Need a deadly health problem that's preceded by fainting

Tazlima

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The character is a very elderly man. For purposes of the story, I need him to randomly pass out, regain consciousness, seem basically fine for a day or two (able to walk around, talk to people, and think clearly), then pass out again, dying this time.

I'm thinking a mild heart attack followed by a more serious one might work, but I don't believe mild heart attacks generally cause loss of consciousness, do they? And how "normal" would someone feel after a mild heart attack without medical intervention?

The setting is an agrarian society lacking modern medicine, and the character is a nomad with no family and questionable nutrition, so the cause of death can be just about anything. I just want it to be reasonably plausible.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 

neandermagnon

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Disclaimer: not medically qualified, just a biology nerd with a human sciences degree. Hopefully one of the medically qualified people will come along soon and give a more detailed response and any corrections to my suggestion.

The cause of the fainting and cause of death don't have to be the same thing. As he's old and probably not that well fed, whatever caused the fainting could also cause a heart attack. For example, he passes out because he's tired and dehydrated (e.g. if it's hot weather and/or he's done too much physical work) then a few days later passes out for the same reason, but this time it also triggers a heart attack or a stroke or some other thing that's deadly.
 
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frimble3

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Low blood pressure causes fainting. It could also signal an incipient stroke or heart attack. So could high blood pressure, and given what you've said about the setting, no-one would know, either way.

Heck, undiagnosed diabetes could do it, he lays down because he feels weak and never wakes up.
 

frimble3

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Given your setting, and the concurrent lack of medical knowledge, none of your characters are going to know what did it, so I'm guessing this is for your own interest, so that you can make plausible details.
High (or very) low blood pressure would cause the fainting, as well as being the final cause of death - if he was coddled for a bit after the first faint, he would seem okay, then goes back to his normal life, moves too fast, faints again and dies. You could have him in some out-of-the-way spot, where no-one finds him until he's dead.

I'd also suggest uncontrolled diabetes, but no-one in his world would have a clue - it would just be 'he got weaker and he died'.
 

WeaselFire

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Have him die of consumption. Or the dreaded fainting curse. An ulcer with heavy bleeding. A stroke. Diabetic shock. Or just evil spirits. Nobody in your story is going to know about any but the evil spirits anyway.

Jeff
 

Tazlima

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Thanks all, this is very helpful!

And Frimble, you're exactly correct... I just want to have an idea of the cause in my mind for the sake of making the death seem reasonably plausible. Blood pressure issues sound like just the ticket. (There's also a slight possibility of his body being later dug up and analyzed by people with advanced medical knowledge and concerns about contagion due to a sci-fi element of his character. That part depends on how the plot plays out, and I don't expect, at this point, for that scene to occur, but I'd rather plan ahead just in case.
 
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frimble3

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Makes perfect sense - if you have an idea of what he died of, you can make the symptoms fit, rather than a mixed bag of info that won't sound realistic.
Low blood pressure faint: I was just sitting on a chair, feeling fine, got up too fast to open a door, remember rising, and then I was lying on the ground, with paramedics talking over my prone body. That fast, that symptomless. My blood was not pressurised enough to reach the top of my head from where the blood was resting.