Chest Pain, Palpitations, and Syncope: Preventing Sudden Cardiac Death in Children

Sudden cardiac death is defined as an abrupt, unexpected death of cardiovascular cause with loss of consciousness within 1 hour of onset of symptoms. In an effort to prevent these events, clinicians need to recognize symptoms to identify at risk patients. There is often an overlap in symptoms of chest pain, palpitations, and syncope. The workup depends on the characteristics of these symptoms. The history and physical examination often provide adequate information, but additional testing and referral to pediatric cardiology are sometimes indicated.