Diagnostic value of history in patients with syncope with or without heart disease

Abstract

The presence of suspected or certain heart disease after the initial evaluation is a strong predictor of a cardiac cause of syncope. A few historical findings are useful to predict cardiac and neurally mediated syncope in patients with and without heart disease.

Tilt-induced cardioinhibitory syncope: a follow-up study in 16 patients

“…It may occur at any age and accounts for more than one-third of all causes of syncope [1]. Vasovagal syncope is generally considered a benign condition that does not represent a threat to life or significantly impair quality of life [2], although, occasionally, very prolonged ventricular asystole lasting up to 73 s may occur during vasovagal syncope [3].…”

Minor Psychiatric Disorders and Syncope: The Role of Psychopathology in the Expression of Vasovagal Reflex

“…Quality of life was assessed by means of the Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire [13, 14]. All patients were asked to report (a) any history of syncope in lifetime and (b) the number of their syncopal episodes during the last 12 months, as suggested by the European Society of Cardiology and the American College of Cardiology [15, 16]. Then, they underwent a HUTT with clomipramine, according to the previously described protocol [8, 15, 17].…”

Der Patient mit Synkope

“…Dies ist insofern nicht verwunderlich, als es sich bei der häufigsten Synkopenursache, der NCS, um die normale oder nur übersteigerte Reaktion auf physiologische Bedingungen im Rahmen von an sich sinnvollen Reflexbögen handelt. Für viele der betroffenen Patienten und der Zeugen erscheint der Vorgang plausibel, weswegen nur etwa 23% der Betroffenen in einer Klinik erscheinen [4]. Daher wird die NCS-Häufigkeit wahrscheinlich unterschätzt.…”