Syncope experience at a tertiary care hospital in

Authors: Muhammad Junaid Patel Nadeem Ullah Khan Abdul Jawwad Samdani Muhammad Furqan Aamir Hameed Muhammad Shoaib Khan Syed Imran Ayaz Muhammad Omer Jamil

Publish Date: 2008/05/06

Volume: 1, Issue: 2, Pages: 79-83

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Abstract

A review of medical records was conducted retrospectively at the Department of Medicine Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi Patients aged 16 and above admitted from January 2000 to December 2005 with the diagnosis of syncope made by the attending physician were includedA total of 269 patients were included 75 males mean age 574 years Neurogenic vasovagal syncope was the most common cause 47 followed by cardiogenic syncope 18 and orthostatic syncope 9 A total of 24 were discharged undiagnosed Twenty patients 74 did not have any prodrome Common prodromal symptoms included dizziness 61 sweating 25 palpitations 19 nausea/vomiting 19 and visual symptoms 17 The distribution of symptoms according to cause of syncope revealed only breathlessness to be significantly associated with cardiogenic syncope p = 0002 Most patients with cardiogenic syncope were aged above 40 98 p  0001 had coronary artery disease 72 p  0001 and abnormal electrocardiogram at presentation 92 p  0001Syncope is a common problem accounting for 3 of emergency department ED visits 1 1–6 of hospital admissions 2 and affecting 6 per 1000 people per year 3 The aetiologies of syncope vary from benign conditions like neurogenic vasovagal syncope to serious lifethreatening cardiac arrhythmias In addition falls as a result of syncope lead to 1635 of hip fractures in elderly patients 4 5 Evaluation of syncope and its appropriate management is imperative but the exact cause remains unclear in many cases even after administering extensive workup 6 7In Pakistan there is a paucity of data available regarding syncope As the burden of diseases in Pakistan differs from Western countries 8 there might be a possibility of difference in major causes of syncope and factors associated with it The objective of the study was to determine the characteristics of patients admitted to the hospital for syncope to a tertiary care hospital in Karachi Pakistan

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