Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD

Educational Pearls:

• Syncope is defined as a loss of consciousness with an immediate return to baseline
• Differential is broad
• Cardiogenic
• Structural (aortic stenosis, HOCUM, etc.)
• Electrical (long QT syndrome, Brugada, etc.)
• Neurogenic/neurovascular (brain bleed, etc.)
• Seizure
• Everything else
• Hypoglycemia, anemia, and bleeding into the abdominal cavity are some potential causes to rule out
• Vasovagal
• Diagnosis of exclusion
• Work Up
• EKG
• Good H&P
• Labs especially Hb and glucose

References

Morris J. Emergency department management of syncope. Emerg Med Pract. Jun 2021;23(6):1-24.

Reed MJ. Approach to syncope in the emergency department. Emerg Med J. Feb 2019;36(2):108-116. doi:10.1136/emermed-2018-207767

Summarized by Mark O'Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD, & Erik Verzemnieks, MD

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