Syncope: categories and considerations for practice

Cardiogenic and orthostatic syncope can be diagnosed in the majority of cases in the ED setting. Neurogenic causes of syncope may require more extensive testing and a longer in-hospital stay to determine the underlying cause. However, with the advent of more definitive laboratory tests such as CK determination, neurologic syncope may be more easily diagnosed in the emergency department. It is hoped that the morbidity and mortality rate related to syncope (falls, motor vehicle accidents) will decline with patient education, early diagnosis, and treatment. Cognizance of the various types and categories of syncope can assist the emergency nurse in triage, as well as enhance the differential diagnosis and treatment of the patient with syncope.