Question

What is the proper treatment for syncope?

a.Place the patient in a chair and lean the head backward.
b.Place the patient in a supine position with the legs elevated.
c.Administer water and cold compresses to the neck and forehead.
d.Place the patient in a prone position with the arms above their head.

Answer 1

To treat syncope, place the patient in a supine position with legs elevated. Addressing blood volume, medication effects, and underlying conditions like diabetes that can lead to autonomic failure is also helpful.

Step-by-step explanation:

The proper treatment for syncope is to place the patient in a supine position with the legs elevated. This helps increase blood flow to the brain, countering the effects of orthostatic hypotension, which can happen if the sympathetic nervous system cannot increase cardiac output quickly enough when standing up, leading to a decrease in brain blood pressure.

Orthostatic hypotension can be caused by low blood volume or medications affecting fluid balance such as diuretics or vasodilators. Factors like dehydration, adjustment of medications, and managing diseases like diabetes that cause autonomic failure may improve syncope.