THE BEST HEART CLINICS IN YELAHANKA Syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness, commonly referred to as fainting, or passing out. It is a fairly common event — a majority of people pass out at least once in their lives. Still, syncope is always a potentially serious issue, both because it may indicate a serious underlying problem, and because any loss of consciousness can produce injury. Occurance Syncope occurs when the blood flow to the brain becomes markedly reduced, for as few as five or six seconds. The brain's blood flow can be interrupted for a number of different reasons. Fortunately, in most cases, syncope is a transient condition that is not caused by a serious medical problem. Associated Conditions Syncope can result from a large variety of medical conditions. In fact, the sheer number of possibilities can make the evaluation of syncope a difficult and even intimidating prospect for doctors who do not approach the problem in an organized, systematic waY Causes Cardiac Causes Roughly one in four people with syncope will prove to have a cardiac cause. Two general types of heart problems can produce syncope — heart problems that can partially obstruct the flow of blood through the heart, and cardiac arrhythmias. Obstructive cardiac disease: An obstruction to the blood flowing through the heart can cause a drop in the amount of blood the heart is pumping, thus robbing the brain of sufficient blood flow. Several heart disorders can partially block the flow of blood through the heart.