Syncope (pronounced /ˈsɪŋkəpi/) is the medical term for fainting, a sudden, usually temporary, loss of consciousness generally caused by insufficient oxygen in the brain either through cerebral hypoxia or through hypotension, but possibly for other reasons. Typical symptoms progress through dizziness, clamminess of the skin, a dimming of vision or brownout, possibly tinnitus, complete loss of vision, weakness of limbs to physical collapse. These ...
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Syncope (pronounced /ˈsɪŋkəpi/) is the medical term for fainting, a sudden, usually temporary, loss of consciousness generally caused by insufficient oxygen in the brain either through cerebral hypoxia or through hypotension, but possibly for other reasons. Typical symptoms progress through dizziness, clamminess of the skin, a dimming of vision or brownout, possibly tinnitus, complete loss of vision, weakness of limbs to physical collapse. These symptoms falling short of complete collapse, or a fall down, may be referred to as a syncoptic episode.
Syncope due to hypoxia will normally occur if the air breathed contains less than 16% oxygen at atmospheric pressure. Less than 11% oxygen in the air at this pressure can lead to death by suffocation. However, the amount of oxygen in the air is dependent on the partial pressure of oxygen, meaning that, if a person inhales pressurized gas, e.g., while scuba diving, a breathing gas containing less than 16% oxygen can still contain enough to...
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