Syncope (Guidelines on Diagnosis and Treatment of)

ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines

Topics:

Syncope

Current versions available to download

Publication dateVersionsReferencesSize
2004Full TextEuropace 2004;6:467-537484 KB
2004Executive SummaryEHJ 2004;25:2054-2072336 KB
 Pocket guidelines
 PdaDownload the PDA Version
 Slideset8 MB

Current translated versions available to download:

Authors

M. Brignole (Chairperson), P. Alboni, D. Benditt, L. Bergfeldt, J. J. Blanc, P. E. Bloch Thomsen, J. G. van Dijk, A. Fitzpatrick, S. Hohnloser, J. Janousek, W. Kapoor, R. A. Kenny, P. Kulakowski, G. Masotti, A. Moya, A. Raviele, R. Sutton, G. Theodorakis, A. Ungar, W. Wieling

Endorsed by:

Table of contents: Full Text (ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines)

Preamble

  • Scope of the document
  • Method

Part 1. Classification, epidemiology and prognosis

  • Definition
  • Brief overview of pathophysiology of syncope
  • Classification
  • Epidemiological considerations
  • Prognostic evaluation

Part 2. Diagnosis

  • The diagnostic strategy based on the initial evaluation
  • Diagnostic yield and prevalence of causes of syncope
  • Initial evaluation
  • Echocardiogram
  • Carotid sinus massage
  • Tilt testing
  • Electrocardiographic monitoring (non-invasive and invasive)
  • Electrophysiological testing
  • ATP test
  • Ventricular signal-averaged electrocardiogram
  • T wave alternans
  • Exercise testing
  • Cardiac catheterization and angiography
  • Neurological and psychiatric evaluation

Part 3. Treatment

  • General principles
  • Neurally-mediated (reflex) syncope
  • Orthostatic hypotension
  • Cardiac arrhythmias as primary cause
  • Structural cardiac or cardiopulmonary disease
  • Vascular steal syndromes
  • Metabolic

Part 4. Special issues in evaluating patients with syncope

  • Need for hospitalization
  • Syncope in the elderly
  • Syncope in paediatric patients
  • Syncope management facilities
  • Driving and syncope 

Previous versions

 2001  European Heart Journal 2001; 22:1256-1306  Full Text
 2001  Europace 2001; 3:253-260  Executive Summary

A complete list of ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines (current and previous versions) endorsed by ESC National Society Members is available here