title: How to Differentiate Syncope from Seizure.
abstract: Convulsive syncope is a common cause of misdiagnosis in patients who present with a transient loss of consciousness. This misdiagnosis contributes significantly to the numbers of patients with a questionable diagnosis of epilepsy, and to those with apparently drug-resistant epilepsy. The most important step to an accurate diagnosis is a fastidious history. Inducing syncope with tilt table testing and documenting heart rate changes during events with implantable loop recorders have proved to be useful. These suggest the need for closer and ongoing collaboration among neurologists and cardiologists to provide optimal care for patients with the diagnostic dilemma of syncope or epileptic seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Science, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive Northwest, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada. Electronic address: sheldon@ucalgary.ca.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sheldon
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018667:Tilt-Table Test / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Convulsive syncope; Epileptic seizures; Syncope; Tilt tests