Vasovagal syncope is a condition that results in fainting mostly experienced by healthy people. The condition would be due to a fainting spell or response to an unpleasant trigger. It tends to occur when the heart rate or blood pressure reduce significantly. The low blood pressure could be due to a body reaction to a certain trigger such as the sight of blood or other extreme emotional distress. The Low blood pressure leads to reduced blood flow to the brain and subsequently ends in a brief loss of consciousness. The loss of consciousness attributable to the lack of blood flow is preceded by loss of muscle tone that bring about falling or slumping over. It is usually harmless and requires little or no treatment. However, during the vasovagal syncope episode a person may get injured. In addition, a doctor may decide to perform further test to rule out other serious causes of fainting such as heart disorders.
Symptoms
There are symptoms that a person shows before they faint due to a vasovagal episode. They may experience: skin paleness, lightheadedness, nausea, tunnel vision, feeling of warmth, a cold, clammy sweat, blurred vision, and yawning. Furthermore, bystanders close to a person experiencing a vasovagal episode may notice: A slow weak pulse, dilated pupils and Jerky abnormal movement. Fortunately, recovery after a visual episode begins immediately after fainting. It generally takes around less than one minute for a person to recover. However, if a person was to stand up within 15 to 30 minutes of fainting they could be at risk of fainting again. Additionally, fainting could be a symptom for other serious conditions, such as a brain or heart disorder. It is advisable for people who have experienced fainting even if it’s due to vasovagal syncope to consult a doctor before especially if the person has never experienced such a condition before.
Facts
There are several facts about the vasovagal syncope condition. These facts help people and doctors understand the major causes and effects of the vasovagal syncope. It is mostly experienced in women who account for around 68 % of the all reported cases while affects normal people from the age of 20-36 years. Vasovagal syncope is reflex condition that is caused by blood vessels dilating in the legs creating a blood pool. In dehydrated conditions a person is more likely to experience vasovagal syncope. Majority of people who experience the condition usually have brief periods of the symptoms that are preceded by the actual loss of consciousness. Furthermore, there are particular days that a person will most likely have more the vasovagal episodes.
Causes
Vasovagal syncope is an exaggerated normal neurological reflex that most people will have experienced in their lifetime. The vasovagal episodes are provoked by certain triggers outlined by specialist. These triggers are: Standing up very quickly; Hunger, dehydration, vomiting or nausea, standing or upright sitting for prolonged periods of time especially if a person stands with legs locked position; At times the condition could be triggered by hyperthermia a condition of having higher body temperature than normal; nerve malfunction resulting in random onsets and in situations where a person is going through abdominal straining; Swallowing or coughing could also result in vasovagal syncope. Micturition syncope due to urination or defecation as a result of having a bowel movement; A laughing intensely can also trigger; Use of definite drugs that have an effect on the overall body blood pressure; In environments that have high temperatures with strenuous work or exercises; A person prone to occasional vasovagal episodes should not be exposed to high altitudes; People bathing with cold water having temperatures of less than 10 Celsius; Pressing certain areas of the body such as the throat, eyes and sinuses which is a vagal reflex; Stressful conditions or the sudden onset of extreme emotions.
In some situations the person does not have to come into contact with some of these conditions but can be triggered by a person been in an unpleasant or painful situation. In these situation a person may be: watching someone experiencing pain, watching some medical procedure, watching someone donating blood, the sight of blood, giving or receiving a needle immunization and in other conditions dental and eye examinations.
In addition to these situations are other situations that are likely to triigere vasovagal syncope. Some of these situations are really serious problems such a problem with a cardiovascular system.
Diagnostic / Test
In cases where a person experiences a vasovagal episode, the person will need to consult a doctor to rule out other serious causes of fainting such as heart problems. Thus diagnosis should be accurate. A patient can aid the doctor in proper diagnosis. They can describe the facts of their conscience loss and help the doctor determine the reason for their vasovagal syncope. The doctor diagnosis by just asking a few questions that relate to episode and correlates the answers given to their medical knowledge. Besides, proper heart diagnosis of vasovagal syncope could depend on the clear description by a patient of their typical trigger causes, symptoms they experienced and the amount of time their vasovagal episode lasted.
Treatments
Treatment of vasovagal in most cases is unnecessary. However, a person can consult a doctor to help identify the fainting triggers and discuss ways of avoiding all of them. At times a person may experience vasovagal episodes so many times that they may be interfering with their quality of life. In such cases the doctor could suggest possible treatment.
The doctor may suggest use of medications. Some of these drugs are used to treat low blood pressure while others are help in beta blockers and serotonin uptake inhibitors. All these are helpful in preventing vasovagal syncope. Midodrine is an example of a drug normally given to patients to treat low blood pressure. Use of drugs to treat vasovagal is to as drug therapy. However, use of these drugs is not usually a guarantee in preventing the vasovagal episodes. Though, use of these drugs is not a guarantee they still help in reducing about 60 -70 % of the episodes.
There are therapies the doctor can suggest that could help prevent vasovagal syncope. They would recommend certain techniques that could help decrease the pool of blood in a patients legs. This therapy could involve foot exercises, tensing leg muscle when standing, wearing compressional stockings and salt increase in the diet. Patients are also advised to avoid prolonged standing especially in hot and crowded places. Additionally, they should drink plenty of water.
A doctor may suggest surgery. In this situations a patient is fitted with an electrical pacemaker that helps regulate their heartbeat. This option is prescribed to patients who have not been helped by other treatments. The pacemakers are used for patient’s cardio inhibitory form of vasovagal syncope. Their use benefits the patient by helping them prevent the vasovagal episodes while also ensuring they are completely cured.
Prevention
Treatment does not prevent all vasovagal episodes. Thus its advisable for patients to perform certain actions when they feel like they’re going to faint. A person can lie down and lift their legs to help prevent vasovagal episodes. This allows gravity to keep blood flowing to the brain. In some cases a person can be unable to lie down is thus advised to sit down and put their head between their knees until they feel better.
Works Cited
J.T. Groothuis, N. van Dijk, W. Ter Woerds. Leg crossing with muscle tensing, a physical counter-manoeuvre to prevent syncope, enhances leg blood flow (2007): 193-201. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16987103.
Johnstone, Michael. "The British Medical Journal." Vasovagal Syncope (1976): 1009 - 1009 . http://www.jstor.org/stable/20411920.
Stephenson, J.B.P. Clinical diagnosis of syncopes (2007): 502-508. . http://jcn.sagepub.com/content/22/4/502.abstract.
