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Syncope Treatment

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Reflex Syncope Treatments - An Overview

Syncope is a sudden loss of consciousness where you go limp without any warning and recover after some time. Fainting can occur because of low blood pressure (hypotension, or low heart rate), which may happen if the heart does not supply adequate oxygen to the brain.

Most often, these fainting spells do not last for more than a few seconds or minutes. Moreover, Syncope is quite common and can happen to anyone occasionally. Not all fainting spells are serious, too. However, sometimes, Syncope can be a warning symptom of an impending sudden cardiac death, and hence, it is always better to go for a proper syncope treatment. Also, fainting spells can cause serious injuries.

If you experience unexpected fainting spells, Dr Karthigesan, our syncope specialist who runs an exclusive syncope clinic, will diagnose the reasons and put you on the right treatment path. Dr. Karthigesan’s expertise as a Certified Electrophysiology Specialist is well-known. He has a wealth of experience diagnosing and treating innumerable patients with mild to severe cardiac problems.

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  • Blacking out
  • Dizziness
  • Unexplained falling and injuries
  • Feeling of lightheadedness
  • The feeling of drowsiness or grogginess
  • Fainting episodes after exercising or eating
  • Unsteady feeling or weakness when standing
  • Tunnel vision or changes in vision, such as seeing spots
  • Sudden cardiac arrest
  • Brain stroke/injury

Non-life-threatening causes:

  • Stress
  • Grief
  • Overheating
  • Dehydration
  • Painful stimuli
  • Exhaustion
  • Illness
  • Profound blood loss or fluid loss (severe diarrhoea or vomiting)

Life-threatening causes:

  • Heart failure
  • Arrhythmia or unusual heart rhythms
  • Blood clots or valve diseases
  • Narrowing of the arteries
  • Myocardial Ischemia or blocked blood vessels
  • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy or obstructed blood flow in your heart because of your heart’s structure.
A medical professional monitors the blood pressure of a patient.

Recurring Syncope
Requires a Syncope Specialist

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Types Of Syncope

Vasovagal Syncope
Vasovagal Syncope is the most common reason for fainting spells. It occurs when an unexpected drop in your BP leads to a lesser blood supply to the brain, most often due to dehydration or exhaustion.
Situational Syncope
This type of vasovagal Syncope occurs only in specific situations like micturition or defecation that affect your nervous system and lead to Syncope.
Postural or orthostatic Syncope
This Syncope is due to orthostatic hypotension or low BP when standing upright. This is because the blood cannot travel against gravity to reach the brain.
Cardiac Syncope
Cardiac Syncope occurs when a heart condition or problem with the blood vessels affects the blood flow to your brain, such as arrhythmia, aortic valve stenosis, and aortic dissection.
Neurologic Syncope
Any neurological condition that causes a fainting spell is called a neurological syncope. These causative conditions can be anything from a seizure or stroke to Transient Ischemic Attacks.
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
POTS is a condition where your heartbeat increases by nearly thirty bpm while standing. This rare condition can also cause fatigue, dizziness, and heart palpitations.
Unknown Causes
Syncope can happen due to unknown causes as well. In such cases, Dr.Karthigesan can help diagnose the underlying causes and suggest the best alternatives for you.

Reflex Syncope Treatments

Dr. Karthigesan will suggest any of the following syncope treatments after thoroughly examining and diagnosing your condition:

Avoiding triggers

You can also avoid syncope spells by avoiding anything that triggers them, such as prolonged standing, excessive heat, or giving in to emotional stressors.

Dietary changes

Dr. Karthigesan may recommend some necessary changes to your diet. He may suggest smaller, more frequent meals, more fluid intake, and increased sodium and potassium intake. You should also avoid alcohol, smoking, and caffeinated beverages.

Pacemaker implantation

Some cases of Syncope may require pacemaker implantation. This small device will be inserted below the skin near your collarbone. It will send electrical impulses to your heart through thin wires and help regulate your heartbeat.

Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICDs)

ICDs are small devices delivering electrical impulses to the heart. Its primary purpose is to regulate life-threatening abnormal heartbeats, such as ventricular tachycardia or heart failure.

Medication

Dr. Karthigesan may prescribe new medication to counteract syncope spells or modify your medications.

Catheter ablation

This is a minimally invasive procedure to cauterise the specific heart cells that cause abnormal heart rhythms. Dr. Karthigesan specialises in catheter ablation procedures, which he has performed more than 2000 to date.
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Syncope Treatment: Answers to Your Queries

Common fainting spells are preventable and mostly harmless. However, fainting spells that occur during exertion and due to existing genetic disorders can be life-threatening. Serious fainting spells or syncopes are caused by cardiac arrhythmia in hearts that are already damaged due to heart attacks. Another reason for Syncope is a defective electrical system hindering the heart’s capacity to pump blood.

In some cases, fainting is the only warning sign of an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that could lead to sudden cardiac arrest and death. The risk of cardiovascular Syncope increases with age. Cardiovascular Syncope usually is sudden and might cause injury. There may be no warning signs that an individual is about to faint.

Syncope, fainting spells, or transient loss of consciousness can indicate an underlying cardiovascular issue. Hence, you should consult a Cardiac Electrophysiologist. Dr. Karthigesan is a Certified Electrophysiologist Specialist (CEPS) who runs an exclusive syncope clinic. He has immense experience diagnosing and treating Syncope. Sometimes, he may collaborate with a neurologist and neurophysicist to work on unusual cases.

After talking to you about your symptoms and other conditions, Dr. Karthigesan will suggest various diagnostic tests to identify the root cause of your Syncope. Some of the diagnostic tests include:

  • Physical examination and Orthostatic Vital Signs.
  • Electrocardiogram, otherwise known as ECG or EKG, where electrodes are placed on your chest, arms, and legs to record an electrical graph of your heart’s rhythm.
  • Echocardiogram or transesophageal echocardiogram or ultrasound of the heart.
  • Holter monitoring or ELR monitoring based on your health conditions.
  • Exercise stress tests where your ECG is recorded during a strenuous exercise.
  • Head-up tilt table test that measures how your BP and heart rate respond to upright tilt simulating prolonged standing.
  • Electrophysiology Study or EP study tests the heart’s electrical activity. It is also used for heart rhythm disorder diagnosis.

We may also suggest in-home diagnostic monitors such as:

  • Holter monitor, a portable electrocardiogram machine you should wear for at least a week. This device records your heart rhythms for a specific period.
  • An external loop recorder is another portable ECG device which can record your ECG for one or two weeks.
  • In some cases, Dr Karthigesan may advise using an ILR( implantable loop recorder)

The best way to prevent Syncope is to know what’s causing it. If an underlying heart issue is a reason, you should get it diagnosed and treated with the right reflex syncope treatments.

If you have recovered quickly from a fainting episode and are in good health, you need not see a doctor. However, you should immediately consult your physician if you:

  • Faint during exercising
  • Experience recurring fainting spells
  • Get injured during a fainting episode
  • Take longer than a few minutes to become conscious

If you consult Dr. Karthigesan for syncope treatment, kindly ensure you follow up with another appointment two or four weeks after getting in or outpatient treatment. If Dr. Karthigesan uncovers an issue with your heart’s rhythm or structure, you will require additional appointments.

CONSULTATION LOCATIONS

Nungambakkam
Address

Capstone Clinic,
5, Chockalingam St,
Tirumurthy Nagar, Nungambakkam,
Chennai 600034

Working Hours
On Appointment basis
Call for Appointment
+91 99622 52500
Greams Road
Address

Apollo Hospitals, 21, Greams Lane, Off Greams Road,
Chennai 600006

Working Hours
Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm
Call for Appointment
+91 99622 52500
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