MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute | Fainting (Syncope) - MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute

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Common causes of fainting and how it can be treated

Vasovagal syncope happens when your body overreacts to a “trigger,” such as the sight of blood, severe emotional stress, being dehydrated, standing up too long, hyperventilating, certain medications, or after vigorous exercise. Your heart rate drops suddenly, and you faint. In most cases, vasovagal syncope only lasts seconds to a minute and it is not harmful. You should contact your medical provider if you have unexpectedly fainted and if you have never fainted before.

Tests

Diagnosing a potential heart or vascular condition is the first step to developing a treatment plan. Our specialists may recommend one or more diagnostic and imaging procedures.

Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive way to diagnose and treat a variety of heart and vascular conditions by guiding thin, flexible tubes called catheters through blood vessels to problem areas.

Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your heart.

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

An electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, measures the heart’s electrical activity.

Electrophysiology Testing

Electrophysiology testing is used to evaluate the cause and location of an abnormal heartbeat (known an arrhythmia).

Event Monitors

An event monitor is a small device that records the heart’s electrical activity. It’s similar to an electrocardiogram, but whereas an electrocardiogram takes place over a few minutes, an event monitor measures heart rhythms over a much longer time.

Holter Monitors

A Holter monitor is a small device that records the heart’s electrical activity. It’s similar to an electrocardiogram, but whereas an electrocardiogram records over a few minutes, a Holter monitor records over the course of a day or two.

Loop Recorder

A loop recorder is a device that’s implanted underneath the skin of your chest to record your heart rhythm for up to three years.

Stress Tests

Stress tests are used to assess how your heart works during physical activity. There are several types of stress tests, including treadmill or bike stress tests, nuclear stress tests, stress echocardiograms, and chemically induced stress tests.

Tilt Table Test

Tilt table testing allows your doctor to determine the cause of explained fainting while monitoring changes in your blood pressure and heart rate while tilted at different angles.

Treatments

Our heart and vascular teams work together and with other specialties to develop and implement individualized plans to treat a wide variety of conditions. This could include lifestyle modifications, medication, or more advanced treatments.

Leadless Pacemakers

A leadless pacemaker is a small capsule placed in the heart’s right ventricle that delivers an electric pulse to regulate the heartbeat.

Pacemaker

A pacemaker is a device that helps control various types of heart rhythm disorders.

Cardioneural ablation (CNA)

Treating recurring vasovagal syncope with cardioneural ablation

Cardioneural ablation (CNA) is a special medical treatment for people who have problems with their heart rhythm.

What patients would benefit from cardioneural ablation?

Patient who have: 

  • Have hearts that beat too slowly
  • Faint often because their body overreacts to things like pain or stress (this is called vasovagal syncope)

Right now, many people with these problems use medicine or get a pacemaker to help their hearts. But CNA might be another good option as it shows promise as a viable alternative to permanent cardiac pacing and pharmacotherapy for patients with symptomatic functional bradycardia and debilitating vasovagal syncope (VVS).

How does cardioneural ablation work?

The procedure uses a thin tube (catheter) to reach certain nerves near the heart. Instead of fixing the heart muscle itself, this treatment works on the nerves that help control how fast or slow the heart beats. These nerves are part of the autonomic nervous system, which controls things we don’t have to think about—like breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.

Sometimes, these nerves send the wrong signals to the heart, making it beat too slow or too fast. CNA helps by changing or blocking the nerves that are sending the wrong messages—especially a nerve called the vagus nerve. This helps the heart beat more normally by fixing the problem at its source, instead of just treating the symptoms.

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MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.