Title: Blackouts - Symptoms, Causes, Treatments
Headings: Blackouts
Blackouts
What are blackouts?
What other symptoms might occur with blackouts?
Nervous system symptoms that may occur along with blackouts
Other symptoms that may occur along with blackouts
Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition
What causes blackouts?
Traumatic causes of blackouts
Substance-related causes of blackouts
Disease and disorder causes of blackouts
Serious or life-threatening causes of blackouts
Questions for diagnosing the cause of blackouts
What are the potential complications of blackouts?
About The Author
Healthgrades Editorial Staff

Content: Blackouts - Symptoms, Causes, Treatments
Blackouts
Introduction
Symptoms
Causes
By Healthgrades Editorial Staff
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What are blackouts? Blackouts are periods of unconsciousness or memory loss. Generally, a blackout is described as a period of unconsciousness or lack of awareness when you are unable to recall what happened or what you did. Blackouts may occur as a result of brain damage, drug side effects, excessive alcohol consumption, or disorders affecting brain function, such as epilepsy. Fainting, also known as syncope, is a term used to refer to a blackout. Conditions that can cause syncope include cardiac arrhythmias (abnormal heart rate or rhythm), abnormalities of the heart muscle or valves, or a condition called postural hypotension, in which a person faints after standing up quickly from a lying position and there is insufficient blood flow to the brain at that point. A generally harmless form of blackout is known as vasovagal syncope. In this condition, there is a disruption in the balance of neurotransmitters that regulate the blood vessels and heart rate, causing a temporary decrease in blood flow to the brain. This is a common cause of fainting that may even occur as a reaction to stressful or frightening situations.