Syncope (fainting) is not considered a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of one or more possibly serious conditions. You lose consciousness, become unresponsive, and your muscles go slack. After a few minutes, you recover spontaneously on your own. Syncope accounts for about 3% of emergency department visits and 2%-6% of hospital admissions each year. The following are questions you can ask your health care provider concerning syncope.

1. I fainted recently. Will this happen again?
2. Would drinking more liquids help to stop this happening to me?
3. Could irregular heartbeats cause fainting?
4. I have heart disease. Could this be the reason that I have fainted?
5. I had an achy, tight feeling in my chest the other day, then I fainted. Why did this happen? What can I do to prevent it from happening again?
6. Since I was found to have diabetes I have blacked out twice. Why did this happen? Could this be caused by my treatment for diabetes?
7. Could my prescription medicines cause my fainting spells?
8. Could my over-the counter medicines cause my fainting spells?
9. Could the herbal or other alternative preparations I take cause my fainting spells?
10. I enjoy wine with my evening meal, but sometimes after a glass or so, I feel faint and once I blacked out. Could alcohol cause this?
11. I blacked out after I emptied my bladder. What should I do about this?
12. I blacked out after I emptied my bowel. What should I do about this?
13. When I stood up the other day, I felt faint, then I blacked out. Why did this happen? What can I do to prevent this happening again?
14. I had funny feelings in my head the other day, then I blacked out and fell. Why did this happen? What can I do to prevent it happening again?
15. I had a nice dinner with friends the other day, but felt faint and blacked out when I got up from the table. Why did this happen? What can I do to prevent it happening again?
16. When I turn my head I feel faint, and once I blacked out. Why did this happen? What can I do to prevent it happening again?
17. When I exercise I sometimes feel faint, and once I blacked out. Why did this happen? What can I do to prevent it happening again?
18. I get more breathless than I used to when I go out walking, also I often feel faint. I blacked out once and fell. Why did this happen? What can I do to prevent it happening again?
19. I've been coughing a lot, and it makes me feel faint. Once I blacked out. Why did this happen? What can I do to prevent it happening again?
20. Recently I feel tired all the time, and once I fainted. What testing do I need to find out what is wrong?
21. I sometimes feel something terrible is going to happen to me; once when I felt this way I fainted. Why did this happen?