Fainting in healthy people could be sign of heart trouble

  

December 12, 2012 (WLS) -- Fainting in healthy people could be the first sign of heart trouble, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

For those who have ever even suddenly and briefly lost consciousness, it's a disconcerting situation that typically triggers a thorough medical workup with no definitive diagnosis.

This study found one-time fainters were 74 percent more likely to eventually be admitted to the hospital for heart attack or stroke and five times more likely to need a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator at some point in the future.

Authors say even low-risk people who faint need to be carefully evaluated.

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