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Study on the Effectiveness of Physical Counterpressure
Manoeuvres in Preventing Vasovagal Syncope
For people who suffer from frequent episodes of fainting,
simple muscle-tensing exercises can offer significant
relief, reducing the number of episodes and prolonging
the time between episodes, according to the first randomized,
controlled study to assess the effectiveness of physical
counter-pressure techniques in daily life.
According to Nynke van Dijk, MD, a clinical epidemiologist
at Academic Medical Center-University of Amsterdam,
The Netherlands, fainting episodes can have a very serious
impact on patients’ lives and they avoid situations
in which they might faint and in which fainting might
be embarrassing. They are not allowed to drive or perform
any other activities that might pose a risk should they
lose consciousness. In these patients, frequent fainting
can be considered a disease.
The PC-Trial enrolled 223 patients with a history of
repeated fainting preceded by telltale symptoms. Dr.
van Dijk and colleagues randomly assigned patients to
conventional therapy, consisting of education and lifestyle
modification, or physical counter-pressure training
in three techniques: leg-crossing, handgrip exercises,
and arm-tensing exercises. Patients were instructed
to use the preventive techniques in situations known
to provoke fainting and immediately when experiencing
warning symptoms. During a 14-month follow-up, use of
physical counter-pressure techniques reduced the risk
of fainting by more than one-third.
The treatment is very simple, inexpensive, and noninvasive,
and has no long-term side-effects.
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