[Cardiovascular syncope]

The sudden and transient loss of consciousness and muscular tone from which the patient usually recovers spontaneously, i.e. syncope, is a frequent symptom. Diseases of the heart with and without rhythm disturbances together with disorders of the reflex, in particular the orthostatic regulation of the circulation, are among the main causes of syncopal events. The pathophysiological mechanisms of cardiovascular syncopes are manifold, and more than one factor can contribute to a single mechanism. Their aetiological assignment may be straightforward, but sometimes requires laborious and expensive investigational procedures. The treatment of a syncopal attack ranges from simple manipulations to true reanimation, its long-term prevention from antiarrhythmic drugs to major heart surgery, and its prognosis from the bagatelle to sudden death.