Cardiovascular Center

Faint & Fall - Facts

Fainting accounts for up to three percent of all emergency department visits and six percent of hospital admissions.
The causes of fainting depend on the age group and range from benign to serious conditions requiring immediate attention.
Patients with fainting spells see on the average three physicians over a period of several months and yet, a final diagnosis is made in only 50-70 percent of the cases.
Falling is a common problem in older people with significant impact on quality of life, morbidity and mortality.
One third of adults greater than 65 years old sustain at least one fall and the incidence increases to 42 percent in adults older than 75 years of age.
Adults with a history of falling have a two-thirds chance of falling again within the next year.
There are several risk factors for falling and unless they are all addressed, the recurrence rate is high.
Faints and falls have a significant impact on health care. For the overall population of the state of Utah, the total yearly payments were estimated to be more than $90 million for faint and more than $350 million for fall.