Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

How do we diagnose syncope?

David Farwell1, Neil Sulke

  • 1Cardiology Department, Eastbourne General Hospital, East Sussex, United Kingdom. david.farwell@virgin.net

Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology
|February 15, 2002
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The Association Between Atrial Fibrillation Burden and Quality of Life: A Substudy of the SHAM-PVI Trial.

JACC. Clinical electrophysiology·2025
Same author

Cardioversion versus ablation versus 'pace and ablate' for persistent atrial fibrillation in older patients.

The British journal of cardiology·2024
Same author

Pulmonary Vein Isolation vs Sham Intervention in Symptomatic Atrial Fibrillation: The SHAM-PVI Randomized Clinical Trial.

JAMA·2024
Same author

Open Window Mapping of Accessory Pathways: A Literature Review and Practical Guide.

Arrhythmia & electrophysiology review·2024
Same author

A cluster of inappropriate shocks in a pediatric S-ICD patient - how to troubleshoot?

Indian pacing and electrophysiology journal·2023
Same author

A retrospective analysis of frailty status on atrial fibrillation catheter ablation outcomes.

Pacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE·2023
Same journal

Pulsed Field Ablation Is Associated With Fewer Post-Procedural Pericardial Inflammatory Symptoms Compared With Radiofrequency Ablation.

Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology·2026
Same journal

Single-Cell Transcriptomics and Mendelian Randomization Analysis Reveal Key Genes in Atrial Fibrillation.

Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology·2026
Same journal

Relationship Between Nonuniform Isochrone-Area in Late Activation Mapping and Arrhythmogenic Substrates Related to Atrial Fibrillation.

Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology·2026
Same journal

Clinical Utility of Tissue Proximity Indication With a Variable-Loop Circular Catheter for Pulmonary Vein Isolation.

Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology·2026
Same journal

Impact of Carina Width on Re-Ablation Rate of Atrial Fibrillation After Primary Cryoballoon-Ablation.

Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology·2026
Same journal

Mediastinal Air Entrapment During Extravascular ICD Implantation: A Preventable Cause of Elevated Shock Impedance.

Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology·2026
See all related articles

This study found that focusing on specific, sensitive, and cost-effective investigations, like patient-activated recorders and tilt testing, improves syncope diagnosis and reduces costs. Minimizing hospital stays is key to efficient syncope assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Clinical Medicine
  • Diagnostic Studies

Background:

  • Unexplained syncope presents a diagnostic challenge in clinical practice.
  • The Eastbourne Syncope Assessment Study evaluated diagnostic strategies for syncope.
  • The study focused on a busy UK nontertiary center with a significant elderly population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To enhance diagnostic yield in patients with unexplained syncope.
  • To reduce the overall investigational costs associated with syncope diagnosis.
  • To identify the most effective and cost-efficient diagnostic tools for syncope.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 1,334 patient presentations coded for syncope in 1998.
  • Inclusion of 660 patients who experienced syncope, with data on recurrence and previous episodes.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Categorization of diagnoses and detailed cost analysis of 13 different investigation types.

    • Main Results:

    • A diagnosis was reached in 71% of syncope cases, with 61% diagnosed by history and examination alone.
    • Vasovagal syncope was the most common diagnosis (44%), followed by neurologic (12%) and arrhythmic (6%).
    • The 7-day patient-activated recorder and tilt testing were the most cost-effective investigations after initial assessment, while hospital admission constituted 67% of the total cost.

    Conclusions:

    • Diagnostic rates for syncope can be improved by prioritizing specific, sensitive, and cost-effective investigations.
    • Reducing hospital stay is crucial for lowering investigational costs in syncope management.
    • A refined protocol focusing on these principles is under investigation to optimize syncope assessment.