Which statement defines syncope?

Which statement defines syncope?

• A. Transient loss of consciousness due to global cerebral hypoperfusion
• B. Fainting caused by dehydration
• C. Temporary confusion
• D. Dizziness with nausea

Answer: (A)

Syncope is a transient loss of consciousness caused by a drop in blood flow to the brain. This brief loss occurs because cerebral perfusion falls, and recovery happens quickly when blood flow is restored. The correct statement captures this exact idea: a temporary loss of consciousness due to global cerebral hypoperfusion. The other options describe symptoms or scenarios that don’t define syncope itself—temporary confusion isn’t a fainting spell, dizziness with nausea points to presyncope or vertigo, and fainting due to dehydration describes a cause rather than the defining event.

Syncope is a transient loss of consciousness caused by a drop in blood flow to the brain. This brief loss occurs because cerebral perfusion falls, and recovery happens quickly when blood flow is restored. The correct statement captures this exact idea: a temporary loss of consciousness due to global cerebral hypoperfusion. The other options describe symptoms or scenarios that don’t define syncope itself—temporary confusion isn’t a fainting spell, dizziness with nausea points to presyncope or vertigo, and fainting due to dehydration describes a cause rather than the defining event.