Syncopes

Syncope is a frequently encountered medical problem. Despite its benignity in a great proportion of patients, it raises the problem of the differential diagnosis regarding other causes of loss of consciousness (particularly neurological and psychiatric causes) and that of a precise etiological evaluation aimed at identifying patients at high risk. The diagnostic evaluation should be based primarily on complete medical history, physical examination and electrocardiogram, rather than on systematic investigations which are expensive, sometimes invasive and often useless. The aim of this chapter is to clarify the definition of syncope and to propose a diagnosis and management strategy according to recent recommendations and available diagnostic tools.