Syncope
Recognise a vasovagal episode, stop treatment, position and monitor the patient; reassess for alternative causes if recovery is atypical.
Understand
Vasovagal syncope often follows stress, pain or prolonged standing and resolves rapidly with positioning. Other causes of collapse require attention if recovery is atypical.
Assess
Stop treatment, assess response, airway, breathing and circulation, and check the context and symptoms. Ask about chest pain, breathlessness or prolonged confusion.
Apply
Follow the local emergency algorithm and monitor until safe. Recurrent, unexplained or atypical collapse warrants medical assessment rather than a reflex label of fainting.
Key distinctions
Vasovagal syncope often has prodrome such as warmth, nausea or sweating and resolves rapidly after positioning. Atypical features include prolonged confusion, chest pain or ongoing breathing difficulty. Treat an unresponsive patient through the ABC framework first, then consider the cause. Documentation should include what happened, duration, observations and any follow-up recommendation.
Think through a case
A nervous patient briefly loses consciousness during injection and recovers quickly when positioned. Reassess before assuming syncope if chest pain or prolonged confusion follows.
The distinction to remember
Do not sit an unresponsive patient upright or resume treatment before full recovery and a safety assessment.
Test your recall
What feature supports simple syncope?
Show answer
Rapid recovery after appropriate positioning and support.