Collapse (medical)
Collapse is a sudden and often unannounced loss of postural tone, often but not necessarily accompanied by loss of consciousness. If the episode is accompanied by a loss of consciousness, the term syncope is used.
The main causes are cardiac, seizures or a psychological cause. The main tool in distinguishing the causes is careful history on the events before, during and after the collapse, from the patient as well as from any possible witnesses. Other investigations may be performed to further strengthen the diagnosis, but many of these have a low yield.
Lipothymia is an alternative term common in Europe. It is listed in ICD-10 as
