What should you know about syncope diagnosis?

The sequence matters: what you were doing, whether you were standing, warning symptoms, the appearance of your face, movements, breathing, apparent duration, and how quickly you became normal. A witness can provide useful details when the person who fainted remembers little.

The examination may include blood pressure and pulse while changing position, heart and neurological checks, and a review of medicines and medical history. Anaemia, atrial fibrillation, dehydration, and hypoglycaemia are examples of problems a clinician may consider when the story or examination points that way.

Bring a medicine list and write down recent illness, vomiting, diarrhoea, heat exposure, reduced eating or drinking, bleeding, and family history of sudden heart problems. Ask a witness to describe the event in their own words rather than relying on a guess about the cause.

Testing is chosen according to the findings. It may include an electrocardiogram, blood tests, or heart-rhythm monitoring; further tests are considered when symptoms, examination, or the initial results warrant them.

Get emergency help for fainting with chest pain, breathlessness, severe headache, new neurological symptoms, major injury, prolonged confusion, or no prompt recovery. A collapse during exertion, while lying down, or with palpitations also needs urgent evaluation.

Ask what cause is most consistent with the episode, which warning signs should prompt emergency help, whether you should change any activity, and whether follow-up monitoring is needed if the first checks are normal.