In the absence of structural heart disease (including a normal ECG), syncope is most often of neurally mediated reflex origin or orthostatic hypotension. As a rule, reflex etiologies predominate in ...

As is apparent by the potential cardiac causes listed above, the causes of syncope are so varied - and occasionally obscure - that syncope can be an expensive diagnostic and management challenge.

‘The eyes see what the brain knows.’ This old adage, famous in the echelons of medicine, highlights why syncope is important in clinical medicine, for it is often missed while evaluating a patient.

What is necessary? What is superfluous? One in three persons will experience syncope. Other causes of brief loss of consciousness need to be differentiated: brain stem ischemia, epileptic seizures, ...