Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026
14:09
Tilt Testing with Combined Lower Body Negative Pressure: a "Gold Standard" for Measuring Orthostatic Tolerance
Published on: March 21, 2013
Syncope: evaluation and management in the geriatric patient
Blair P Grubb1, Beverly Karabin
1College of Medicine and Life Sciences, The University of Toledo, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH 43614, USA. Blair.Grubb@utoledo.edu
Clinics in Geriatric Medicine
|October 30, 2012
Summary
Syncope, or fainting, is a frequent emergency room visit cause. This review covers the complex causes, evaluation, and management of syncope specifically in elderly patients.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Cardiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Syncope is a common clinical issue, presenting in 3% of emergency room visits and 1-6% of hospital admissions.
- It is both a sign and symptom with diverse potential underlying causes.
- Syncope in elderly individuals presents unique challenges due to multiple coexisting pathologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the causes of syncope in the elderly.
- To outline the evaluation strategies for syncope in geriatric patients.
- To discuss the management approaches for syncope in the elderly population.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of syncope in geriatric patients.
- Analysis of common and complex causes.
- Synthesis of current diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines.
Main Results:
- Elderly patients often have multiple contributing factors to syncope.
- Diagnostic evaluation requires a comprehensive approach.
- Management strategies must be individualized.
Conclusions:
- Syncope in the elderly is a complex clinical problem requiring careful assessment.
- Multifactorial etiologies are common and must be addressed.
- Effective management relies on accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment plans.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Dysrhythmias VII: Nursing Management of Dysrhythmias
Nursing management of dysrhythmias involves the following:AssessmentSubjective Assessment:The initial step involves gathering patient-reported symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, and chest discomfort. It is crucial to collect a detailed history, including previous heart conditions, current medication use, and lifestyle factors like caffeine and alcohol consumption.Objective Assessment:This involves observing clinical signs such as jugular venous distention, cool and pale skin, and...
01:30Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions
The first step in nursing management of a patient with heart failure involves thoroughly assessing the patient's medical history.Subjective Data: Obtain the patient's medical history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, myocardial infarction, and symptoms like dyspnea, orthopnea, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.Objective Data: Conduct a physical examination to identify findings such as jugular vein distention, pulmonary crackles, tachycardia, murmurs, peripheral edema, and vital signs,...
01:29Cardiomyopathy VI: Nursing Management
Assessment: Nursing management of patients with cardiomyopathy begins with a thorough assessment of the patient's history, including a family history of cardiomyopathy or sudden cardiac death, personal history of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and any alcohol consumption or drug use.During the physical examination, assess vital signs, look for signs of heart failure (such as edema, jugular venous distention, and cyanosis), auscultate for abnormal heart sounds (like murmurs and gallops),...
01:26Acute Coronary Syndrome V: Nursing Management
Nursing Assessment:Nursing management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) involves taking the patient's history, focusing on primary complaints such as chest pain, dyspnea, and excessive sweating (diaphoresis), as well as other symptoms like back or jaw pain, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, dizziness, and fatigue. The nurse also reviews the patient's history of cardiac events, risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, family history, and current medications.In the objective assessment,...
01:22Mitral Valve Prolapse II: Assessment and Management
IntroductionA range of clinical features characterizes Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP), but it is important to note that many individuals with MVP are asymptomatic and may remain so throughout their lives. For those who do exhibit symptoms, the following are the key clinical features:Palpitations: This is a common symptom where individuals feel an irregular or rapid heartbeat. Palpitations in MVP are often due to arrhythmias such as premature ventricular contractions or supraventricular tachycardia.
01:27Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...