Syncope as a reason for referral to the cardiology outpatient

Introduction: Syncope is a transient loss of consciousness due to cerebral hypoperfusion. Special attention is paid to cardiac syncope, the causes of which are related to heart dysfunction and require specific treatment of cardiogenic causes of syncope. The aim of our research was to determine the most common causes of syncope in patients referred to the cardiology outpatient clinic. Material and methods: The study is a retrospective analysis of patients referred to the outpatient clinic of the Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina, where patient data were analyzed in the period from January 1, 2023 to July 1, 2023. Data were collected from the hospital information system, including demographic data of subjects, echocardiographic findings, ECG findings, comorbidities, vital parameters, and treatment outcome. All patients who had a diagnosis of syncope upon admission were included in this study. Results: 178 patients were included, with an average age of 66.5±17.12 years. The average value of heart rate at admission was 78.07 ± 26.23 beats per minute, systolic blood pressure was 137 mmHg, while diastolic arterial pressure was 75 mmHg. Rhythm and conduction disorders were present in 56.2% of patients. 32.6% of patients had coronary artery disease, 10.1% of patients had severe aortic stenosis, while 11.2% of patients had reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Acute pulmonary thromboembolism was present in 4 subjects. Hospitalized patients made up 46%, while outpatients made up 54%. There were 8 deaths in our study. Conclusion: Research on the causes of syncope in emergency cardiology clinics emphasizes the necessity of proper diagnosis and treatment of this clinical problem in order to improve clinical practice.