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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffIn most cases of vasovagal syncope, treatment is unnecessary. Your doctor may help you identify your fainting triggers and discuss ways you can avoid them. However, if you experience vasovagal syncope often enough to interfere with your quality of life, your doctor may suggest trying one or more of the following remedies.
Medications
Drugs that might help prevent vasovagal syncope include:
- Blood pressure drugs. Beta blockers such as metoprolol (Lopressor) are designed to treat high blood pressure. They are also the type of drug used most often to prevent vasovagal syncope because they block some of the signals that can lead to fainting.
- Antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft), also have been successful in preventing vasovagal syncope.
- Blood vessel constrictors. Drugs to treat low blood pressure or asthma are sometimes helpful in preventing vasovagal syncope.
Therapies
Your doctor may recommend specific techniques to decrease the pooling of blood in your legs. These may include foot exercises, wearing elastic stockings or tensing your leg muscles when standing and increasing salt in your diet if you don't have high blood pressure. Avoid prolonged standing — especially in hot, crowded places — and drink plenty of fluids.
Surgery
The insertion of an electrical pacemaker, which helps regulate the heartbeat, helps some people with vasovagal syncope.
- Olshansky B. Neurocardiogenic (vasovagal) syncope. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 28, 2010.
- Strickberger SA, et al. AHA/ACCF Scientific statement on the evaluation of syncope. Circulation. 2006;113:316.
- Tan MP, et al. Vasovagal syncope in the older patient. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2008;51:599.
- Parry SW, et al. The management of vasovagal syncope. Quarterly Journal of Medicine. 1999;92:697.
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