Syncope Position — MFDS Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: E — Vasovagal syncope (faint)
The correct answer is E, vasovagal syncope. The patient should be laid flat with the legs elevated, which improves venous return and cerebral perfusion; tight clothing should also be loosened. A patient with acute asthma should normally be positioned upright to facilitate breathing. Cardiac arrest requires the patient to be placed supine on a firm surface so that cardiopulmonary resuscitation can begin, but routine leg elevation is not the defining positioning manoeuvre. A patient with angina is usually allowed to rest in a comfortable position, commonly sitting upright. Adrenal crisis may require the patient to lie flat while urgent ambulance assistance, oxygen and hydrocortisone are arranged, but leg elevation is specifically identified in the dental emergency guidance for syncope.
Reference: Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme Practice Support Manual. Medical Emergencies in the Dental Practice poster, Syncope section. Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, May 2020. https://www.psm.sdcep.org.uk/media/3hlkptix/medical_emergencies_in_the_dental_practice.pdf