Adolescent Syncope: Faint or Feigned?

Adolescent syncope may have cardiac causes (vasodepressor syncope) or stem from a neuropsychogenic condition (such as epilepsy or drug abuse). This article reviews the various causes of syncope in adolescents, with emphasis on pathophysiology, diagnostic considerations, and treatment options for the most common cause of fainting, vasodepressor syncope. The authors suggest that history and physical examination are usually more useful and cost-effective in determining the cause of syncope than more expensive and invasive diagnostic tools.