title: [Syncope: electrocardiogram and autonomic function tests].
abstract: Syncope represents one of the most frequent reasons for consultation in the emergency department. A proper identification will allow a precise etiologic approach and the optimization of delivery of health resources. Once knowing the classification of syncope; it is the clinical interrogatory what enables to discriminate which of these patients present with a neurogenic mediated syncope or a cardiac mediated syncope. The use of diagnostic methods such as the tilt test, will clarify what type of neurally mediated syncope predominates in the patient. The electrocardiogram is the cornerstone in the identification of those patients who had a true episode of self-limited or aborted sudden death as the first manifestation of their syncope, a fact which provides prognostic and therapeutic information that will impact the morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Electrofisiología, Arritmias y Marcapasos, Centros Especializados en Salud Cardiología San Vicente, Fundación Medellín y Rionegro, Colombia; Universidades CES, Medellín, Colombia; Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia. Address: Carrera 43 36-02, Torre Norte, Piso 11, Medellín, Colombia. Email: wuribea@une.net.co.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Uribe
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Kingston General Hospital, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Adrián
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baranchuk
authors.affiliation: Universidades CES, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Botero
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018667:Tilt-Table Test
keywords:  cardiac event monitor;  electrocardiogram;  neurally mediated faints;  postural orthostatic intolerance;  tilt table test; syncope