Vasovagal syncope, also known as vasovagal syndrome, reflex syncope or neuromediated syncope, is a sudden and transient loss of consciousness, caused by a brief reduction in blood flow to the brain.
This is the most common cause of syncope, also called common fainting, and it happens when there is a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate due to an inappropriate stimulus to the vagus nerve, a nerve that extends from the brain to the stomach, and is very important to regulate several vital functions. Understand the functions and anatomy of this nerve.
Although vasovagal syncope is benign and does not pose serious health risks, it can be extremely uncomfortable and cause worrying consequences such as causing falls and fractures. There is no specific treatment for the condition, but it is possible to take measures to prevent syncope, such as reducing stress, staying hydrated and exercising.
The exact causes that lead to the onset of the vasovagal syndrome are still unclear, but this change is more common in young people aged 20 to 30, and in elderly people over 70 years old.
Main symptoms
In vasovagal syncope there is a brief loss of consciousness, which lasts from a few seconds to minutes. Although it usually appears suddenly, some signs and symptoms may appear before syncope, such as:
- Fatigue and weakness; Sweat; Nausea; Visual changes; Dizziness; Paleness; Headache; Dysarthria, which the difficulty to pronounce the words. See more about what it is and the causes of dysarthria; Tingling or numbness throughout the body.
Recovery after fainting is usually quick and some people, especially the elderly, may experience symptoms after awakening, such as disorientation, mental confusion, headache, nausea and dizziness.
How to confirm
To diagnose vasovagal syndrome, and differentiate it from other types of dizziness, the doctor must make a careful clinical evaluation, identifying the symptoms, physical examination, observation of the medications used and ordering tests, such as electrocardiogram, holter and laboratory analysis.
The tilt test is an exam that can be indicated to help confirm, when there are doubts about the cause of syncope. It is an examination performed by an experienced cardiologist, as it tries to simulate a condition that will usually trigger loss of consciousness, especially when it arises due to changes in posture. Thus, during the test, the patient is lying on a stretcher, which will be tilted to a position that may cause changes in blood pressure, and may also have stimuli from drugs.
Also check out other tests that assess heart health.
What are the causes
Vasovagal syncope is caused by a drop in blood pressure and heart rate due to certain stimuli to the vagus nerve. The exact cause that leads to the development of this reaction by the organism is still unclear, however, some of the main situations that trigger this change are:
- Anxiety; Extreme emotional stress; Fear; Pain; Changes in room temperature; Standing for a long time; Physical exercises.
In addition, it is important to observe whether the patient uses any medication that may be stimulating the onset of seizures, such as diuretics or beta-blocking antihypertensives, for example.
In addition, the doctor should investigate other causes of fainting that can be confused with vasovagal syndrome, such as arrhythmias or epilepsy, for example. Check out the main causes of fainting and how to avoid it.
How the treatment is done
The main form of treatment for vasovagal syndrome is with the adoption of measures to avoid the triggering causes and prevent new crises, such as not standing for a long time, getting up quickly, staying in a very hot environment or being very stressed.
In addition, staying well hydrated, drinking 1.5 2 liters of water a day, and removing antihypertensive drugs that may be making your condition worse, are very important measures. If symptoms appear that indicate the crisis, you can adopt positions that relieve the condition, such as lying with your legs elevated, performing muscle contraction maneuvers and breathing deeply.
The use of medications may be indicated by the doctor in cases that do not improve with the initial treatment, such as Fludrocortisone, which is a mineralocorticoid that increases the retention of water and sodium in the bloodstream, or Myodrine, which is a medicine which increases the heart's blood vessels and the heart, helping to keep blood pressure stable.
