Syncope Essay

Syncope is defined as a temporary loss of consciousness as a result of rapidly decreased blood flow and oxygen to the brain (Morag). Syncope is more commonly known as fainting, but includes much more than just that. Someone with syncope loses consciousness easier and more frequently than normal people. Syncope can affect all genders, ages, and races. There are many different types of this illness, such as vasovagal, situational, orthostatic hypotension, acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), cardiac (cardiopulmonary), and neurally mediated syncope, with the most common type being vasovagal (Morag, “Syncope.,” “Syncope (Fainting)”). Doctors must be absolutely sure that the patient has syncope because there have been many reported cases

Nearly all syncope occurs because of blood pressure. Instead of the heart speeding up the pumping flow, the heart slows down and the blood vessels widen instead of narrowing, reducing blood flow to the heart and brain. This causes the blood pressure to fall. When the fall happens, the brain responds immediately. In an act of protection, the brain shuts down the body for a brief amount of time. By falling down and ceasing consciousness, the victim’s blood flow is restored to the brain. Dr. Richard Fogoros explains how strenuous it is to do the simplest of activities by saying,

Every time you stand up, gravity pulls nearly a quarter of your body’s blood supply into your legs and lower body. Your heart and circulation must respond within seconds to keep enough blood flowing to your brain. To meet the challenge, your heart will speed up by 10-15 beats a minute, and your nervous system will tell your arteries to narrow so your blood pressure rise. But if everything is not just right, your blood pressure may drop--and you may

50% of the population has a mild syncopal experience at least once in their lifetime. Although it is not a life-threatening illness, forms of it like cardiac syncope surely increases mortality rates. Life-threatening syncope is nearly always cardiac-related, including heart palpitations, irregularities, murmurs, and the like. Despite cardiac problems, syncope shoots up a red flag if an episode occurs while exercising or without warning, especially if the patient has a family history of syncopal episodes or sudden death. Because the body loses consciousness and cannot remain standing or sitting upright, syncope can result in injury, disability, and in some cases death from head injuries. Annually, about $2 billion are spent on syncopal patients in the United States between hospital stays, treatments, ambulance fees, and additional necessary testing (Morag, “Syncope