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February 10, 2012

Fainting (cont.)

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Fainting (Syncope) At A Glance

  • Being unconscious is not normal; those affected should seek medical care.

  • Syncope may be caused by a variety of mechanisms.

  • Some causes of syncope can be a warning of a life-threatening situation. Most times, syncope is a relatively benign situation.

  • While most episodes of syncope can be easily explained, some patients never receive a diagnosis or know the specific cause.

REFERENCES:

Fauci, Anthony S., et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008.

FIFA.com. Getting to the heart of cardiac problems.
<http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/news/newsid=1121851.html>


Last Editorial Review: 4/8/2010


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