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What can cause sudden blackout in a diabetic patient?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

My father is 77 years old and a known diabetic for over six years. His height is 5'5" feet and weight is 143 pounds. This is regarding his recent angioplasty. He got it done before three months when he had a kind of seizure or fix. He was hospitalized for a week and got discharged with stable condition. One month back, again he dropped unconscious while having lunch. He remained unconscious till he reached hospital. He does not remember anything what had happen to him. In the hospital, they did CT scan, EEG, ECG and Holter monitoring. Everything was normal. The doctors are not able to find the cause for his blank out. Please advice.

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Majid Hanif

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr.Muhammad Majid Hanif is a highly skilled and established physician in the field of Cardiology. He listens to all the patient queries deliberately and is an expert in devising a proper treatment plan.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I want to assure you do not worry as everything is going to be fine if proper care and treatment is opted in for. I have thoroughly gone through your case history, reports (attachment removed to protect patient identity) and can well understand your genuine health concerns.

I hope this helps.

Please revert so I can assist you further.

Thank you.

The Probable causes

The CT scan shows no significant lesion in the brain and no focal hemorrhagic bleeding event, which is one of the main causes in many cases. Heart diseases can also cause unconsciousness. In such cases, we monitor indoor patients on Holter monitor for any kind of rhythmic change in heart beat and to see if there is any atrial or ventricular fibrillation. Your father did not have a positive sign there. His heart rhythms are normal. Sometimes there is an imbalance in the serum electrolytes and fluid; electrolyte imbalance may lead to unconsciousness and syncope. But your father is fine with that, too. Your father's angiography for single artery occlusive disease went eventless, and normal flow to the heart was restored with stent deployment. My final impression is patients with diabetes also sometimes get unconscious due to the low glucose levels in the blood and due to low supply of glucose to the tissues. For example as in case of type II diabetes, they get low insulin levels that cause them to get problems with taking glucose into the tissues from the blood. No need to worry as this may be anything that is not so obvious and so minor and a single event that cannot be revealed on investigations. In such situations, usually, there is no harm to the patient. Patients after angiography may sometimes get such an issue due to manipulation of the heart in angiography. But, this is not a major issue of medical concern. There is no problem with his heart and the stent is not displaced from the site which may be a source of tension for the patient. Your father is totally alright. I have scanned and observed all the reports deeply, and he is fine in every respect.
Answered by
Medically reviewed by Dr. K. Shobana
Published At December 11, 2015
Reviewed At September 24, 2024

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr.Muhammad Majid Hanif is a highly skilled and established physician in the field of Cardiology. He listens to all the patient queries deliberately and is an expert in devising a proper treatment plan.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Education:

BDS

Professional Bio:

Dr. K. Shobana is a Dental Surgeon specializing in oral health and dental care. She is skilled in preventive dentistry and provides oral hygiene education. She can do restorative treatments such as fillings and crowns. She can handle periodontal problems such as gum diseases and periodontitis. She can do root canal treatment.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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Diabetic Blackout Awareness Builder

Experiencing a blackout with diabetes?

Five quick questions help you understand potential causes and when to seek medical advice for blackouts related to diabetes. This tool is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice.

Private and judgment-free. For guidance only, not a diagnosis.

Dr. Muhammad Majid Hanif

Cardiology

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr.Muhammad Majid Hanif is a highly skilled and established physician in the field of Cardiology. He listens to all the patient queries deliberately and is an expert in devising a proper treatment plan.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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