Syncope While Driving in Denmark

Driving restrictions for patients with reflex syncope

“…Conflicting results concerning the estimated risk of driving a motor vehicle among individuals with syncope were reported in 2016. The author of the above-cited Danish nationwide cohort study [7] concluded that prior hospitalization for syncope was associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes throughout the follow-up period, but as Chen-Scarabelli and Scarabelli [12] have pointed out, the patients in the Danish study were older (median age: 66 years) with a high incidence of cardiovascular disease (34.8%) [7] . Therefore, although the causes of syncope were not reported in the Danish study, this group of patients possibly had syncope due to causes other than reflex syncope [12] .…”

“…The author of the above-cited Danish nationwide cohort study [7] concluded that prior hospitalization for syncope was associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes throughout the follow-up period, but as Chen-Scarabelli and Scarabelli [12] have pointed out, the patients in the Danish study were older (median age: 66 years) with a high incidence of cardiovascular disease (34.8%) [7] . Therefore, although the causes of syncope were not reported in the Danish study, this group of patients possibly had syncope due to causes other than reflex syncope [12] . In contrast, in Tan et al’s recent study of highly symptomatic patients with vasovagal syncope, the subjects were younger (mean age: 38±17 years) and had a low incidence (0.48%) of syncope while driving and a low estimated risk of serious harm or death (<0.0035% per person-year) [11] .…”