In a scary moment Saturday, KCAL-TV meteorologist Alissa Carlson passed out live on-air, hitting her head as she fell.
“You know, in the morning I felt fine,” Carlson told CBS anchor Gayle King in an interview this week. “It wasn’t until around 15 minutes before that I started to feel a little nausea.”
Just as other anchors on the broadcast went to Carlson, she leaned over and crumpled over a desk she was standing behind. As she disappeared behind the desk, there was also a “thud” noise. Team members rushed to help her, said KCAL.
“All of us at KCAL News want thank you for your thoughts and prayers after Meteorologist Alissa Carlson fainted during our morning newscast,” said the station in a March 18 tweet. “Alissa is now resting and recovering. She says she’s going to be okay.”
Video of the incident was also posted on social media.
In a Facebook post, Carlson said she was recovering from a head injury after being in the hospital. Pizza, rest and more than 100 text messages helped her get through, she said.
Carlson explained that she had not eaten breakfast, but drank coffee and was probably dehydrated as she got on set to report. Although Carlson was previously diagnosed with a leaky heart valve and was concerned that the fainting spell indicated a heart attack, it was something else: vasovagal syncope.
According to the National Institutes of Health, it is the most common form of syncope (brief loss of consciousness) in adults. CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook explained that the condition is caused by over or under stimulation of the Vagus nerve.
“I could feel the tunnel vision coming,” and tried to brace herself on the desk Saturday when she began losing consciousness.
Pook said that trying to stand up while having a vasovagal syncope episode can make things worse. He said that laying down so the head is in line with the heart is the best thing to do.
Carlson told King that she has a history of fainting, but that it had not happened for some time. Going forward the meteorologist, who also works as a health coach, said she intends to pay more attention to the possible signs of blackouts and to make sure she stays hydrated.
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