Title: Blackouts | healthdirect
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Blackouts
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What is a blackout?
What causes a blackout?
How are blackouts prevented and treated?
Blackouts caused by alcohol
When should I seek help for a blackout?
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Content: Before that, you might fall down, have blurred-vision, or be confused. Sometimes, people experience memory loss and describe this as a blackout – for example, after they have drunk a lot of alcohol or taken illicit drugs. What causes a blackout? One common cause of a blackout is fainting. Fainting occurs when your heart rate drops and your blood vessels widen, resulting in low blood pressure. It can happen when you are very hot, distressed, in severe pain, you see or smell something unpleasant, or while you are coughing or going to the toilet. Sometimes, you might black out when you stand up too quickly. This is because your blood pressure suddenly drops. Blacking out can also be caused by a serious health condition, including: arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm)
heart disease
problems with the blood vessels in the brain
some mental illnesses
a seizure
low blood sugar
illicit drugs
some medicines
How are blackouts prevented and treated?