US Medical Term · symptoms
Loss of Consciousness
Pérdida del conocimiento
Also: Pérdida de conciencia (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Loss of Consciousness |
| Spanish (Español) | Pérdida del conocimiento |
| Chinese (中文) | 意識喪失 |
| Korean (한국어) | 의식 상실 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Mất ý thức |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Pagkawala ng malay |
| Portuguese (Português) | Perda de consciência |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | หมดสติ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 意識消失 |
What it means
Loss of consciousness means becoming unresponsive and unaware of your surroundings, either briefly (fainting) or for a longer period. Brief episodes are often caused by low blood pressure, low blood sugar, emotional stress, or dehydration. More serious causes include cardiac arrhythmias, stroke, head injury, seizure, and drug overdose. Call 911 immediately if someone loses consciousness and does not regain it within a minute, stops breathing, has a seizure, or if the event follows a head injury, chest pain, or rapid heartbeat. Never leave an unconscious person alone. Place them on their side if they are breathing to protect the airway.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My father lost consciousness suddenly and we could not wake him up for about two minutes.
Mi padre perdió el conocimiento de repente y no pudimos despertarlo durante unos dos minutos.
I briefly lost consciousness after a sudden severe headache came on.
Perdí el conocimiento brevemente después de que me dio un dolor de cabeza severo repentino.
She collapsed and was unresponsive; we called 911 immediately.
Ella se desplomó y no respondía; llamamos al 911 de inmediato.
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
R55 Syncope and collapseRelated terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026