a temporary loss of consciousness. Initially, the stricken individual often reports a feeling of lightheadedness or dizziness, along with the sense that hearing is fading and vision is darkening. Other warnings can include rapid or irregular heart rhythm, nausea, and sweating. However, some individuals, particularly older patients, may lose memory at the moment of the faint, and have no recall for warning symptoms.¹

If standing, the fainter can fall down because of the loss of skeletal muscle control; if seated, he/she can slump over. Sometimes, after unconsciousness has set in, the arms and legs may jerk briefly. These movements often confuse witnesses, who then report that a seizure or fit has occurred. Although the distinction is difficult for the untrained eye, jerky movements during a faint are not the same as those with an epileptic seizure. Similarly, loss of bowel . . . [Full Text of this Article]