17 Evidence for Combined Falls and Syncope Assessment in Older Patients

Abstract

Abstract Syncope is a transient loss of consciousness due to cerebral hypoperfusion (reduced blood flow through the brain). Thirty percent of older persons who have syncope are unaware of loss of consciousness and the majority of events are not witnessed. In these cases, the patient presents with non-accidental/unexplained falls (Parry SW et al., 2005). Many of these events are not recognised. Given that most causes of syncope can be treated and further events prevented, the new ESC guidelines for syncope recommends inclusion of falls in syncope risk stratification (Brignole M et al., 2018) in older patients. These new risk stratification recommendations will be reviewed coupled with new prevalence and comorbidity information for falls in community samples and the long term consequences of hypotensive syndromes on cerebral function.