Doctors Blame Long Covid, Stress & Hidden Heart Issues As Young Indians Report Sudden Blackouts

Last Updated:July 02, 2025, 09:45 IST

Experts said they are encountering patients in their 20s to 50s reporting such symptoms, often with no major illness history and no clear answers even after extensive probes

Though not all blackouts signal a serious illness, they should never be brushed aside, especially if they occur repeatedly. (Pixabay)

It was just another busy weekday when 43-year-old Amit Kumar (name changed) suddenly slumped over his desk during a meeting in his Delhi office. A hardworking journalist known for clocking long hours, Kumar had not complained of any illness that day.

All preliminary investigations—ECG, MRI, blood sugar, and neurological scans—came back normal. The blackout episode lasted barely a minute, but the questions it raised lingered. Why did a healthy, non-smoking, non-drinking, middle-aged man suddenly lose awareness at work? And more importantly, could it happen again?

Kumar is not alone. Doctors say they are seeing more such cases, particularly among young and middle-aged adults with no serious underlying illness. Blackout episodes—where a person suddenly faints, loses consciousness, or momentarily blanks out—are seeing a worrisome rise in India, especially among young adults, several doctors, across specialities, told News18.

Experts said they are increasingly encountering patients in their 20s to 50s reporting such symptoms, often with no major illness history and sometimes even after extensive investigations yield no clear answers. In fact, Reddit users with long Covid-19 often describe persisting fainting episodes. The combination of clinical research, real-world patient testimonies and clinical experience of doctors underscores that blackout episodes could be one of the long Covid-19 symptoms.

Understanding Blackouts

Often, patients report feeling dizzy, disoriented, or lightheaded, only to suddenly blank out for a few seconds or minutes. In some instances, no definitive cause is found even after detailed testing.

“Blackout is the sensation that you are about to faint—what many people describe as ‘almost blacking out’ or ‘nearly fainting.’ This is called pre-syncope," explained Dr Jyoti Bala Sharma, director, neurology at Fortis Hospital, Noida. “It’s more common than an actual faint (called syncope) and typically lasts just a few seconds to minutes. The feeling can include light-headedness, warmth, sweating, nausea, or blurry vision, which can occasionally progress to temporary loss of vision."

She added that such episodes are usually triggered when a person is standing or sitting upright, and are less likely to occur when lying down. “If it does occur in a lying position, it might point to a heart rhythm problem rather than low blood pressure," she said.

Rising Numbers Among the Young

“Blackout episodes, where a person suddenly loses consciousness or experiences a temporary lapse in awareness, are not uncommon and can affect individuals across age groups. However, what’s worrying is the growing number of such cases among young adults, many of whom report no prior history of serious illness," said Dr Arunesh Kumar, senior consultant, respiratory medicine at Paras Health, Gurugram.

“In several cases, even after undergoing detailed neurological and cardiac assessments, doctors don’t find a definitive cause. This uncertainty often leaves patients and families confused and anxious," he added.

Dr Sanjeeva Kumar Gupta, consultant, department of cardiology, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, echoed a similar concern. “It is concerning that these symptoms are now being seen more frequently in younger age groups. In my clinical experience, I have observed a rise in such complaints post-Covid-19."

While noting that Covid-19’s long-term cardiac effects are still under study, he added: “Covid-19 is known to have effects on the heart and autonomic nervous system. Some patients develop post-Covid syndromes, such as POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), which can lead to dizziness, palpitations, and even fainting spells upon standing."

POTS is a condition that affects the autonomic nervous system, which controls things like your heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion—things your body does automatically. People with POTS have trouble adjusting to being upright and start feeling dizzy.

Gupta believes that while blackouts don’t always indicate a serious underlying disorder, they should never be ignored, especially if they occur repeatedly. “A multidisciplinary approach involving cardiologists, neurologists, and in some cases, psychiatrists, is often needed to get to the root cause."

Dr Atul Prasad, vice chairman and head of department, neurology, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, outlined typical patient profiles commonly seen with unexplained blackout episodes. First is “young adults with high stress or anxiety aged between 18–35 years", followed by middle-aged women with migraine or sleep issues aged between 35 to 55 years. The other category, according to Prasad, is “older adults with multiple comorbidities, aged over 60 years".

Covid-19: An Overlooked Culprit?

Doctors warn that blackouts post-Covid are a real phenomenon that needs more clinical awareness.

“Right after the last Covid waves, patients are presenting to different sub-specialities with what is described as long Covid. Symptoms include breathlessness, cough, foggy head, headache, and in some cases of blackouts presented to neurologists or cardiologists with all normal screening investigations," said Kumar from Paras Hospital.

Sharma from Fortis also pointed to infections—including Covid-19—as common triggers, especially in patients with comorbidities. “In general, any infection can trigger blackouts, especially if underlying co-morbidities are present. It’s important to maintain good hydration and nutrition in infections to reduce the risk of blackouts."

“In my experience, episodes of blackout or fainting commonly occur in individuals with fever or infections, elderly patients on multiple medications, and those with undiagnosed underlying health conditions such as obesity, pre-diabetes or obstructive sleep apnea," she added.

Gupta from CK Birla pointed out that a history of recent or past Covid-19 infection should be part of the clinical investigation when a patient presents with unexplained blackout episodes. “Covid-19 could be one of several factors contributing to the uptick in such episodes, particularly in younger populations."

Several published studies indicate that long Covid patients report persistent dizziness, near-fainting, and true fainting episodes—incidence ranging from around 4 per cent in clinics to over 16 per cent in primary-care data.

Sample this—A neurology clinic study of post-Covid patients found that around 4 per cent people experienced syncope/, presyncope or collapse, with symptoms appearing after an average of almost 6 weeks of Covid-19. It said symptoms such as neuropathic pain, balance disorders, syncope, presyncope, and collapse were two times more common in men. Also, a large UK-based primary‑care cohort flagged presyncope or dizziness in 16–22 per cent of long-Covid patients

Diagnostic Puzzle

While some cases are straightforward—triggered by dehydration, vasovagal episodes, or arrhythmias—others remain elusive.

“In about 50 per cent of people who come to the hospital with fainting or near-fainting, no definite cause is found immediately," said Sharma. She recommends a detailed history, ECG, tilt-table testing, or cardiac monitoring for better diagnosis.

Gupta said that in younger patients with no structural heart disease, the focus often shifts to electrical or autonomic causes. “At our practice, we see a mixed patient profile. In younger individuals with otherwise healthy hearts, we often have to look beyond structural issues and focus on electrical disturbances, autonomic imbalances, or post-viral syndromes."

He added, “Thorough investigation using ECGs, holter monitoring, tilt-table testing, echocardiography, and sometimes even cardiac MRIs is essential to rule out serious underlying cardiac causes."

Though not all blackouts signal a serious illness, they should never be brushed aside, especially if they occur repeatedly.

Himani Chandna

Himani Chandna, Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India's COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective. She is particularly pass...Read More

Himani Chandna, Associate Editor at CNN News18, specialises in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. With firsthand insights into India's COVID-19 battle, she brings a seasoned perspective. She is particularly pass...

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