Whenever Granny feels a faintin' spell comin' on, Uncle Ferd grabs her by the ankles an' holds her upside down so her blood rushes to her head...
Researchers say sniffing, gasping may prevent fainting
Oct. 17, 2015 -- Research conducted by Slovak cardiologist Marta Bavolarova suggests simple actions like sniffing and gasping for air can prevent the most common form of fainting.
Researchers say sniffing, gasping may prevent fainting
Oct. 17, 2015 -- Research conducted by Slovak cardiologist Marta Bavolarova suggests simple actions like sniffing and gasping for air can prevent the most common form of fainting.
"Recurrent syncope [fainting] has serious effects on quality of life," Dr. Bavolarova said in a statement published by the European Society of Cardiology Saturday. "Patients are often injured when they fall, which reduces their mobility and ability to look after themselves. Depression is common in these patients." Fainting is the brief loss of consciousness brought on by a sudden drop in blood flow to the brain, leading to a drop in blood pressure and heart rate. It can be caused by prolonged standing or standing up too quickly. Bavolarova's study looked at two women aged 56 and 62 with a medical history of recurring vasovagal syncope. A head-up tilt test was performed on each patient, during which they would lie on a horizontal table that is then quickly tilted 60 degrees to mimic the act of standing up suddenly.
Researchers in Austria believe simple actions like gasping and sniffling can ward off a fainting spell.
The tests resulted in the patients' avoiding a fainting spell when they sniffed or gasped twice. Using an ECG, researchers found that blood pressure and heart rate remained constant when they did so. "Our test, which is like standing up quickly, previously led to falls in blood pressure and heart rate and subsequent syncope in these patients," Bavolarova said. "But strong and forced inhalation by sniffing or gasping seemed to prevent these drops and they did not faint." "We believe that sniffing and gasping have a strong sympathetic effect that inhibits the abnormal parasympathetic activity in these patients," she added. "This stops fainting at the highest level."
The new preventative maneuver is added to other measures like crossing one's legs or gripping one's hands to increase heart rate when a patient feels faint. "We now also tell patients that they can sniff or gasp to prevent themselves from fainting," Bavolarova said. "This was a small preliminary study and we will confirm our findings in a larger number of patients."
Researchers say sniffing, gasping may prevent fainting