Grandma Zhang, who is 76 years old this year, has been coughing since catching a cold in autumn, gradually becoming mainly dry cough. Sometimes, when the cough becomes severe, she may even experience urinary incontinence. Two weeks ago, she went to the park early in the morning to exercise. At that time, she inhaled a little cold air, which triggered her severe cough again. After more than ten minutes, she lost consciousness and was found and taken to the hospital a few minutes later. After examination, cardiac and cerebral syncope were ruled out, and the diagnosis was cough syncope. So, what is cough syncope syndrome? What are the causes and hazards of cough syncope syndrome? How to prevent and treat cough syncope syndrome? Below, I will introduce it to everyone.
Cough syncope, also known as cough syncope syndrome. Sudden, brief, and complete loss of consciousness may occur after one or a burst of coughing, which can fully recover on its own. During the episode, there may be falls or accompanied by limb twitching. The current prevalence rate is unknown, but research shows that it accounts for approximately 0.9% to 4.2% of patients with syncope.
What are the symptoms of cough syncope syndrome?
Falling may occur during an attack due to decreased muscle tone and inability to maintain normal posture. May be accompanied by a single or regular twitching of limbs similar to epilepsy. Some patients may also experience seizures in a supine position.
What are the causes of cough syncope syndrome?
There are many reasons for syncope, including hypotensive syncope, cardiogenic syncope, and cerebrovascular syncope. Cough syncope is a type of hypotensive syncope; Patients who experience fainting are often very nervous and take it seriously. Most people will go to the cardiology department for treatment, and the examination often shows no abnormalities. If you have severe coughing before fainting, it is recommended to go to the respiratory department for examination. After lung function testing, it will be found that cough syncope is caused by cough variant asthma.
What are the hazards?
Mild cases may experience severe coughing, resulting in a dull mind, dizziness, and general weakness, and an instant forgetting of the work being done.
In severe cases, after coughing, the person immediately faints and is prone to injury due to falling. Some patients experience respiratory arrest during fainting, accompanied by urinary incontinence and occasional limb twitching. Some patients may experience psychological symptoms such as fear and anxiety after multiple episodes.
Engaging in high-risk, delicate work or driving while suffering from this disease may lead to more serious consequences.
How to prevent and treat cough syncope syndrome?
1. Actively treat the primary disease. For example, pneumonia patients need to use antibiotics in a standardized manner to control infections, while asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients need to adhere to the use of inhaled medications. Patients need to take appropriate expectorants in addition to corresponding medications when treating the primary disease, in order to facilitate the smooth discharge of phlegm and alleviate cough symptoms.
2. Fainting occurs rapidly and is difficult to predict. Once fainting occurs, it is easily accompanied by falls and injuries, so it needs to be taken seriously. For patients with cough syncope, family members should try to accompany them and take safety precautions when the patient coughs.
3. If the patient suddenly experiences coughing induced fainting, we should maintain calmness, make the patient lie flat, raise the lower limbs, increase the amount of blood returned, and prevent insufficient blood supply to the brain. If the patient still does not recover in a short period of time, they should immediately go to the hospital for treatment.
4. Develop good living habits. Cough patients not only need to quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption, but also avoid laughing loudly while eating.
In short, patients with a history of cough syncope syndrome should avoid working as drivers, mechanics, or other workers to avoid adverse consequences. When people around you notice a patient fainting, they should place the patient in a supine position, unbutton the patient's clothes, and ensure that the patient's head is tilted to one side and the height of the head is lower than the feet to avoid the tongue falling back and blocking the airway. If fainting occurs, call 120 for medical treatment in a timely manner.