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Heart Health

Getting to the heart of a fainting spell

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Most of the time, fainting isn't serious. But seek medical attention right away if you lose consciousness, especially if you have heart disease.

Whether you call it fainting, swooning, or passing out, experiencing it can be quite alarming. Fainting happens when the brain isn't getting enough blood, which leads to a temporary loss of consciousness. But the collapse to the ground is the body's way of restoring blood flow to the brain, and you usually wake up spontaneously in less than a minute.

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