What is the difference between coma and fainting. Fainting and loss of consciousness - what's the difference? What is the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness

Fainting, as already mentioned, is a short-term loss of consciousness. Coma is characterized by profound impairment of consciousness from 1 to 4 degrees and is characterized not only by loss of consciousness, but also by inhibition of unconditioned reflexes (tactile, pain, pupillary, corneal, etc.) up to complete their absence

Coma and fainting not only do not resemble each other in duration, but also in what happens to the body at this time. During a coma, the human brain greatly reduces its activity, but many doctors and scientists say that a person in a coma is able to perceive the information that he hears, but during a faint, I personally did not perceive anything.

No, a coma - it can last several days, months in duration, passes in a more severe form, and fainting is a short-term loss of consciousness by a person, after which he comes to his senses, lasts for about a few minutes.

Yes, they really are two different things. I will give you the definitions of coma and fainting and you will see the difference right away.

Coma (from the Greek. koma - deep sleep, drowsiness), coma, life-threatening

a condition characterized by loss of consciousness, a sharp weakening or lack of response to external stimuli, the extinction of reflexes until they disappear completely, a violation of the depth and frequency of breathing, a change in vascular tone, an increase or slowdown in the pulse, a violation of temperature regulation. Coma develops as a result of deep inhibition in the cerebral cortex with its spread to the subcortex and underlying parts of the central nervous system due to acute circulatory disorders in the brain, head injuries, inflammation (with encephalitis, meningitis, malaria), as well as as a result of poisoning (with barbiturates, carbon monoxide, etc.) this causes disturbances in the acid-base balance in the nervous tissue, oxygen starvation, ion exchange disorders and energy starvation of nerve cells. Coma is preceded by a pre-coma, during which the development of these symptoms occurs.

Fainting, an attack of weakness, dizziness, darkening in the eyes, followed by loss of consciousness (complete loss of consciousness may not be), due to short-term anemia of the brain. Causes of Fainting: a reflex drop in vascular tone in diseases of the cardiovascular system, blood loss, various external influences (pain, fear, excitement, a quick transition from a horizontal to a vertical position, stuffiness in the room, etc.). During an attack, the patient is pale, his body is cold to the touch, his breathing is shallow, rare. Fainting lasts for a few seconds or minutes; usually goes away on its own. With a significant duration of fainting, in order to quickly bring the patient to consciousness, it is necessary to lay him down, raise his legs, unbutton his collar, loosen his belt, provide fresh air, sprinkle cold water on his face, and warm his legs with heating pads. If conditions permit, it is necessary to give the patient hot strong sweet tea to drink, help him to rise, sit down and only get up if he feels satisfactory.

normal metabolism

The general condition of the patient. Coma states can also be manifested by sudden and prolonged loss of consciousness and gradual and prolonged loss of consciousness. In addition to assessing the impairment of consciousness and elucidating the etiological factor, it is important to assess the general condition of the patient. To assess the function of the bridge and the medulla oblongata in a patient in a coma state, cold stimulation of the oculovestibular reflex is performed.

There are no harbingers and guarantees of a way out of a coma. After coming out of a coma, a person does not orient himself in the time spent unconscious, and remembers absolutely nothing. Coma is preceded by a pre-coma, during which the development of these symptoms occurs. So, coma (Greek koma - deep sleep, drowsiness) is a life-threatening condition in which a person loses consciousness, shows little or no reaction at all to external stimuli.

The causes of this condition may be different, but they all lead to deep inhibition in the cerebral cortex with its spread to the subcortex and the underlying parts of the central nervous system. For doctors dealing with people who have fallen into a coma, there are many nuances by which they determine the exact diagnosis of "coma".

SUDDEN

AND LONG-TERM LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Sometimes a person comes out of a coma, but falls into the so-called chronic vegetative state, in which only wakefulness is restored, and all cognitive functions are lost. This condition can last for months or even years, but the prognosis is unfavorable - as a rule, as a result, the patient dies from infections or bedsores.

Systematization

types of loss of consciousness

Unfortunately, in Russia today the level of care provided to patients in a coma and vegetative state is not at the proper level. And this can radically change the current opinion that a person in a coma is a person who has lost consciousness.

This complex question is all the more relevant given that recent studies have confirmed that 30% of patients in a coma actually show signs of consciousness. BP reflects the severity of the condition. Definition of coma, collapse, fainting. The main clinical characteristics of the assessment of the state of consciousness.

The severity of coma depends on the duration of neurological and autonomic disorders. Note. The correlation between Glasgow scores and mortality in coma is highly significant. The clinic distinguishes 5 degrees of severity of the general condition of the patient: satisfactory, moderate, severe, extremely severe and terminal.

A state of moderate severity - consciousness is clear or there is moderate stunning. Severe condition - consciousness is impaired to a deep stupor or stupor. Coma states. 3. Prolonged loss of consciousness with a gradual onset. With loss of consciousness, there is a reduced muscle tone and a weakening of the tendon reflexes. If within a few minutes the patient, despite emergency care, does not recover consciousness, one should think about the development of a coma.

Are common

If the patient subsequently has even a ketoacidotic coma, his condition will not worsen from this, and in case of hypoglycemia, this simple method of treatment will save the life of the victim. The same should be done if fainting occurs. Do not put lotions and ice on your head. To get out of a fainting state, give the victim to drink cold water and smell a cotton swab moistened with ammonia.

A LOSS

CONSCIOUSNESS WITH UNKNOWN BEGINNING AND

To optimize the treatment of this condition, a correct and rapid systematic approach to diagnosis is needed. Lack of consciousness is one of the few truly medical emergencies. Often the damage that caused the coma is progressive, and the more the patient goes untreated, the worse the prognosis. If there are any signs of improvement in the patient's condition, the administration of the drug at the same dose is repeated.

Physical examination

Depression can occur at any age, and in an unconscious patient, the possibility of an overdose of antidepressants should always be considered as an etiological factor. First of all, the state of consciousness should be defined in general terms: anxious, lethargic, stuporous, unresponsive. Further, the stuporous state is described depending on the reaction to stimuli. Metabolic coma is characterized by brainstem symptoms and relatively intact pupillary reflexes.

Urgent measures

With loss of consciousness, all reflexes are preserved, muscle tone is within normal limits, the body is able to respond to various stimuli and is easily restored without loss of function. After coming out of a coma, the nervous system does not always recover. If conditions permit, it is necessary to give the patient hot strong sweet tea to drink, help him to rise, sit down and only get up if he feels satisfactory.

Coma (coma) is a life-threatening condition characterized by a complete loss of consciousness. One of the main differences between coma and loss of consciousness (fainting) is their duration. Coma is a state of deep disorder of consciousness, in which the patient retains only some of the main reflex reactions to external stimuli.

Fainting. Collapse. Coma. Acute vascular insufficiency. Definition. Terminology. Definition of coma, collapse, fainting.

Definition of coma, collapse, fainting. The main clinical characteristics of the assessment of the state of consciousness. Sudden and brief loss of consciousness due to narrowing or occlusion of the arteries supplying the brain. Pathogenesis.

The ability to provide emergency care is an absolute requirement for any medical worker, regardless of his specialty. Syncope and COMA are among the most common cases of depression that require urgent medical assistance. Collapse can be a harbinger of fainting and also deserves the closest attention.

Definition of coma, collapse, fainting.

1. Syncope is characterized by generalized muscle weakness, decreased postural tone, inability to stand upright, and loss of consciousness (Raymond D., Adams et al., 1993).

2. Coma (from the Greek cat - deep sleep) - a complete shutdown of consciousness with a total loss of perception of the environment and oneself, and with more or less pronounced neurological and autonomic disorders. The severity of coma depends on the duration of neurological and autonomic disorders. Coma of any etiology (ketoacidotic, uremic, hepatic, etc.) have common symptoms and are manifested by loss of consciousness, decrease or disappearance of sensitivity, reflexes, skeletal muscle tone, and a disorder of the autonomic functions of the body (VFO). Along with this, there are symptoms characteristic of the underlying disease (focal neurological symptoms, jaundice, azotemia, etc.).

3. Collapse (from Latin collabor, collapsus - weakened, fallen) - acutely developing vascular insufficiency, characterized by a drop in vascular tone and a relative decrease in the volume of circulating blood (BCC). Loss of consciousness during collapse can occur only with a critical decrease in the blood supply to the brain, but this is not an obligatory sign. The fundamental difference between collapse and shock is the absence of pathophysiological signs characteristic of the latter: sympathoadrenal reaction, microcirculation and tissue perfusion disorders, acid-base state, generalized cell dysfunction. This condition can occur against the background of intoxication, infection, hypo- or hyperglycemia, pneumonia, adrenal insufficiency, with physical and mental overwork. Clinically, the collapse is manifested by a sharp deterioration in the condition, the appearance of dizziness or loss of consciousness (in this case we will talk about fainting), the skin becomes pale, cold sweat appears, mild acrocyanosis, shallow, rapid breathing, sinus tachycardia. The degree of BP reduction reflects the severity of the condition. Emergency care is similar to the treatment of syncope.

4. Acute vascular insufficiency - a violation of venous return due to an increase in the capacity of the vascular bed. The presence of acute vascular insufficiency in the victim does not necessarily have to be accompanied by fainting; the latter occurs only when the blood supply to the brain drops below the critical level. Fainting and coma are quantitative syndromes of disturbance (oppression) of consciousness. In our country, a working classification of the oppression of consciousness, proposed by A. I. Konovalov et al., (1982), has been adopted, according to which 7 degrees of consciousness assessment are distinguished: clear; stunning is moderate; the stun is deep; sopor; coma moderate; deep coma; coma is overwhelming. Qualitative syndromes of disturbance (clouding) of consciousness (delirium, oneiroid syndrome, amentia and twilight disorders of consciousness) are presented in the topic “Emergencies in Psychiatry”.

TOclassification of oppression of consciousness (A. I. Konovalova). Assessment of the state of consciousness. Degrees of oppression of consciousness. Glasgow scale.

The main clinical characteristics of the assessment of the state of consciousness (A. I. Konovalov et al., 1982)

Clear consciousness - its complete safety, adequate reaction to the environment, full orientation, wakefulness.

Moderate stun - moderate drowsiness, partial disorientation, delayed response to questions (often requires repetition), slow execution of commands.

Deep stupor - deep drowsiness, disorientation, almost complete sleepy state, limitation and difficulty in speech contact, monosyllabic answers to repeated questions, execution of only simple commands.

Sopor (unconsciousness, deep sleep) - almost complete absence of consciousness, the preservation of purposeful, coordinated protective movements, opening of the eyes to pain and sound stimuli, episodic monosyllabic answers to multiple repetitions of the question, immobility or automated stereotypical movements, loss of control over pelvic functions.

Moderate coma (I) - unawakening, chaotic uncoordinated protective movements to painful stimuli, lack of eye opening to stimuli and control of pelvic functions, slight respiratory and cardiovascular disorders are possible.

Deep coma (II) - unawakening, lack of protective movements, impaired muscle tone, inhibition of tendon reflexes, severe respiratory failure, cardiovascular decompensation. Transcendental (terminal) coma (III) - an atonal state, atony, areflexia, vital functions are supported by respiratory apparatus and cardiovascular drugs.

An assessment of the depth of impaired consciousness in emergency situations in an adult, without resorting to special research methods, can be carried out on the Glasgow scale, where each answer corresponds to a certain score (see Table 14), and in newborns - on the Apgar scale.

Table 14. Glasgow scale.

I. Eye opening:

II. Response to pain stimulus:

Flexion response 2

Extension response 3

Localization of irritation 5

Running command 6

III. Verbal response:

Inarticulate Sounds 2

Incomprehensible words 3

slurred speech 4

Orientation full 5

The assessment of the state of consciousness is made by cumulative scoring from each subgroup. 15 points correspond to a state of clear consciousness - stunning, 9-12 - sopor, 4-8. - coma, 3 points - brain death.

Note. The correlation between Glasgow scores and mortality in coma is highly significant. The number of points from 3 to 8 corresponds to a lethality of 60%, from 9 to 12 - 2%, from 13 to 15 about 0 (D. R. Shtulman, N. N. Yakhno, 1995).

ABOUTgeneral condition of the patient. Assessment of the general condition of the patient. The severity of the general sosstanding of the patient.

In addition to assessing the impairment of consciousness and elucidating the etiological factor, it is important to assess the general condition of the patient.

The clinic distinguishes 5 degrees of severity of the general condition of the patient: satisfactory, moderate, severe, extremely severe and terminal.

Satisfactory state - clear consciousness. Vital functions are not impaired.

A state of moderate severity - consciousness is clear or there is moderate stunning. Vital functions were slightly impaired.

Severe condition - consciousness is impaired to a deep stupor or stupor. There are severe disorders of the respiratory or cardiovascular systems.

The condition is extremely serious - moderate or deep coma, fubo pronounced symptoms of damage to the respiratory and / or cardiovascular systems.

The terminal state is an exorbitant coma with gross signs of damage to the trunk and violations of vital functions.

TOomatous states. Causes (etiology) of coma. Classification of coma. The vast majority of coma, depending on the etiological factor, can be reduced to the following three groups (D.R. Shtulman, N.N. Yakhno, 1995):

1. Diseases not accompanied by focal neurological signs.

The cellular composition of the cerebrospinal fluid is normal. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are normal. To this group belong:

Intoxications (alcohol, barbiturates, opiates, anticonvulsants, benzoliazepines, tricyclic anti-depressants, phenothiazines, ethylene glycol, etc.);

Metabolic disorders (hypoxia, diabetic acidosis, uremia, hepatic coma, hypoglycemia, adrenal insufficiency);

Severe general infections (pneumonia, typhoid, malaria, sepsis);

Vascular collapse (shock) of any etiology and cardiac decompensation in old age;

Hypertensive encephalopathy and eclampsia;

Hyperthermia and hypothermia.

2. Diseases that cause irritation of the meninges with an admixture of blood or cytosis in the cerebrospinal fluid, usually without focal cerebral and stem signs. CT and MRI may be normal or abnormal. The diseases in this group include;

Subarachnoid bleeding from aneurysm rupture;

Acute bacterial meningitis;

Some forms of viral encephalitis.

3. Diseases accompanied by focal stem or lateralized brain signs with or without changes in the cerebrospinal fluid. CT and MRI detect pathological changes. This group includes:

Cerebral infarcts due to thrombosis or embolism;

brain abscesses and subdural empyema;

Epidural and subdural hematomas;

According to a simplified classification, a coma is divided into a destructive (anatomical) coma and a metabolic (dysmetabolic) coma (D.R. Shtulman, N.N. Yakhno, 1995).

Loss of consciousness. Types of loss of consciousness. Systematization of types of loss of consciousness. General recommendations for emergency care. Eyewitness Interview Scheme.

Systematization of types of loss of consciousness

For a systematic approach to diagnostics and emergency care, it is most convenient to consider all accidents with loss of consciousness according to the following types (Colin Ogilvie, 1981):

1. Sudden and short-term loss of consciousness.

2. Sudden and prolonged loss of consciousness.

3. Prolonged loss of consciousness with a gradual onset.

4. Loss of consciousness of unknown beginning and duration.

The term "sudden and transient" refers to the duration of loss of consciousness from a few seconds to several minutes, while the term "gradual and prolonged" refers to hours or days. General recommendations for emergency care

The issues of providing emergency care to victims who are in an unconscious state have their own specifics: limited time in a life-threatening condition, lack of medical history and history of the disease makes the doctor be extremely collected and accurately follow the general recommendations below.

1. If possible, an eyewitness should be interviewed according to the scheme shown in Table. 15. The correct interpretation of the data obtained can be a good help in establishing a clinical diagnosis.

Table 15. Eyewitness interview scheme (Colin Ogilvie, 1987).

Provocative factor: heat, excitement, pain, change in body position, physical activity, etc.

Starting position of the body: standing, sitting, lying

Skin color: pallor, flushing, cyanosis

Pulse: frequency, rhythm, filling

Movements: jerky or involuntary; local or general

Fall injury, involuntary urination

Recovery symptoms: headache, confusion, speech disorders, paresis, etc.

2. Any kind of loss of consciousness can be both a consequence and a cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI), so it must be excluded or confirmed at the initial stages of diagnosis and treatment. It should not be forgotten that with a sudden loss of consciousness, a blow to the head against solid objects is possible, which in itself can cause TBI.

3. Quite often, the cause of a coma is alcohol intoxication, but even in the presence of its very characteristic signs, alcohol cannot be considered the root cause of coma until a “drunken” injury is ruled out and laboratory confirmation of a high concentration of alcohol in the blood is obtained.

4. When examining a patient who has lost consciousness, it is necessary to determine the degree of impaired consciousness, its etiology and assess the general condition of the patient.

INnsudden and short-term loss of consciousness. Causes of sudden and short-term loss of consciousness. Simple syncope (postural syncope). Causes (etiology) of simple syncope. The most common cause of sudden and short-term loss of consciousness can be:

1. Simple fainting.

2. Transient narrowing or occlusion of the arteries supplying the brain.

The diagnosis of simple syncope (postural syncope) can be made to the victim only if

if the loss of consciousness occurred in a vertical position, and its recovery occurred a few tens of seconds (up to 5 minutes) after the body was in a horizontal position.

Etiology. Provoking factors for the occurrence of simple fainting can be:

1. Getting up suddenly or standing for a long time, especially in the heat (orthostatic type of syncope).

2. Factors activating vasovagal reflexes - pain, type of blood, fear, psycho-emotional overload, urination, defecation, cough (vasodepressor (vasovagal) type of syncope).

3. Compression of the area of the carotid sinus (fainting in the hypersensitivity syndrome of the carotid sinus).

4. Autonomic neuropathy.

5. Uncontrolled intake of antihypertensive, sedative, antihistamine and other drugs.

The pathogenesis of simple syncope. Clinic of simple fainting. Differential diagnosis of simple syncope (postural syncope).

The pathogenesis of simple syncope is associated with a short-term decrease in the venous tone of the vessels of the lower extremities and the abdominal cavity, i.e., the volume of circulating blood (VCC) becomes relatively small for the vascular bed and blood is deposited in the periphery. This causes a decrease in venous return and a fall in cardiac output and, as a consequence, there is a violation of the blood supply to the brain. The basis of the vasodepressor type of syncope (during defecation, urination) is a sharp increase in intrathoracic pressure during straining, which causes a decrease in venous inflow and a drop in cardiac output.

Fainting can occur suddenly or with warning signs. The harbingers of the development of a simple syncope are the appearance in the victim of a feeling of weakness, dizziness, nausea, blackouts in the eyes. Objectively, at this time, one can note the pallor of the skin, drops of sweat on the face, bradycardia and hypotension. With loss of consciousness, there is a reduced muscle tone and a weakening of the tendon reflexes. A characteristic sign of simple syncope is the appearance of sinus bradycardia. A quick recovery of consciousness in a horizontal position confirms the correctness of the diagnosis of syncope. With deep syncope, urinary incontinence is possible, but this syndrome is more common in epilepsy.

Differential diagnosis of simple syncope (postural syncope).

1. Internal bleeding. If it is present, especially with a slow course with no pain syndrome and visible bleeding, the patient may experience fainting with a fairly quick recovery of consciousness in a horizontal position of the body, but the preservation of tachycardia, instead of typical bradycardia, shortness of breath and pallor of the skin, will be indirect signs existing anemia. The study of red blood indicators plays a decisive role in this situation.

2. Painless forms of acute myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolism may be accompanied by a short-term loss of consciousness. In the horizontal position of the body of the victim after the restoration of consciousness, signs of respiratory and circulatory insufficiency persist with signs of overload of the pulmonary circulation, cardiac arrhythmias, etc. In typical cases, a short-term loss of consciousness for the above reasons occurs when the body is in a vertical position (standing or sitting) . If the loss of consciousness occurred in the victim lying down, one should think either about a violation of the rhythm of cardiac activity (first of all, an attack of Morgagni-Edems-Stokes, or a violation of cerebral circulation.

INnsudden and short-term loss of consciousness against the background of narrowing or occlusion of the arteries, supplyshchih brain. Pathogenesis.

This variant of the pathology is predominantly found in elderly people against the background of atherosclerotic lesions of the arteries supplying the brain.

The basis of pathogenesis can be:

2. Embolism of individual parts of the brain with small embolisms that form at the site of narrowing of the arteries.

3. Mechanical strengthening of the existing occlusion.

4. "Syndrome of subclavian steal".

5. Aortic stenosis.

1. Spasm of the arteries of the brain, as the cause of cerebrovascular accident, can be assumed if fainting occurred against the background of a migraine attack or a hypertensive crisis.

2. The site of stenosis of the vertebral or carotid arteries supplying the brain can be a source of microemboli formation. When a patient comes out of a fainting state of this etiology, a characteristic sign is the appearance of specific neurological symptoms:

Loss of vision in one eye (transient amaurosis) or hemiparesis that developed immediately after fainting indicate an acute circulatory disorder in the carotid artery system;

The appearance of dizziness, hemianopsia, diplopia and imbalance indicates an acute circulatory disorder in the system of vertebrobasilar arteries.

3. Fainting that occurs against the background of mechanical strengthening of the existing stenosis of the vertebral arteries is called the "Sistine Chapel syndrome". This condition was first described in elderly tourists in Rome when examining Michelangelo's frescoes on the dome of the Sistine Chapel. Loss of consciousness is associated with prolonged hyperextension of the neck and compression or kink of the vertebral arteries.

4. "Subclavian steal syndrome" occurs against the background of the initial stenosis of the subclavian arteries proximal to the place of origin of the thyroid trunk. With intensive work with the hands, the blood flow in the vertebral arteries becomes retrograde and acute cerebral ischemia occurs.

5. A short-term loss of consciousness is possible against the background of aortic stenosis, with rapid exercise; a harbinger of fainting may be the appearance of ischemic pain in the region of the heart.

In children, less often in adults, one of the causes of a short-term loss of consciousness may be a "small epileptic seizure" (absence). During such an attack, it is sometimes possible to notice instantaneous movements of the muscles of the face, eyes, or limbs. In terms of duration, these seizures are so short that the victim does not have time to fall and can only drop what was in his hands.

If within a few minutes the patient, despite emergency care, does not recover consciousness, one should think about the development of a coma.

Coma states can also be manifested by sudden and prolonged loss of consciousness and gradual and prolonged loss of consciousness.

INnsudden and prolonged loss of consciousness. Scheme of examination of a patient in a coma.

Sudden and prolonged loss of consciousness may be a manifestation of acute cerebrovascular accident (ACV), hypoglycemia, epilepsy and hysteria. If the patient does not regain consciousness within a few minutes during emergency care, the contents of the pockets and wallet of the victim can serve as additional information: prescriptions for specific drugs or the drugs themselves can suggest the correct path for diagnosis and treatment. Having a home phone number will allow you to quickly contact relatives and get information on issues of interest; a diabetic or epileptic card will indicate the probable cause of the coma. To prevent possible undesirable legal complications, checking the contents of pockets should be carried out in the presence of witnesses, followed by an inventory of everything found. After that, you should proceed to the clinical examination in accordance with the table. 16.

Table 16. The scheme of examination of a patient in a coma (according to Colin Ogilvie,

1. Skin: moist, dry, hyperemic, cyanotic, icteric

2. Head and face: the presence of injuries

3. Eyes: conjunctiva (hemorrhage, jaundice); pupillary reaction to light; fundus (disk edema, hypertensive or diabetic retinopathy)

4. Nose and ears: discharge of pus, blood; liquorrhea; acrocyanosis

5. Tongue: dryness; bite marks or scars

6. Breath: smell of urine, acetone, alcohol

7. Neck: neck stiffness, carotid pulsation

8. Chest: frequency, depth, rhythm of breathing

9. Heart: rhythm disturbance (bradycardia); sources of cerebral embolism (mitral stenosis)

10. Abdomen: enlargement of the liver, spleen or kidneys

11. Arms: blood pressure, hemiplegia, injection marks

12. Brushes: frequency, rhythm and filling of the pulse, tremor

13. Feet: hemiplegia, plantar reflexes

14. Urine: incontinence or retention, protein, sugar, acetone

First of all, when examining a patient, TBI should be excluded. At the slightest suspicion, an x-ray examination of the skull in 2 projections should be done.

Focal neurological symptoms suggest the presence of acute cerebrovascular accident.

Fresh bites of the tongue or old scars on it will most likely indicate epilepsy.

The diagnosis of hysterical coma should be made only after the complete exclusion of organic pathology. It should be emphasized that this complication of hysteria, despite the prevailing opinion, is quite rare.

The presence of multiple marks of subcutaneous injections in typical places will indicate diabetes mellitus, and multiple marks of intravenous injections, often in the most unexpected places, suggests drug addiction.

At the slightest suspicion of a hypoglycemic state, without waiting for laboratory confirmation, it is necessary to urgently inject 40-60 ml of 40% glucose solution intravenously. If the patient subsequently has even a ketoacidotic coma, his condition will not worsen from this, and in case of hypoglycemia, this simple method of treatment will save the life of the victim.

Prolonged loss of consciousness with a gradual onset. Causes (etiology) and diagnosishEskie signs of coma with a gradual onset and prolonged loss of consciousness.

Coma states that develop gradually in a hospital, as a rule, do not present difficulties in diagnosis. So, if a patient has an acute liver failure that is not treatable, then later he may develop a hepatic coma. The main causes of gradual and prolonged loss of consciousness are given in Table. 17. Issues of diagnostics and treatment of coma, given in this table, are discussed in the corresponding chapters of the textbook.

Table 17 Most common causes and diagnostic features of comatose states with gradual onset and prolonged loss of consciousness (according to Colin Ogilvie, 1987).

Is there a difference between loss of consciousness and fainting?

Seeing a loved one or a stranger suddenly fall to the floor is very scary. It is impossible to determine at first glance what happened to him, is he fainting or losing consciousness. In general, is there a difference between these two concepts? Indeed, for a person who does not have a medical education, the two terms are synonymous, and the unexpected unconscious state of an outsider can be differentiated incorrectly. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how these concepts differ, what causes them and what threatens health.

The development of fainting

Fainting, or syncope, is not a serious illness. It occurs as a result of insufficient blood supply to the brain or as a symptom of a certain disease. Consciousness returns without medical intervention in an average of seconds. Syncope can be either epileptic or non-epileptic. A person who has suffered a syncope of the first form recovers for a longer period of time.

Syncope not associated with epilepsy includes:

simple;
accompanied by convulsions, when one has to observe involuntary muscle contraction;
lipotomy;
orthostatic - during a change in body position;
bettolepsy - in chronic lung diseases;
vasodepressor.

An important feature of fainting is that it has three stages of its development:

Pre-fainting state. Appears:

sudden and severe weakness;
increased sweating;
yawn;
ringing, noise in the head and ears;
the presence of circles or flies before the eyes;
pallor of the face;
numbness of the limbs.

Fainting. It develops mainly when a person is standing. If you have time to lie down in time, most likely, the initial signs will disappear, and the fainting itself will not occur, because. blood supply to the brain will resume in full. The duration of unconsciousness varies from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.

During this period, the victim turns pale, the skin becomes gray, pale, hands are cold, breathing is shallow, the pulse is weak, hard to feel, sometimes thready, blood pressure decreases. Reflexes are preserved, and the pupils also react to light. If the duration of syncope exceeds several minutes, convulsive contraction of the muscles, involuntary urination is possible.

Post-fainting state. First, hearing returns, noise, voices come from afar, then vision returns to normal. There is a feeling of emptiness, fatigue, breathing and pulse become more frequent.

There are quite a few reasons that cause fainting, so every person at least once in his life has experienced this unpleasant state. Main reasons:

problems with the functioning of the nervous system;
disease of the cardiovascular system;
decrease in blood glucose levels;
stress;
injury;
a sharp increase in pressure;
intoxication and dehydration;
epilepsy;
alcohol intoxication.

In the presence of certain diseases, fainting can smoothly turn into loss of consciousness. It is worth understanding what causes this, and what symptoms it manifests itself.

What you need to know about loss of consciousness?

This condition in humans is necessarily accompanied by a prolonged lack of response to any stimuli. This condition is a symptom of a serious illness, a violation of the central nervous system. It lasts from several minutes to half an hour or passes into a coma. There is no reaction to pain, bright light, cold, voices, etc.

Loss of consciousness is of two types:

Short-term - from a few seconds to two or three minutes. The person does not need medical attention.
Prolonged, or persistent - is fraught with negative consequences for health, and in the absence of medical assistance can be fatal.

Loss of consciousness develops similarly to fainting, and the factors that provoke the development of this condition are not very different. These are, in particular:

anemia;
anaphylactic, infectious or allergic shock;
overwork;
head injury;
poor blood supply to the brain;
oxygen starvation;
lowering blood pressure;
epilepsy;
diseases of the cardiovascular system;
heart attack;
stroke;
complication after serious illness;
blood clots;
sharp pain;
sharp rise.

Men are more at risk for:

excessive physical activity;
strength exercises;
alcohol intoxication.

Women are more likely to faint from:

bleeding;
exhaustion by strict diets;
stress;
gynecological diseases;
pregnancy.

The main difference between these two conditions is in the cause and consequences for health. The cause of syncope is a decrease in the amount of incoming blood to the head, as a result - a lack of oxygen and nutrients. The duration is up to two minutes. Loss of consciousness lasts more than five minutes.

In this case, damage to the nerve endings and brain tissues occurs, which subsequently affects the health and normal functioning of all internal systems. Its cause, as a rule, becomes a severe pathology, in particular, stroke, heart problems, epilepsy.

Having studied the methods of Olga Markovich in the treatment of strokes, as well as the restoration of speech functions, memory and the removal of constant headaches and tingling in the heart, we decided to bring it to your attention.

In a person after a faint, all reflexes, neurological and physiological reactions are immediately restored, and after losing consciousness, this will take more time, sometimes it does not happen at all. How quickly the victim recovers depends on the time he was in an unconscious state. The longer it is, the more damage will be done to the brain.

After a faint, a person can remember what happened to him; during the diagnosis, changes in the brain are not noticeable. Loss of consciousness is accompanied by memory impairment and pathological changes in the cerebral cortex.

Methods for diagnosing pathologies

After the victim was given first aid, consciousness returned to him, you should pay attention to the symptoms that arise. The following symptoms should be cause for concern:

Increased sweating.
Weak pulse, fewer beats.
Rapid heartbeat, from 155 beats.
Pain in the chest and shortness of breath.
Low pressure even when the victim has taken a horizontal position.

Not every fainting condition is a cause for alarm, it all depends on the reason that caused it. The following conditions are dangerous:

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Seizures can signal ischemia and epilepsy.
If a loss of consciousness caught a person while doing physical exercises, this indicates serious heart disease.
Fainting with a drop in blood sugar can result in coma.
Loss of consciousness when inhaled gas is accompanied by hypoxia and disruption of the myocardium.
Fainting after a heart attack, accompanied by angina and cardiomegaly, can lead to death.
In people over fifty years of age, loss of consciousness indicates heart or vascular disease.

Even a brief lack of consciousness should be a reason to see a doctor. To determine its cause, the following diagnostic methods are used:

Dopplerography and ultrasound of the vessels of the brain.
ECG and ultrasound will help detect abnormalities in the work of the heart.
You will need to visit a therapist who will rule out the presence of hyper- or hypotension.
You should visit a neurologist for examination for vegetovascular dystonia.

When a person is in a faint for more than five minutes, a clinical analysis should be done to determine the level of hemoglobin.

X-rays are needed to examine the lungs. If the doctor suspects that you have an allergy, you need to pass an allergy test.

If a faint occurred in a person under the age of forty, and according to the results of the cardiogram no deviations were detected, a consultation with a neurologist is necessary. After forty years, you need to undergo a complete examination, regardless of the results of the cardiogram.

Possible consequences

Despite the fact that a person experienced a fainting or loss of consciousness, it is necessary to carefully consider the symptom, because the consequences of the transferred condition for the body are difficult to predict. Although, of course, fainting is a less severe phenomenon for the body. Answering the question, what is the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness, the main attention should be paid to the consequences of the transferred state.

Brief syncope does not cause serious health consequences, but loss of consciousness, or deep syncope, is the result of a serious illness. The second develops with arrhythmia, hypoxia, heart failure, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, lowering sugar levels, after excessive physical activity, when the heart malfunctions.

Deep syncope can cause brain oxidation. These conditions require immediate medical attention, diagnosis and medical treatment.

Even a short-term unconsciousness should be a reason to visit the hospital. The doctor will conduct an examination and establish the cause of this phenomenon. Any condition can lead to unexpected and serious consequences. For example, loss of consciousness after hitting the head indicates complications of the trauma, which can later end in coma and death.

In the absence of consciousness, malfunctions occur in the brain. They affect the emotional state, are expressed by memory impairment and mental disorders. The death of brain cells affects the work of other internal organs.

The longer the period of fainting, the more dangerous the ongoing changes in the tissues of the brain and central nervous system. Therefore, having noticed a person who faints, it is necessary to provide first aid and help him recover faster.

So, fainting and loss of consciousness are two completely different concepts. Fainting can smoothly turn into loss of consciousness with complications associated with this condition. The longer the period of being in an unconscious state, the more the brain suffers, and after it other vital organs. You can not ignore the data of the state that happened to you or your loved ones. It is better to consult a doctor and undergo an examination than later experience not a faint, but a loss of consciousness, which threatens to turn into a coma and death.

How is coma different from fainting?

In the section Diseases, Medicines, the question is how does a coma differ from fainting? given by the author Gerber, the best answer is Coma (coma) - a life-threatening condition characterized by a complete loss of consciousness. In a narrow sense, the concept of "coma" means the most significant degree of CNS depression (followed by brain death), characterized not only by a complete lack of consciousness, but also by areflexia and disorders in the regulation of vital body functions. Fainting is an acute vascular insufficiency with a short-term loss of consciousness.

fainting can be easily brought out

Fainting is a reaction to severe unexpected stress, coma is a consequence of a serious illness. and usually last longer.

Bravo, Eliza! You, too, must be a resuscitator. Very high quality definition of states.

Fainting is a short loss of consciousness from which it is easy to bring a person out with ammonia, for example, and a coma is already globally heard about 17 years in a coma of horror

What is the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness

Loss of consciousness is a fairly common phenomenon, and in the Middle Ages young ladies fainted several times a day, and there were good reasons for that. How often people equate the concepts of fainting and loss of consciousness. You can often hear “lost consciousness”, “fainted” when talking about the same case? Is this opinion so erroneous, or are these really synonymous terms denoting the same state. In order to answer these questions, it is necessary to understand the etymology, causes and manifestations of these conditions.

What is fainting

Fainting is a short-term disturbance or loss of consciousness. The condition itself does not pose a danger to human health, unless, of course, it becomes a habit. Since, if fainting becomes a frequent and habitual phenomenon, this may be a symptom of a neuralgic or psychiatric disorder or disease. In this state, a person can be no more than 5 minutes.

What is loss of consciousness

Loss of consciousness is a much broader and deeper concept than fainting. From the point of view of neuralgia and psychiatry, loss of consciousness is characterized as a state when a person has no reaction and awareness of reality. Moreover, this state can last from a few seconds to several years.

Stupor is a state of loss of consciousness, when a person, as it were, falls into a stupor. There is a fading for a few seconds, and at this time there is no reaction to the speech of others and their attempts to “reach out” to the person. And after a short period of time, the person continues to do what he did before the stupor and does not remember what happened to him during these few seconds. They seemed to disappear for him.

Other types of loss of consciousness, such as coma, may last for several years. Under such conditions, a person is connected to artificial nutrition and respiration, because otherwise the body will die. The state of a coma introduces the body into the so-called deep sleep, when the loss of consciousness leads to disturbances in the work of almost all human organ systems.

Fainting is also a type of loss of consciousness, its clinical picture was considered earlier. In addition, it is worth mentioning here the state of confused consciousness, characterized by the "falling out" of some mental processes. For example, a person's speech processes may be disturbed - in this case it becomes impossible to build an adequate speech message, or a person's memory is disturbed - he begins to confuse events. It is also possible to disturb the motor component - movements become either spontaneous and abrupt, or vice versa - passive and slow, not meeting the requirements of the surrounding reality.

Confusional consciousness can be qualified in psychiatry as an independent disease, or as a symptom that accompanies other neuralgic and psychiatric diseases, such as manic syndrome or post-traumatic psychosis.

It is also worth noting such a phenomenon as sopor - a state of loss of consciousness, characterized, on the one hand, by the absence of a reaction to the surrounding reality, and on the other, by the preservation of reflexes. That is, reflex activity functions in response to external influence, pain, but the person does not return to consciousness from this.

What is the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness

Summarizing the above, we can say that loss of consciousness and fainting are different concepts. Fainting is a special case or type of loss of consciousness. The latter includes besides it a lot of other states of different etymology.

Since the main cause of fainting is a decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the blood, it is important to be able to distinguish this condition from other types of loss of consciousness. Since the wrong first aid measures before the arrival of the medical team in other cases, loss of consciousness can lead to the death of the victim.

According to some classifications, fainting is not included in the categories of types of loss of consciousness, but is interpreted as a separate state of short-term loss of perception of the environment, since, unlike other types of loss of consciousness, in most cases it does not imply clinical disorders of the nervous system.

Often we become witnesses of how a person suddenly falls unconscious. How to act in this situation and what caused it? We will talk about this further. Be sure to consider the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness. What should be the emergency assistance to a person?

What is fainting?

Fainting is not a disease. It can be a symptom of some disease, and even then not always. This is just a sudden loss of consciousness as a result of reduced blood flow to the head. Consciousness is restored at the same time spontaneously.

Fainting can be:

Epileptic.
Non-epileptic.

After an epileptic, a very long period of return of the victim to a normal state.

Non-epileptic syncope includes:

Convulsive. Muscle twitching joins the usual fainting.
Simple fainting.
Lipotomy. Mild fainting.
arrhythmic form. It happens with some types of arrhythmias.
Orthostatic fainting. With a sharp change from horizontal to vertical.
Bettolepsy. Syncope occurring during chronic lung disease.
Drop attacks. Very unexpected falls, while the person may not lose consciousness.
Vasodepressor syncope. It happens in childhood.

Syncope symptoms

Fainting can happen unexpectedly. But sometimes before this there is a pre-fainting state.

The first symptoms are:

Unexpected weakness.
Darkening in the eyes.
There is noise in the ears.
Pallor.
Sweating increases.
Numb limbs.
May be bothered by nausea.
Yawn.

Fainting - a short-term loss of consciousness - most often happens to a person at the moment when he is standing. In a sitting position, this happens much less often. And, as a rule, when the position of the body changes, the symptoms of fainting disappear.

Fainting is most often accompanied by symptoms of vegetative-vascular disorders. Namely:

The face turns pale.
Cold limbs.
Sweating increases.
There is a weak pulse.
The blood pressure drops a lot.
Breathing is weak, shallow.
In this case, the pupils react to light and tendon reflexes are preserved.

In this state, a person can be from a few seconds to 2-5 minutes. Prolonged exposure to fainting can cause increased salivation or convulsive twitching of the muscles, limbs, and facial muscles.

Factors that cause fainting

The causes of fainting and loss of consciousness are very similar:

Sometimes fainting can smoothly flow into loss of consciousness. What is it, we will consider further.

What happens when you lose consciousness

The person suddenly falls and does not respond to external stimuli, such as:

Light slaps.
Loud voices.
Cold or warm.
Claps.
Chips.
Pain.

This condition is the result of a dysfunction of the nervous system. If a person is unconscious for a sufficiently long time, then this is already considered a coma.

Loss of consciousness is divided into:

Short-term. Lasts from 2 seconds to 2-3 minutes. In such cases, no special medical attention is required.
Persistent. This condition can have serious consequences for the body. And if you do not provide the necessary medical care in a timely manner, then this can pose a threat to the life and health of the victim.

Manifestations of loss of consciousness are very similar to fainting.

Causes of loss of consciousness

There are several reasons that lead to loss of consciousness:

Insufficient blood supply to the brain.
Lack of nutrition for the brain.
Insufficient oxygen content in the blood.
Problems in the work of the cardiovascular system. Heart rhythm disorder, heart attack.
Atherosclerotic plaques inside the vessels of the brain.
The presence of thrombi.
Quite a long time low blood pressure.
Sudden change in body position. For example, if you suddenly stand up from a sitting position.
shock states:

Anaphylactic.
Allergic.
infectious shock.

10. Complications of serious diseases.

11. Anemia.

12. Pubertal stage of development.

13. Poisoning with oxygen oxide.

14. Head injury.

15. Epilepsy.

16. Stroke.

17. Sharp pain.

18. Nervous tension, lack of sleep, overwork.

The causes of fainting and loss of consciousness in men and women are different.

Women experience loss of consciousness due to internal bleeding, gynecological diseases, if the pregnancy proceeds with pathologies, excessive emotionality or a too strict diet.

In men, alcohol poisoning and heavy physical exertion more often provoke loss of consciousness.

Fainting and loss of consciousness: what's the difference?

They differ from each other in causes and possible consequences. So, with fainting, the cause is a decrease in the volume of blood flowing to the brain, which is accompanied by a sharp drop in blood pressure.

If there is a loss of consciousness for more than 5 minutes, serious damage to the brain tissue can occur, which will affect the person's life. The causes of such conditions can be heart disease, epilepsy, stroke.

These two states differ in their duration. So, fainting lasts most often a few seconds, but not more than 5 minutes. Loss of consciousness is considered to be more than 5 minutes.

Above, we examined the reasons for fainting and loss of consciousness. What is the difference and how the recovery goes, we will study further.

After fainting, all reflex, physiological and neurological reactions are quickly restored.

After loss of consciousness, the recovery of the above reactions is very slow or they are not restored at all. It depends on the time the person has spent in an unconscious state. The longer it takes, the harder it is to recover. It will also be affected by the disease itself, that is, the cause of the loss of consciousness.

When a person faints, as a rule, there is no memory loss, as well as any changes during the ECG.

After a person wakes up, he may not remember what happened, and also, most likely, changes on the ECG will be visible.

Causes of deep fainting

A few words about deep fainting. This is a sudden loss of consciousness. The lack of blood flow to the brain contributes to poor metabolism and the supply of oxygen and glucose.

The reasons for this condition may be the following:

Decrease in blood flow to the brain can be the result of such diseases:

Arrhythmia.
Heart failure.
Violation of cardiac function during physical exertion.

2. Insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain, or hypoxia. May occur in severe upper respiratory tract infections.

3. A sharp drop in blood glucose levels.

Deep syncope with loss of consciousness is a great danger, as it can lead to oxidation of the brain.

If this happens, you should immediately consult a doctor and conduct a complete examination of the body.

Diagnosis after loss of consciousness or fainting

After first aid was provided for fainting and loss of consciousness, and the person came to his senses, it is necessary to analyze the symptoms that may appear.

It is worth paying attention to:

Many dangers can be fraught with fainting and loss of consciousness. What is the difference in developing consequences depends on many factors and the presence of certain diseases in the body. For example:

Fainting in diabetes mellitus, caused by a sharp decrease in blood sugar, can go into a coma.
In case of carbon monoxide poisoning, the victim loses consciousness, brain hypoxia sets in, and myocardial muscle contraction is inhibited.
Loss of consciousness after or during exercise is a signal of a serious cardiac pathology.
A high probability of cardiac pathologies is in older people during loss of consciousness.
Serious heart diseases are signaled by interruptions in his work and before fainting exceed 5 seconds.
With loss of consciousness, convulsions that appear may indicate not only epilepsy, but also cerebral ischemia caused by heart disease.
If a person has cardiovascular pathologies, then loss of consciousness should be considered as a very serious symptom.
If the patient has had a heart attack and has angina pectoris, cardiomegaly, and symptoms of insufficient blood supply, fainting can be fatal.

With a short-term loss of consciousness, fainting, it is necessary to undergo examinations to clarify the cause of this condition. What - we will consider further:

To exclude vegetovascular dystonia, a consultation with a neurologist is necessary.
Consultation with a therapist is needed to exclude hypotension or to prescribe therapy for hypertension.
Ultrasound, ECG, heart holter for finding cardiac pathologies.
Ultrasound, dopplerography for the study of cerebral vessels to detect pathologies.

If there was a loss of consciousness, then the following examinations will be needed:

Blood test to determine the amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
An x-ray is required to examine the lungs.
Get tested for allergens and visit an allergist if allergic asthma is suspected.
Undergo spirography to assess external respiration.

It is worth noting that if fainting occurs in a patient under 40 years of age and there are no anomalies on the cardiogram, then it is necessary to look for the cause along the neurological line. If after 40 there are no signs of damage on the cardiogram of the heart, it is still necessary to start with a complete examination of it.

Consequences of fainting and loss of consciousness

Such changes in health status cannot be ignored.

For a person, fainting and loss of consciousness can have different consequences. The differences are that fainting in a mild form can pass without a trace, and loss of consciousness can be a dangerous symptom of any disease and pose a danger to life.

But in any case, it is advisable to consult a doctor after the incident. So, when fainting, there is a great danger of falling tongue, which can block the airways and the person will die from suffocation. With a traumatic brain injury, loss of consciousness is a risk of developing severe dangerous complications, as well as the risk of coma and death.

In case of loss of consciousness or fainting, metabolic disturbances occur in the brain tissue. This can affect the work of the brain, namely, memory worsens, psychological disorders may occur, and attention will decrease. And of course, it can affect the work of all internal organs. The longer the unconscious state, the more dangerous for life, since irreversible processes in the brain tissues can occur. Therefore, first aid should be provided in a timely manner in case of fainting and loss of consciousness. More on this later.

Assistance to the injured

Consider what first aid is in a condition such as fainting and loss of consciousness: what is the difference is difficult to answer. Assistance is provided in both cases in almost the same way.

As we described earlier, before fainting, a person experiences the first symptoms, that is, he has a pre-syncope state:

Sharp weakness.
The face turns pale.
Pupils dilate.
Perspiration appears.

At this point, if you notice these signs, you need to help the person. What should be done:

Find a place to move the person to a sitting position.
Lower your head below your knees.

With these actions, we will improve the blood flow to the head and prevent fainting, as we will eliminate its cause.

What should be the actions in case of fainting, loss of consciousness:

It is necessary to check the presence of a pulse on the carotid artery and the reaction of the pupils to light.
Lay the victim in a horizontal position, while the legs should be raised above the level of the head. This action ensures blood flow to the head.
If a person has been vomiting, it is necessary to lay him on his side.
Clear the mouth of vomit and prevent the tongue from sinking into the throat.
Loosen or loosen tight clothing.
Provide good air access.

If this is a simple fainting, then these actions are enough for the person to come to his senses. If this was not enough, it is necessary to start resuscitation measures.

It is necessary to make an external influence on the brain in order to start the whole system. For this, as a rule, use:

Ammonia.
Cold water. She can splash her face.
Light pats on the cheeks.

2. If none of the above measures helped, you should call a doctor.

3. If there is no pulse and breathing, artificial respiration and indirect heart massage should be urgently started and continued until the ambulance arrives.

After a person comes to his senses, he cannot immediately get up, since the blood supply has not yet been fully restored. There is a danger that fainting will recur. At this point, it is important to talk with the victim, gradually bringing him to his senses, while controlling his condition. What should be paid attention to, we considered earlier.

Prolonged oxygen starvation of the brain will cause irreversible changes in the functioning of the whole organism and can lead to death.

We examined such serious conditions as fainting and loss of consciousness, how they differ from each other, and also tried to explain. Everyone should not only know about this, but also be able to apply their knowledge in an unexpected situation.

Preventive actions

First of all, if you feel that you may pass out, or if this has already happened to you, it is necessary to avoid such situations. Namely:

Take medications in a timely manner if there are chronic diseases.
Do not stay in stuffy rooms.
Do not bring yourself to excessive fatigue.
Learn to control yourself in stressful situations.
Don't go on strict diets.
It is also not recommended to get out of bed abruptly.
Avoid overworking in the gym.
Remember that feeling hungry can also lead to loss of consciousness.

As a prevention of fainting and loss of consciousness, it is recommended to observe the regime of work and rest, exercise moderately, carry out hardening procedures, and eat rationally and in a timely manner. If there are chronic pathologies, then it is necessary to regularly visit a specialist and undergo therapy for ailments.

What is fainting

Fainting is a brief disturbance or loss of consciousness. The condition itself does not pose a danger to human health, unless, of course, it becomes a habit. Since, if fainting becomes a frequent and habitual phenomenon, this may be a symptom of a neuralgic or psychiatric disorder or disease. In this state, a person can be no more than 5 minutes.

Fainting is characterized by a lack of reaction to the surrounding reality. Before fainting, there may be a feeling of deafness, ringing in the ears, nausea. The skin turns pale, or reddens, in cases where the cause of fainting was overheating.

Basically, people faint due to a decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the blood or when the regulation of cerebral vessels is disturbed, for example, as a result of a sudden change in body position. This condition is also observed as a result of cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial infarction.

And, although the fainting state itself is not dangerous for a person, the reasons that led to it may be a consequence or a symptom of another more dangerous disease, so you need to call an ambulance. Since in a state of fainting, the muscles in a person weaken and relax, a sinking of the tongue can be observed. Therefore, in order to avoid suffocation, it is necessary to turn the person on his side, so that there will be no obstacles for his breathing.

What is loss of consciousness

Stupor - a state of loss of consciousness, when a person seems to fall into a stupor. There is a fading for a few seconds, and at this time there is no reaction to the speech of others and their attempts to “reach out” to the person. And after a short period of time, the person continues to do what he did before the stupor and does not remember what happened to him during these few seconds. They seemed to disappear for him.

Fainting is also a type of loss of consciousness., its clinical picture has been reviewed previously. In addition, it is worth mentioning here the state of confused consciousness, characterized by the "falling out" of some mental processes. For example, a person's speech processes may be disturbed - in this case it becomes impossible to build an adequate speech message, or a person's memory is disturbed - he begins to confuse events. It is also possible to disturb the motor component - movements become either spontaneous and abrupt, or vice versa - passive and slow, not meeting the requirements of the surrounding reality.

Also worth noting is the phenomenon sopor- a state of loss of consciousness, characterized, on the one hand, by the lack of reaction to the surrounding reality, on the other hand, by the preservation of reflexes. That is, reflex activity functions in response to external influence, pain, but the person does not return to consciousness from this.

There are many reasons for loss of consciousness. They can be both external, for example, traumatic brain injury, and internal. At the same time, internal causes can be both in the nature of physiological disturbances in the functioning of the brain, and mental or psychological, as a protective reaction of a person to shock, a state of grief, loss, or prolonged stress.

What is the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness

Summarizing the above, we can say that loss of consciousness and fainting are different concepts. Fainting is a special case or type of loss of consciousness. The latter includes besides it a lot of other states of different etymology.

When a person is in an unconscious state, it is very frightening to others. In most cases, they do not know what happened to the victim - fainting or loss of consciousness. What is the difference between these states? Or are these terms synonymous, as many people think? In order not to get lost in conjecture, you will have to deepen medical knowledge.

Fainting is a loss of reaction to external stimuli and a lack of awareness of the surrounding reality, which come on suddenly and do not last long. In the medical dictionary, fainting is referred to as "syncope". Syncope develops if blood begins to flow poorly to the head, which provokes oxygen starvation of the brain.

Loss of consciousness is a broader and deeper concept. This is the name given to a rather long-term inhibition of the autonomic nervous system and the absence of reflexes, which can be the result of many serious pathologies.

Signs of unconsciousness

When a person is close to fainting, he has:

the ability to reason deteriorates;
buzzing in the ears;
dizzy;
there is frequent yawning and a feeling of stuffiness;
cold extremities;
the skin becomes too pale or acquires a bluish tint (if it is hot in the room or on the street, the skin may, on the contrary, turn red);
bluish nails;
increased sweat secretion;
there is nausea and an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth;
muscles relax sharply;
blood pressure drops;
quickening or slowing of the heartbeat;
pupils dilate.

Then others see that the person "settles".

Disabling consciousness in case of fainting lasts from a few seconds to 2 minutes. The eyeballs roll back, the pressure remains low, the pulse is weak, sweat drops are visible on the skin, convulsions are possible. The victim does not move, does not respond to sounds, light and pain. All the muscles of the body are absolutely limp, so involuntary emptying of the bladder or intestines often occurs. After 20-30 seconds, consciousness returns, and this state does not entail any negative consequences in the long term.

If you are not dealing with fainting, but with loss of consciousness, then what is the difference in their clinical picture can be understood by the fact that a person:

loses mobility and the ability to think very quickly;
his condition does not improve within 5 minutes.

The return of reactions - as well as the subsequent recovery of the patient - is slow, memory loss is possible.

Why does consciousness “leave”?

A person may faint due to:

excessive fatigue;
severe pain;
dehydration of the body;
stressful situation;
emotional shock;
nervous tension;
freezing or, conversely, overheating;
lack of oxygen;
coughing fit;
physical activity;
gestation;
menstrual bleeding;
immediate decrease in blood pressure;
exceeding the dose of a certain medication;
alcohol intoxication;

starvation or malnutrition;
a sharp change in body position;
arrhythmias and heart disease.

As you can see, most of these problems are temporary, transient, and relatively easy to deal with. Unlike fainting, loss of consciousness is a symptom of some serious illness. It, as already mentioned, lasts longer than a simple faint, and sometimes it is followed by a coma. The list of causes of loss of consciousness includes such ailments and conditions:

ischemic attack;
cerebral hemorrhage and other types of stroke;
epilepsy attack;
shock state;
hypoglycemia;
severe circulatory disorders;
significant damage to the skull and brain;
damage to the lungs and nervous system;
poisoning intoxication.

Often people are concerned about what fainting and loss of consciousness are, what is the difference between these terms and how to provide proper first aid to an unconscious person.

Characteristics of loss of consciousness

Loss of consciousness is a state in which the body does not respond to external stimuli and is not aware of the surrounding reality. There are several types of unconsciousness:

Thus, it turns out that fainting is one of the varieties of loss of consciousness.

Causes of loss of consciousness

The main causes of loss of consciousness are:

overwork;
strong pain;
stress and emotional upheaval;
dehydration of the body;
hypothermia or overheating of the body;
lack of oxygen;
nervous tension.

Knowing the reasons for fainting and loss of consciousness, what is the difference between these conditions, you can properly provide first aid.

Brain damage that causes loss of consciousness can be caused by direct exposure to poisoning, hemorrhage) or indirect (bleeding, fainting, shock, suffocation, metabolic disorders).

Types of loss of consciousness

There are several types of unconsciousness:

Any manifestations of violations of the functioning of body systems can be fainting and loss of consciousness. The difference in severity of symptoms depends on the duration of unconsciousness and the presence of additional injuries.

Clinical picture of loss of consciousness

In an unconscious state, the victim is observed:

Knowing what symptoms fainting and loss of consciousness manifest, what is the difference between them and how to properly provide first aid, you can prevent the death of the victim, especially if he has no breathing and cardiac activity. Since timely cardiopulmonary resuscitation can restore the functioning of these systems and bring a person back to life.

First aid for loss of consciousness

First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the possible causes of loss of consciousness - take the person to fresh air if there is a smell of smoke or gas in the room or the action of an electric current. After that, you need to free the airways. In some cases, it may be necessary to clean the mouth with a tissue.

If a person has no heartbeats and breathing, it is urgent to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation. After the restoration of cardiac activity and breathing, the victim must be taken to a medical facility. When transporting with the victim, there must be an accompanying person.

If there are no problems with breathing and heart function, you need to increase blood flow to the brain. For this, the victim must be laid in such a way that the head is slightly lower than the level of the body (if there is a head injury or nosebleed, this item cannot be performed!).

You need to loosen your clothes (untie a tie, unbutton a shirt, belt) and open a window to allow fresh air to flow in, this will increase the flow of oxygen. You can bring a cotton swab with ammonia to the nose of the victim, in most cases this helps to return him to a conscious state.

Important! If the duration of unconsciousness exceeds 5 minutes, urgent medical attention is needed.

Knowing how fainting differs from loss of consciousness, you can provide the victim with the correct first aid.

Syncope characteristic

Fainting is a short-term loss of consciousness caused by a lack of oxygen due to impaired blood supply to the brain. A short-term loss of consciousness does not pose a danger to human life and health and often does not require medical intervention. The duration of this state is from several seconds to several minutes. Fainting can be caused by the following pathological conditions of the body:

violations of the nervous regulation of blood vessels with a sharp change in position (transition from a horizontal to a vertical position) or when swallowing;
with a decrease in cardiac output - stenosis of the pulmonary arteries or aorta, angina attacks, cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial infarction;
with a decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the blood - anemia and hypoxia, especially when climbing to a great height (where it is or staying in a stuffy room.

The causes of fainting and loss of consciousness must be known in order to be able to distinguish between these conditions and provide the first aid necessary for a person.

The clinical picture of fainting

Fainting is a characteristic manifestation of some diseases. Therefore, with frequent fainting, it is imperative to see a doctor and undergo an examination to identify pathological processes in the body.

Fainting is a short-term loss of consciousness caused by a lack of oxygen due to a violation of the blood supply to the brain. The main symptoms of fainting are nausea and a feeling of stuffiness, ringing in the ears, darkening of the eyes. At the same time, the person begins to turn pale, his muscles weaken and his legs give way. With loss of consciousness, both an increase in the pulse rate and its slowdown are characteristic.

In a fainting state, a person’s heart tones weaken, pressure drops, all neurological reflexes are significantly weakened, so convulsions or involuntary urination may occur. Loss of consciousness and fainting are mainly characterized by the victim's lack of perception of the surrounding reality and what is happening to him.

First aid for fainting

When a person faints, it is possible because his muscles weaken. To prevent this, it is necessary to turn the person on his side and call an ambulance, since it is quite difficult to determine the cause of this condition on your own.

First aid for fainting and loss of consciousness makes it possible to support the vital functions of the victim's body until the ambulance arrives. In most cases, first aid avoids death.

Without a proper examination, it is impossible to identify the exact cause of fainting. Since it can be a consequence of both a pathological process in the body, and ordinary overwork or nervous tension.

Fainting and loss of consciousness. What is the difference between these concepts?

Having understood the features of the unconscious state of the body, we can conclude that loss of consciousness is a general concept. It includes many different manifestations. Fainting is one of them and is a short-term loss of consciousness, which is observed as a result of oxygen starvation of the brain.