Dizziness and faintingfeeling lightheaded, or blacking out.
Most dizziness does not come from the heart. Lightheadedness and fainting sometimes do. Here is what they can mean, and when to be seen.
Get emergency help now if you have
Call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a clinic appointment.
- Fainting during exercise, or without any warning
- Dizziness with chest pain, palpitations or breathlessness
- Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, slurred speech or loss of vision
- A sudden, severe headache
What it can mean
Most of these are common and treatable, and several have nothing to do with the heart. Telling them apart is what an assessment is for.
- A drop in blood pressureLightheadedness when you stand up, from dehydration, heat or some blood pressure medicines.
- Heart rhythm problemsA heartbeat that is too slow, too fast or pauses can briefly reduce blood flow to the brain.
- Heart valve diseaseA narrowed aortic valve can cause lightheadedness or fainting on effort.
- Simple faintsBrought on by standing for a long time, heat, pain or the sight of blood. Common, and usually harmless.
- The inner earA spinning feeling, often when you move your head, usually comes from the balance organ rather than the heart.
When to see a cardiologist
Book an appointment, rather than waiting to see if it passes, if any of these apply to you.
- Lightheaded spells that keep coming back
- Dizziness on standing, especially after starting a blood pressure medicine
- Dizziness with palpitations, or a pulse that feels very slow
- You have fainted, even once, and have not yet been assessed
What we would do
Listen
We start with your story: what you feel, when it comes and what brings it on. It is the most useful part of the assessment.
Examine and record
Pulse, blood pressure, heart sounds and an ECG, usually during the same visit.
Test only what matters
If a question is still open, we choose the test that answers it, and no more than that.
Explain the plan
You leave knowing what is likely behind the symptom, what happens next and when to come back.
Tests that may help
Common questions
Is dizziness usually from the heart?
Usually not. A spinning feeling most often comes from the inner ear. Lightheadedness, feeling faint and blacking out are the kinds more likely to have a heart or blood pressure cause.
Why does standing up make me lightheaded?
Blood pressure can dip briefly when you stand, especially with dehydration, heat or some blood pressure medicines. It is common, but worth reviewing if it happens often.
Can I drive after fainting?
Not until you have been assessed. Depending on the cause, there may be a period when driving is not safe.
Would you like it looked at properly?
Book a consultation or send a question on WhatsApp. The symptom is assessed in person, and the findings and next steps are explained to you before you leave.
This page explains what a symptom can be linked to. It cannot diagnose you or replace an examination. If your symptoms are severe, sudden or happening now, seek emergency care immediately.