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Communication

Unexplained Syncope: The Importance of the Electrophysiology Study

by
Ioannis Doundoulakis
1,2,
Stergios Soulaidopoulos
1,
Petros Arsenos
1,
Polychronis Dilaveris
1,
Dimitris Tsiachris
3,
Christos-Konstantinos Antoniou
1,
Skevos Sideris
4,
Athanasios Kordalis
1,
Ageliki Laina
1,
Sotirios Kallinikidis
2,
Panagiotis Xydis
1,
Stefanos Archontakis
1,
Konstantinos Tsioufis
1 and
Konstantinos A. Gatzoulis
1,5,*
1
First Department of Cardiology, National and Kapodistrian University, “Hippokration” Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
2
Department of Cardiology, 424 General Military Hospital, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
3
Athens Heart Center, Athens Medical Center, 11526 Athens, Greece
4
State Department of Cardiology, “Hippokration” Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece
5
Konstantinos A. Gatzoulis, 181 Dorieon str., P.O. Box 175, 19009 Athens, Greece
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Hearts 2021, 2(4), 495-504; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040038
Submission received: 14 September 2021 / Revised: 15 October 2021 / Accepted: 20 October 2021 / Published: 25 October 2021

Abstract

Syncope of cardiac origin may be associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death if not treated in a timely and appropriate manner. The diagnostic approach of syncope imposes a significant economic burden on society. The investigation and elucidation of the pathogenetic mechanism of syncope are of great clinical importance, as both prognosis and appropriate therapeutic approaches depend on these factors. The responsible mechanism of presyncope or syncope can only be revealed through the patient history, baseline clinical examination and electrocardiogram. The percentage of patients who are diagnosed with these tests alone exceeds 50%. In patients with a history of organic or acquired heart disease or/and the presence of abnormal findings on the electrocardiogram, a further diagnostic electrophysiology inclusive approach should be followed to exclude life threatening arrhythmiological mechanism. However, if the patient does not suffer from underlying heart disease and does not show abnormal electrocardiographic findings in the electrocardiogram, then the probability in the electrophysiology study to find a responsible cause is small but not absent. The role of a two-step electrophysiology study inclusive risk stratification approach for the effective management of the former is thoroughly discussed in this review.
Keywords: syncope; presyncope; pacemaker; electrophysiology study; sinus node dysfunction; atrioventricular node disease syncope; presyncope; pacemaker; electrophysiology study; sinus node dysfunction; atrioventricular node disease

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MDPI and ACS Style

Doundoulakis, I.; Soulaidopoulos, S.; Arsenos, P.; Dilaveris, P.; Tsiachris, D.; Antoniou, C.-K.; Sideris, S.; Kordalis, A.; Laina, A.; Kallinikidis, S.; et al. Unexplained Syncope: The Importance of the Electrophysiology Study. Hearts 2021, 2, 495-504. https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040038

AMA Style

Doundoulakis I, Soulaidopoulos S, Arsenos P, Dilaveris P, Tsiachris D, Antoniou C-K, Sideris S, Kordalis A, Laina A, Kallinikidis S, et al. Unexplained Syncope: The Importance of the Electrophysiology Study. Hearts. 2021; 2(4):495-504. https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040038

Chicago/Turabian Style

Doundoulakis, Ioannis, Stergios Soulaidopoulos, Petros Arsenos, Polychronis Dilaveris, Dimitris Tsiachris, Christos-Konstantinos Antoniou, Skevos Sideris, Athanasios Kordalis, Ageliki Laina, Sotirios Kallinikidis, and et al. 2021. "Unexplained Syncope: The Importance of the Electrophysiology Study" Hearts 2, no. 4: 495-504. https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040038

APA Style

Doundoulakis, I., Soulaidopoulos, S., Arsenos, P., Dilaveris, P., Tsiachris, D., Antoniou, C.-K., Sideris, S., Kordalis, A., Laina, A., Kallinikidis, S., Xydis, P., Archontakis, S., Tsioufis, K., & Gatzoulis, K. A. (2021). Unexplained Syncope: The Importance of the Electrophysiology Study. Hearts, 2(4), 495-504. https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040038

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