Fainting spells, often due to low blood pressure and/or heartbeat, can be prevented by regular training of the autonomic nervous system.
Recent research found that so-called tilt training can prevent fainting spells. Syncope is one of the most common emergency care conditions, affecting one in two people during their lifetime. Often these are due to low blood pressure and/or heartbeat. In particular, standing up too quickly or standing in a hot, crowded room are triggers of fainting. Tilt training involves training the autonomic nervous system, which controls heart rate and blood pressure, to respond adequately to movement as the body straightens.
In fact, the reactions of the autonomic nervous system and the cardiovascular system could be improved. Blood pressure stopped dropping and cardiac output returned to normal. 86% of the 102 patients studied were still symptom-free 5.5 years after the end of training. 14% still benefited in the form of a significant decrease in seizures. In addition, tilt training was significantly associated with less worry, anxiety, and frustration related to fainting.
Source: EHRA 2019
CARDIOVASC 2019; 18(2): 30
