Fainting Health Article

What to expect at your health care provider's office

When you see your doctor, the focus of the questions will be to determine whether you simply fainted, or if something else happened (like a seizure), and to figure out the cause of the fainting episode.

The questions will include:

• How would you describe the dizziness that you felt before fainting? Did you feel light-headed, off-balance, or like the room was spinning?
• Was the faint associated with convulsions (jerking muscle movements), tongue trauma, or loss of control of your bowels?
• When you regained consciousness were you aware of your surroundings or were you confused?
• Did you experience chest pain or heart palpitations when you fainted?
• Is this the first time you fainted?
• When did you faint? What were you doing before it occurred? For example, were you going to the bathroom, coughing, or standing for a long time?
• Does fainting occur when you change positions -- for example, go from lying to standing?

The physical examination will focus on your heart, lungs, and nervous system. Your blood pressure may be measured in several different positions.

Tests that may be performed include:

• ECG
• Holter monitor
• X-ray of the chest
• Echocardiogram
• EEG

References

American College of Emergency Physicians. Clinical policy: critical issues in the evaluation and management of patients presenting with syncope. Ann Emerg Med. 2001; 37(6): 771-776.

Marx J. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby, Inc; 2002.

Ganzeboom KS. Prevalence and triggers of syncope in medical students. Am J Cardiol. 2003; 91(8): 1006-1008, A8.