UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Cardiology

Title: dysrhythmias and syncope

Keywords: syncope, arrhythmia, dysrhythmia (PubMed Search)

Posted: 9/22/2008 by Amal Mattu, MD (Updated: 4/25/2024)
Click here to contact Amal Mattu, MD

17-18% of cases of syncope are attributable to dysrhythmias.
The best predictors of dysrhythmias in these patients are:
1. abnormal ECG (odds ratio 8.1)
2. history of CHF (odds ratio  5.3)
3. age > 65 (odds ratio 5.4)

[reference: Sarasin FP, et al. A risk score to predict arrhythmias in patients with unexplained syncope. Acad Emerg Med 2003.]