title: [Malaise and loss of consciousness in the elderly patient: prospective evaluation of methods of investigation].
abstract: 60 consecutive patients (mean age: 80,7 yrs; s.d.: 6,1 yrs; range 70-94 yrs) referred to a geriatric medicine department with syncope or dizziness were proposectively compared with 40 age and sex matched controls. A battery of non-invasive investigations including tilt-test, glycemia, 12 lead ecg., eeg, 24 hour ambulatory ecg recording,. M--mode echocardiogram and cervical Doppler velocimetry was applied blindly to patients and controls. The proportion of abnormalities was similar in both groups having sick sinus syndrom or complete atrio-ventricular block versus no control (p less than 0.05). By contrast history-case was of great predictive value: 6 of 13 patients reporting abrupt syncope had a 24 ecg recording showing sick sinus syndrom or complete atrio ventricular block, versus 2 of 47 other patients (p less than 0,01); 11 of 14 patients reporting orhostatic dizziness or syncope had a tilt-test consistent with orthostactic hypotension versus 6 of 46 other patients (p less than 0,01).
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007024:Hypotension, Orthostatic / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose
vernacular_title: Malaises et pertes de connaissance du sujet âgé: évaluation prospective des méthodes d'investigation.