title: Transient loss of consciousness as reason for admission to primary health care emergency room.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the occurrence and main causes of transient loss of consciousness in primary health care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 4-month prospective survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary health care emergency room of the City of Tampere, Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients, aged over 15 years, admitted to the emergency room.
  
  
  METHODS
  The overall prevalence of loss of consciousness divided into three subgroups: seizure, syncope and uncertain, and their distribution by gender and age. The prevalence of epilepsy, coronary heart disease and alcohol abuse among these diagnostic subgroups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all emergency room visits, 1.2% were for loss of consciousness. Of these, 53% were diagnosed as seizures, 33% as syncope attacks and 14% as uncertain. In the seizure group, 75% of patients were men and 67% had a history of alcohol abuse. In the syncope group, 44% of patients had coronary heart disease and 68% were women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Loss of consciousness is a fairly frequent problem for the primary health care emergency room. A history of alcohol abuse is commonly associated with seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Services and Health Care, City of Tampere, Finland. kirsti.martikainen@tt.tampere.fi
authors.forename: Kirsti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martikainen
authors.forename: Kaija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seppä
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viita
authors.forename: Sulo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajala
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laippala
authors.forename: Tapani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keränen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014600:Utilization Review