Blackouts are more common among college students and women Credit: Getty Images. Blackouts are more common in people with lower body weights. Women also experience blackouts more often. They are smaller on average than men and have a higher percentage of body fat, which means their bodies have less water to dilute the alcohol they drink — so their blood alcohol level rises faster.
In , Amie Haas of Palo Alto University in California found that women would routinely blackout with three fewer drinks than men. Aside from the sex differences, there could be a genetic component to who is more likely to blackout.
Individuals whose mothers had a history of alcohol problems were found to be more at risk. Another study, this time on more than 1, pairs of twins, found that a genetic link accounted for half the blackouts experienced.
The genetic difference seems to play out in the brain, too. One longitudinal study of adolescents aged , led by Reagan Wetherill of the University of Pennsylvania, showed that certain individuals who later went on to abuse alcohol and experience blackouts, were less able to suppress their actions. This could be seen on brain scans, even before they were drinking alcohol.
Alcohol can shut off brain circuits important for making memories of specific times and places Credit: Getty Images.
Worse, studies on mice suggest that heavy drinking may even lead to additional changes in the brain. Equally worrying is that the same people who are more prone to blackouts — teenagers and university students — are at a physically more vulnerable age.
One reason for this is that the frontal lobe of the brain is the last to develop, at around Like the risk factors, the consequences of blacking out are not only worse for adolescents, but also for women. These women also showed more regret the following day. This is because they are risk while they under the influence due to impaired decision making, especially when it comes to assessing potentially dangerous situations, but they are also at risk afterwards because they cannot rely on their memory of what happened.
This means there is a catch Those experiencing blackouts may be more vulnerable to potential perpetrators in the moment. But if they try to press charges after, they also are vulnerable to having their cases dismissed. Individuals with a history of sexual assault are more likely to be re-victimised if they are in an alcohol-induced blackout Credit: Getty Images.
One party being blackout complicates that evidence. You may have blood tests for anaemia and diabetes. Further tests of your heart and nervous system may be necessary. Give yourself a check-up with a general blood profile, now available in Patient Access. The most common cause of blacking out is fainting.
Other causes include epileptic seizures , syncope due to anxiety psychogenic pseudosyncope and other rare causes of faints. Other causes of blacking out may be due to low blood sugar hypoglycaemia and lack of oxygen hypoxia from a variety of causes. It may be due to over-breathing hyperventilation but this is rare. You may also black out after a fall or blow to the head or due to excess alcohol or street drugs. Strokes and mini strokes transient ischaemic attacks can also result in a blackout.
Prolonged blackout, confusion after the event, incomplete recovery and tongue biting all suggest that the cause is not a simple faint. Treatment will depend on the likely cause of your blackout. You may be asked to keep a diary of your faints, including what you were doing when each happened. Most people will only need to see their GP but you may be referred for further investigation and treatment at a hospital.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency DVLA does not have to be informed of a simple faint but greater restrictions apply if the situation is more complicated or if diagnosis is less clear. If the attack happens again or you do not feel completely back to normal, you should also seek urgent medical attention. In all other cases, you should see your GP.
If you have lots of attacks, or you hurt yourself because of the faints, your GP may want you to see a specialist. They may also want you to see a specialist if your faints could affect your driving. You will need to find the underlying cause and try to address it if possible. Common faints are by far the most common cause. Many people who faint know when it tends to happen and how to avoid attacks. Outlook prognosis depends on the underlying cause but is generally very good.
In young people, when the blackouts are not associated with any heart or nervous system problem, there is nothing to worry about.
To speak with a specialist about blackouts and fainting, contact our team today. We are available from Monday to Friday: 8am — 8pm. Skip to content. Find out more. Blackouts and Fainting. Jump to Section What is a Blackout or Fainting? What you need to know Contact us. What is Fainting or a Blackout? Fainting or a blackout is a temporary loss of consciousness. Checklist: What do you need to know?
A blackout is a temporary loss of consciousness If someone loses consciousness for a few seconds or minutes, they are often said to have had a blackout. Every patient presenting with an unexplained blackout should be given a lead ECG heart rhythm check It is important that the ECG is passed as normal. Drinking enough to cause a blackout will also cause problems with your walking, talking, standing, judgement and vision.
You are more likely to black out from alcohol if you drink on an empty stomach or if you drink too much too quickly. To avoid blacking out from alcohol, make sure you drink slowly and do not drink too much. Take sips of water between sips of alcohol, and eat food while you drink. Avoid binge drinking. Drinking so much that you black out can cause physical, social and mental problems. It can lead to accidents and injuries, alcohol poisoning, fights and long-term health issues. If you need help with alcohol, visit:.
If you have blacked out and you do not know why, you should always seek medical attention. It could be a sign that something is seriously wrong, and it is a common cause of injuries, especially in older people. If you see someone else black out, raise their legs above the level of their head, loosen tight clothing and seek medical attention. If you are with someone who is unconscious, call triple zero for an ambulance, and if the person stops breathing, start CPR.
Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Syncope fainting or passing out is a sudden, temporary loss of consciousness. Find out more about the causes, diagnosis and treatment. Read more on myDr website. Fainting is a sudden, usually temporary loss of consciousness often caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain.
When a person is unconscious they are unable to respond.
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