Tag Archives: blackout

Introduction The aim of this study was to introduce a syncope pathway to the Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust (IHT), a busy district general hospital (DGH) and to emphasise the need for a syncope unit. We analysed the care of 500 patients treated for a syncopal event, our hypothesis being that the management of syncope within the trust was not up to the standards laid out in current guidelines. We also hypothesised that small changes, as well as larger scale organisational ones, would be hugely beneficial to patient care. If management was in line with guidelines, then we endeavoured to introduce a ‘Syncope Unit’ based on the European Heart Rhy

Introduction Case history 1 PL is a 19-year-old female who presented with two episodes of blackout accompanied with convulsions. She was diagnosed with epilepsy and prescribed carbamazepine. Episodes continued, however, and one year later she was further investigated by tilt-testing and discovered to have cardioinhibitory vasovagal syncope. A dual-chamber rate-drop-response pacemaker was implanted and no further episodes occurred during five years of follow-up. Anticonvulsant medication was stopped without ill effect. Case history 2 CM is a 72-year-old male admitted for pain control following an unwitnessed fall, which although initially bel