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Loss of consciousness

MedGen UID:
52915
Concept ID:
C0041657
Finding
Synonyms: Consciousness, Loss of; Loss of Consciousness; State, Unconscious; Unconscious State; Unconscious States; Unconsciousness
SNOMED CT: Loss of consciousness (419045004); Unconscious (418107008); Mental status, unconsciousness (418107008); Unconsciousness (418107008)
 
HPO: HP:0007185

Definition

Loss of alertness and orientation to place and time. [from HPO]

Conditions with this feature

Inborn glycerol kinase deficiency
MedGen UID:
82803
Concept ID:
C0268418
Disease or Syndrome
NR0B1-related adrenal hypoplasia congenita includes both X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita (X-linked AHC) and Xp21 deletion (previously called complex glycerol kinase deficiency). X-linked AHC is characterized by primary adrenal insufficiency and/or hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH). Adrenal insufficiency is acute infantile onset (average age 3 weeks) in approximately 60% of affected males and childhood onset (ages 1-9 years) in approximately 40%. HH typically manifests in a male with adrenal insufficiency as delayed puberty (i.e., onset age >14 years) and less commonly as arrested puberty at about Tanner Stage 3. Rarely, X-linked AHC manifests initially in early adulthood as delayed-onset adrenal insufficiency, partial HH, and/or infertility. Heterozygous females very occasionally have manifestations of adrenal insufficiency or hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Xp21 deletion includes deletion of NR0B1 (causing X-linked AHC) and GK (causing glycerol kinase deficiency), and in some cases deletion of DMD (causing Duchenne muscular dystrophy). Developmental delay has been reported in males with Xp21 deletion when the deletion extends proximally to include DMD or when larger deletions extend distally to include IL1RAPL1 and DMD.
Breath-holding Spells
MedGen UID:
105400
Concept ID:
C0476287
Sign or Symptom
The diagnosis of severe breath-holding spells (BHS) in childhood is based on a distinctive and stereotyped sequence of clinical events beginning with a provocation resulting in crying or emotional upset that leads to a noiseless state of expiration accompanied by color change and ultimately loss of consciousness and postural tone (Lombroso and Lerman, 1967; DiMario, 1992). Two clinical types are recognized based on the child's coloration (cyanotic or pallid) during these events. Most children experience the cyanotic type, although some experience mixed types. BHS is an involuntary, nonvolitional, reflexic, nonepileptic paroxysmal phenomenon of childhood. The episodes occur during full expiration despite its misnomer. Autonomic dysregulation has been hypothesized as an underlying mechanism that results in loss of consciousness (Hunt, 1990; DiMario and Burleson, 1993; Dimario et al., 1998).
Deficiency of beta-ureidopropionase
MedGen UID:
226944
Concept ID:
C1291512
Disease or Syndrome
Beta-ureidopropionase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism due to a defect in pyrimidine degradation. Less than 10 patients have been reported, and the phenotype can range from severe neurologic involvement with mental retardation and seizures to normal neurologic development (Yaplito-Lee et al., 2008).
Osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism, type 1
MedGen UID:
347149
Concept ID:
C1859452
Congenital Abnormality
Microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type I (MOPD1) is a severe autosomal recessive skeletal dysplasia characterized by dwarfism, microcephaly, and neurologic abnormalities, including mental retardation, brain malformations, and ocular/auditory sensory deficits. Patients often die in early childhood (summary by Pierce and Morse, 2012).
Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease
MedGen UID:
355075
Concept ID:
C1863843
Disease or Syndrome
Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is an autosomal dominant, slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a wide range of clinical manifestations, including pyramidal and extrapyramidal symptoms, cerebellar ataxia, cognitive decline and dementia, peripheral neuropathy, and autonomic dysfunction. The age at onset varies, but most individuals present as adults between about 30 and 70 years of age. Pathologic investigation shows eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions in almost all cell types, including neurons, skin cells, fibroblasts, and skeletal muscle. Brain imaging shows a characteristic leukoencephalopathy with high intensity signals in the corticomedullary junction on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), as well as white matter abnormalities in subcortical and brainstem regions. Skin biopsy combined with brain imaging is useful for diagnosis (summary by Sone et al., 2016). The phenotype in some cases is suggestive of Parkinson disease (see 168600) and/or Alzheimer disease (see 104300), consistent with an evolving phenotypic spectrum of adult-onset NIID (summary by Tian et al., 2019).

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Bayard M, Gerayli F, Holt J
Am Fam Physician 2023 Nov;108(5):454-463. PMID: 37983697
Morris J
Emerg Med Pract 2021 Jun;23(6):1-24. Epub 2021 Jun 1 PMID: 34008935
Szpilman D, Morgan PJ
Chest 2021 Apr;159(4):1473-1483. Epub 2020 Oct 14 doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2020.10.007. PMID: 33065105

Curated

UK NICE Clinical Guideline CG109, Transient loss of consciousness ('blackouts') in over 16s, 2023

UK NICE Guideline (NG127), Suspected neurological conditions: recognition and referral, 2023

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Pollak M, Leroy S, Röhr V, Brown EN, Spies C, Koch S
Anesthesiology 2024 May 1;140(5):979-989. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000004929. PMID: 38295384
Manford E, Garg A, Manford M
Pract Neurol 2024 Mar 19;24(2):106-113. doi: 10.1136/pn-2023-003791. PMID: 37891001
Longo S, Legramante JM, Rizza S, Federici M
Eur J Intern Med 2023 Jun;112:6-14. Epub 2023 Apr 6 doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2023.03.025. PMID: 37030995
Chae D, Kim HC, Song Y, Choi YS, Han DW
Br J Anaesth 2022 Jul;129(1):49-57. Epub 2022 May 11 doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2022.02.040. PMID: 35562226
Moya-I-Mitjans Á, Rivas-Gándara N, Sarrias-Mercè A, Pérez-Rodón J, Roca-Luque I
Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed) 2012 Aug;65(8):755-65. Epub 2012 Jul 3 doi: 10.1016/j.recesp.2012.03.005. PMID: 22763183

Diagnosis

Morris J
Emerg Med Pract 2021 Jun;23(6):1-24. Epub 2021 Jun 1 PMID: 34008935
Leung AKC, Leung AAM, Wong AHC, Hon KL
Curr Pediatr Rev 2019;15(1):22-29. doi: 10.2174/1573396314666181113094047. PMID: 30421679Free PMC Article
Saal DP, van Dijk JG
Auton Neurosci 2014 Sep;184:3-9. Epub 2014 May 21 doi: 10.1016/j.autneu.2014.05.007. PMID: 24881012
Moya-I-Mitjans Á, Rivas-Gándara N, Sarrias-Mercè A, Pérez-Rodón J, Roca-Luque I
Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed) 2012 Aug;65(8):755-65. Epub 2012 Jul 3 doi: 10.1016/j.recesp.2012.03.005. PMID: 22763183
Malec JF, Brown AW, Leibson CL, Flaada JT, Mandrekar JN, Diehl NN, Perkins PK
J Neurotrauma 2007 Sep;24(9):1417-24. doi: 10.1089/neu.2006.0245. PMID: 17892404

Therapy

Deligiannidis KM, Meltzer-Brody S, Maximos B, Peeper EQ, Freeman M, Lasser R, Bullock A, Kotecha M, Li S, Forrestal F, Rana N, Garcia M, Leclair B, Doherty J
Am J Psychiatry 2023 Sep 1;180(9):668-675. Epub 2023 Jul 26 doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20220785. PMID: 37491938
Longo S, Legramante JM, Rizza S, Federici M
Eur J Intern Med 2023 Jun;112:6-14. Epub 2023 Apr 6 doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2023.03.025. PMID: 37030995
Bao WW, Jiang S, Qu WM, Li WX, Miao CH, Huang ZL
Pharmacol Rev 2023 May;75(3):532-553. Epub 2023 Jan 10 doi: 10.1124/pharmrev.122.000717. PMID: 36627210
Leung AKC, Leung AAM, Wong AHC, Hon KL
Curr Pediatr Rev 2019;15(1):22-29. doi: 10.2174/1573396314666181113094047. PMID: 30421679Free PMC Article
Alviar MJ, Hale T, Dungca M
Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016 Oct 14;10(10):CD006380. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006380.pub3. PMID: 27737513Free PMC Article

Prognosis

Liang Y, Li X, Tse G, King E, Roever L, Li G, Liu T
Curr Cardiol Rev 2022;18(5):1-7. doi: 10.2174/1573403X18666220321104129. PMID: 35319380Free PMC Article
Lefevre-Dognin C, Cogné M, Perdrieau V, Granger A, Heslot C, Azouvi P
Neurochirurgie 2021 May;67(3):218-221. Epub 2020 May 6 doi: 10.1016/j.neuchi.2020.02.002. PMID: 32387427
Jones RH, Casbard A, Carucci M, Cox C, Butler R, Alchami F, Madden TA, Bale C, Bezecny P, Joffe J, Moon S, Twelves C, Venkitaraman R, Waters S, Foxley A, Howell SJ
Lancet Oncol 2020 Mar;21(3):345-357. Epub 2020 Feb 5 doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(19)30817-4. PMID: 32035020Free PMC Article
Tristán B, Gleichgerrcht E, Manes F
Handb Clin Neurol 2015;127:195-204. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-52892-6.00013-1. PMID: 25702218
Connolly M, McAdoo J, Bourke JF
Ir J Med Sci 2007 Dec;176(4):317-8. Epub 2007 Aug 28 doi: 10.1007/s11845-007-0077-z. PMID: 17724569

Clinical prediction guides

Pollak M, Leroy S, Röhr V, Brown EN, Spies C, Koch S
Anesthesiology 2024 May 1;140(5):979-989. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000004929. PMID: 38295384
Deligiannidis KM, Meltzer-Brody S, Maximos B, Peeper EQ, Freeman M, Lasser R, Bullock A, Kotecha M, Li S, Forrestal F, Rana N, Garcia M, Leclair B, Doherty J
Am J Psychiatry 2023 Sep 1;180(9):668-675. Epub 2023 Jul 26 doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20220785. PMID: 37491938
Hutcherson TC, Cieri-Hutcherson NE, Gosciak MF
Am J Health Syst Pharm 2020 Feb 19;77(5):336-345. doi: 10.1093/ajhp/zxz333. PMID: 32073124
Tristán B, Gleichgerrcht E, Manes F
Handb Clin Neurol 2015;127:195-204. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-52892-6.00013-1. PMID: 25702218
Kuppermann N, Holmes JF, Dayan PS, Hoyle JD Jr, Atabaki SM, Holubkov R, Nadel FM, Monroe D, Stanley RM, Borgialli DA, Badawy MK, Schunk JE, Quayle KS, Mahajan P, Lichenstein R, Lillis KA, Tunik MG, Jacobs ES, Callahan JM, Gorelick MH, Glass TF, Lee LK, Bachman MC, Cooper A, Powell EC, Gerardi MJ, Melville KA, Muizelaar JP, Wisner DH, Zuspan SJ, Dean JM, Wootton-Gorges SL; Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN)
Lancet 2009 Oct 3;374(9696):1160-70. Epub 2009 Sep 14 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61558-0. PMID: 19758692

Recent systematic reviews

Giussani G, Westenberg E, Garcia-Azorin D, Bianchi E, Yusof Khan AHK, Allegri RF, Atalar AÇ, Baykan B, Crivelli L, Fornari A, Frontera JA, Guekht A, Helbok R, Hoo FK, Kivipelto M, Leonardi M, Lopez Rocha AS, Mangialasche F, Marcassoli A, Özdag Acarli AN, Ozge A, Prasad K, Prasad M, Sviatskaia E, Thakur K, Vogrig A, Leone M, Winkler AS; Global COVID-19 Neuro Research Coalition
Neuroepidemiology 2024;58(2):120-133. Epub 2024 Jan 25 doi: 10.1159/000536352. PMID: 38272015
Graham L, Das J, Vitorio R, McDonald C, Walker R, Godfrey A, Morris R, Stuart S
Exp Brain Res 2023 Sep;241(9):2191-2203. Epub 2023 Aug 26 doi: 10.1007/s00221-023-06691-w. PMID: 37632535Free PMC Article
Caldeira D, Rodrigues FB, Duarte MM, Sterrantino C, Barra M, Gonçalves N, Pinto FJ, Ferreira JJ, Costa J
Drug Saf 2018 Jan;41(1):77-86. doi: 10.1007/s40264-017-0586-2. PMID: 28786035
Julien J, Joubert S, Ferland MC, Frenette LC, Boudreau-Duhaime MM, Malo-Véronneau L, de Guise E
Ann Phys Rehabil Med 2017 Sep;60(5):347-356. Epub 2017 May 11 doi: 10.1016/j.rehab.2017.03.009. PMID: 28506441
Alviar MJ, Hale T, Dungca M
Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016 Oct 14;10(10):CD006380. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006380.pub3. PMID: 27737513Free PMC Article

Supplemental Content

Table of contents

    Clinical resources

    Practice guidelines

    • PubMed
      See practice and clinical guidelines in PubMed. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.
    • Bookshelf
      See practice and clinical guidelines in NCBI Bookshelf. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.

    Curated

    • NICE, 2023
      UK NICE Clinical Guideline CG109, Transient loss of consciousness ('blackouts') in over 16s, 2023
    • NICE, 2023
      UK NICE Guideline (NG127), Suspected neurological conditions: recognition and referral, 2023

    Consumer resources

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