Syncope
Syncope may be defined as a sign of short term loss of consciousness and/or postural muscle tone. It may be observed in patients with no cardiovascular diseases of organic origin but it can also be a sign of other serious diseases. Diagnosis of syncope is a tricky one, a lot of it depends on thorough case history taking and physical examination. According to research, up to 25-35% of syncope cases can be diagnosed from case history, or it may at least indicate relevant clinical testing.
Review
Syncope may be defined as a sign of short term loss of consciousness and/or postural muscle tone. It may be observed in patients with no cardiovascular diseases of organic origin but it can also be a sign of other serious diseases. Diagnosis of syncope is a tricky one, a lot of it depends on thorough case history taking and physical examination. According to research, up to 25-35% of syncope cases can be diagnosed from case history, or it may at least indicate relevant clinical testing.
Differential diagnosis is very user-friendly even for a lay person taking care of post syncopic patient. This focuses not only on close observation of patient's vital functions but also on monitoring the events leading to syncope. This makes the diagnostic process of syncope easier to physicians.
Sources
SOUČEK, Miroslav, Jindřich ŠPINAR a Jiří VORLÍČEK. Vnitřní lékařství. Praha: Grada, 2011. ISBN 978-80-247-2110-1
KAUTZNER, Josef. Synkopa: Diagnostika a léčba: doporučené postupy Cor et vasa. 2007, 49(Suppl. 11), 63-73. ISSN 0010-8650
