This heavily revised second edition provides a comprehensive multi-disciplinary review of syncope and how to care for these patients successfully. It contains detailed descriptions of the scientific basis behind the pathophysiology of conditions that cause syncope and collapse. Pathways for optimal clinical management in line with the latest guidelines are reviewed and are accompanied by clearly defined recommendations on how to treat patients with syncope. Common procedures and tests are also discussed along with their indications, methodology, interpretation and limitations.

Syncope: An Evidence-Based Approach systematically describes the pathophysiology and latest clinical management guidelines for treating patients with syncope. It is an essential resource for a variety of medical professionals including cardiologists, emergency physicians, internists, general practitioners, geriatricians, cardiac electrophysiologists, neurologists and psychiatrists.

Autorentext
Dr. Michele Brignole was  the Head of Cardiology at the Arrhythmologic Centre, Ospedali Tigullio in Lavagna, Genoa. At present, he his coordinator of the Faint&Fall Centre at the IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy. He is member of the European Society of Cardiology and memebr of the board of the GIMSI (Multidisiplinary Italian Association for the stydy of Syncope). He is the chairman of the Task Force on Syncope of the European Society of Cardiology.

Dr. David Benditt received his undergraduate education in electrical engineering and his M.D. from the University of Manitoba. After completing fellowships in general cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, Dr. Benditt joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota Cardiovascular Division, where he established the Cardiac Arrhythmia Center (CAC). The CAC's mission supports basic and clinical research on the causes, diagnoses, and treatments of cardiac arrhythmias, syncope (fainting disorders), and sudden cardiac death.

Zusammenfassung

Syncope represents a multidiciplinary issue in medicine, often involving cardiologists, neurologists, emergency medicine specialists, general practitioners , geriatricians and other clinicians. However, terminology, methodology and guidelines differ making the issue more complex.

The Editors of this book present a thorough multidisciplinary review of the topic. Guideline-based, they have assembled a team of key opinion leaders in the study and management of syncope.

The first section of the book discusses the scientific basis behind the diagnosis and management of syncope going into detail regarding the pathways leading to syncope symptoms and the pathology behind them.

The second section of the book then takes a more practical approach defining the practice of syncope management and including a number of case histories explaining the pearls and pitfalls of the current guidelines.

Inhalt

Foreword.- Preface.- Tloc/Collapse Pathophysiologic And Epidemiologic  Features.- Syncope:  Definition and Classification- Contrasting American and European Guideline definitions.- Physiology of Maintaining Healthy Consciousness: Role of autonomic nervous system.- Prognosis of TLOC/Collapse Across the Diagnostic Spectrum.- The Burden of TLOC/Collapse: Economic Impact.- Basic Clinical Features.- Determining the Cause of TLOC/Collapse: The Initial Evaluation.- Seizures vs Syncope: Distinguishing Features for the Clinic.- The Reflex Syncopes: The Common and Less Common Variants.- Orthostatic Hypotension Variants, POTs, and Less well Defined Autonomic Dysfunction.- Bradycardias and Tachycardias: Acquired and Inheritable.- Psychogenic Pseudosyncope and Approaches to Treatment.- Basic Diagnostic Strategies.- TLOC/Collapse Risk Assessment: Who Needs to be Hospitalized and Who can be evaluated as Outpatient.- Ambulatory ECG Monitoring in TLOC/Collapse: Current status and Utility in USA and Europe.- Carotid sinus syndrome: Pathophysiology and diagnosis.- Electrophysiological Testing: Appropriate Indications in TLOC/Collapse.- Chp 15 The Syncope Evaluation Unit: Essential Features, Current Status.- Selected Testing: When And How.- The Autonomic Testing Laboratory for studying Syncope/Collapse: Studies and Their Interpretation.- Utility of Video-EEG for Diagnosing and Understanding TLOC/Collapse.- Role of Head and Cardiac Imaging, and Cardiac Stress Testing for Syncope/Collapse.- Selected Treatment Concerns.- Update on Cardiac Pacing in Reflex Syncope.- Indications for pacing in patients with unexplained syncope and bifascicular block.- ICD indications  in patients with unexplained syncope.- Drugs in Vasovagal Syncope: Current Status.- Ictal Asystole, Relation to VVS and Role of Cardiac Pacing.- Driving and Flying: US and European Recommendations.