In medical practice, the term "fainting" is no longer used. It is described in the international association: the code for ICD-10 is R55. Syncope is the official name. In adults and children, short fainting can occur, which appears spontaneously. They are especially dangerous for people already in old age. The fact is that this can lead to various injuries and fractures.
What it is?
Syncope is a syndrome characterized by short-term loss of consciousness. This happens due to a decrease in muscle tone of resistance. After a person comes to his senses, his consciousness is quickly restored. Thus, the syncopal state (the code for ICD-10 we have already called) is a swoon that lasts no more than 60 seconds.
When a person comes to, neurological disorders are not recorded. After the attack, headaches, a desire to go to bed, as well as weakness of the body can be observed. Most often, the syncope occurs in children and women, especially those who are in their teens. However, it can be observed in healthy men. In older people, it manifests itself in the fact that several minutes that were before the syndrome drop out of their memory.
When a person is swooning, his muscles are relaxed, his pulse is very slow, respiratory movements are minimal. The patient does not respond to irritants, the skin begins to turn pale. It even happens when urination occurs during an attack.
Causes
Next, you need to consider the causes of syncope. What is it, we have already learned. However, why arises?
The human brain must be constantly intensively supplied with blood. In order to perform its functions well, it needs about 13% of the total blood flow. If a person physically loads the body, is starving or is in a stressful situation, then these figures vary greatly. Given that on average the brain weighs about 1,500 g, it is necessary that about 750 ml of blood is delivered per minute. If this indicator is less, a person will begin a fainting state.
The causes of this syndrome include ischemic attacks, a small amount of glucose, vegetative-vascular dystonia, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, hysteria or mental disorders, neurology, heart rhythm problems, dehydration, vagus nerve activity, poisoning, and so on. This list can be continued for a long time, but these are the most common reasons.
Classification
Classification of the syncopal state (the ICD-10 code is known to us) implies separation according to some criteria. The syndrome is divided into 5 types.
- Cerebrovascular fainting. It can occur if a small perfusion occurs in the brain. Most often, it is associated with the fact that the body has cerebrovascular pathologies. As a rule, patients find noise above the carotid artery, as well as the absence of a brachial pulse.
- Cardiac arrhythmia. If a person has asystole, bradycardia or tachycardia, then the patient has problems with blood flow. As a rule, its performance is decreasing. The reasons that cause a syncope in this case are hereditary pathologies, such as a reduction in atrial ventricular conduction.
- Reflex view. In this case, the factor that causes this condition will be bradycardia. It occurs due to hypoperfusion or hypotension. At the same time, a person loses consciousness due to an unpleasant sound, pain, cough, a tight collar, an excessively sharp turn of the neck, as well as emotions.
- Orthostatic collapse. This condition is caused in a person if he is in a crowded place, in a hot environment, or if he is too stressed. The nervous system does not respond well to a sharp change in posture. Therefore, a failure of the heart occurs, and a person develops a syncopal state (ICD-10 code: R55). Parkinson's disease, certain medications, and so on can also cause such a swoon.
- Structural type of heart disease. These include myxomas of the heart, problems with the aorta, and others. If a person has an increased amount of cardiac output, then most likely he will have a syncope state (ICD-10 code: R55).
Diagnostics
In order to diagnose the syndrome, it is necessary to pay attention to the breathing process. A person will have dilated pupils, low blood pressure, a weak pulse, and an irregular heartbeat. Therefore, the patient should be immediately examined by a cardiologist and a neurologist. It is also necessary to pay attention to clinical manifestations, since if a person has only one case of fainting, then diagnosis will be difficult. If there are frequent falls, as well as problems with orientation in space, then it is necessary to begin urgent treatment of the disease.
The doctor will certainly be interested in how a person leaves this state. The process of restoring vital vital functions, that is, returning to consciousness and normalizing the heart cycle, is evaluated. The patient needs to have an ECG, an x-ray of the heart, and also the respiratory tract. A blood and urine test should be taken. If the cause is difficult to identify, then another x-ray of the skull, electroencephalography, phonocardiography, as well as an examination by an ophthalmologist are prescribed.
What to do to the patient?
If a person has syncope syncope and collapse (in the ICD-10 it has the code R55), then emergency care should be immediately provided. In order for the patient not to get injured, he should pay attention to the symptoms of this condition.
If the patient begins to feel a squeak in the ears, the appearance of flies, dizziness, sweating, weakness in the body, then he needs to immediately unfasten tight clothing. It is imperative to use ammonia, and also lie on a flat surface. Feet should be raised 50 degrees. If a person has not lost consciousness, then it is necessary to massage the area of the temples and upper lip.
First aid
When the patient is in a syncopal state (we now know the ICD-10 code for this pathology), people around them should definitely open windows or doors for fresh air. To bring to feelings, you need to use various stimuli of the receptors, that is, you can rub the auricles, spray your face with ice water or just pat on the cheeks. The head should be turned to the side so that the tongue does not interfere with breathing. Be sure to unfasten the buttons of the clothing, if it is tight.