Syncope in older adults.

Syncope, defined as a self-limited transient loss of consciousness and postural tone due to global cerebral hypoperfusion, is a common reason for emergency room visits, with a third of these visits leading to an inpatient admission.[1] Syncope carries an estimated 2-year mortality rate of over 25% and is strongly associated with falls, a potentially devastating contributor to morbidity and mortality among the elderly. Given this association, it is not surprising that up to 35% of syncopal episodes result in injury.[2] Dizziness is similarly associated with poor outcomes in the elderly,[3] overlapping substantially with syncope and falls through commonly shared pathophysiologic mechanisms.[4] To optimize care of this vulnerable patient population, it is imperative to recognize the etiologies and associated risk factors for syncope in older adults, as well as appreciate their influence on diagnosis and management.