title: Risk Stratification of Patients Presenting with Transient Loss of Consciousness.
abstract: Important goals in the initial evaluation of patients with transient loss of consciousness include determining whether the episode was syncope and choosing the venue for subsequent care. Patients who have high short-term risk of adverse outcomes need prompt hospitalization for diagnosis and/or treatment, whereas others may be safely referred for outpatient evaluation. This article summarizes the most important available risk assessment studies and points out key differences among the existing recommendations. Current risk stratification methods cannot replace critical assessment by an experienced physician, but they do provide much needed guidance and offer direction for future risk stratification consensus development.
authors.affiliation: St Joseph Hospital, Healtheast Care System, Department of Medicine, St Paul, MN 55101, USA; Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, University of Minnesota Medical School, MMC 508, 420 Delaware Street Southeast, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Venkata Krishna
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Puppala
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akkaya
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Oana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, University of Minnesota Medical Center, University of Minnesota Medical School, MMC 508, 420 Delaware Street Southeast, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. Electronic address: bendi001@umn.edu.
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Benditt
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013575:Syncope / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Risk stratification; Syncope; Syncope clinic; Transient loss of consciousness