The Utility of Implantable Loop Recorders for Diagnosing Unexplained Syncope in 100 Consecutive Patients, Five-Year, Single-C

Thu, 01 May 2008 16:22:29 -0400

Recurrent unexplained syncope and presyncope comprise approximately 1 - 6% of emergency room and approximately 1% of hospital admissions.^1,2 The estimated incidence of self-reported syncope is 6.2 per 1,000 person years in the Framingham study.³ The overall incidence is approximately 3 - 6% over 10 years, and in a select group of patients, the prevalence of syncope could reach almost 50%.⁴ A symptom-rhythm correlation is often difficult to obtain during spontaneous episodes because of the sporadic, infrequent and unpredictable nature of syncope.¹ A significant percentage of patients referred for Holter monitoring, tilt-table test and electrophysiology study have inconclusive results. In addition, many of these patients also have a negative neurological workup.

Syncope Management in the Emergency Department Utilizing a Multidisciplinary Approach (SEEDS Study)

Thu, 01 May 2008 16:22:29 -0400

Dr. Shen and his colleagues at the Mayo Clinic conducted the Syncope Evaluation in the Emergency Department Study (SEEDS). The genesis of the study was based on the central question whether an area designated for syncope evaluation in the emergency department or a syncope unit could affect the diagnostic yield and the rate of hospital admissions for syncope patients with intermediate-risk profiles for a poor prognosis. The hypothesis was that a syncope unit equipped with diagnostic resources that target the common causes of syncope would improve the diagnostic yield and reduce the hospital admission rate compared to patients undergoing a standard work-up.

Causes of Syncope