Abstract

CASANOVA SOTOLONGO, Pedro et al. Manejo del síncope vasovagal en la atención médica primaria. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2003, vol.19, n.3. ISSN 0864-2125.

In the last few years, the interest for the syncope of different causes has grown due to its frequency, disabling nature, potential seriousness and complex problems involved in its genesis and diagnosis. Syncope has been defined as sudden, brief and temporary loss of consciousness, inability to stand up, lack of postural tone and spontaneous recovery. Vasovagal syncope is the most common and causes one of the most powerful vasodilation responses in humans. A brief dysfunction of vasodepressor cardiovascular reflexes is involved in this process, with decreased brain metabolism as a result of the shortage of essential energetic substances. Loss of consciousness may be caused by a lot of disorders, mostly of benign origin such as vasopressor reaction that is the most frequent non-recurrent response. However, syncope may be caused in a small number of cases by a life-threatening disorder such as ventricular tachiarrhythmia and provokes sudden death. The most common mechanism of occurrence is bradichardic reflex. The study of syncope is a complex problem requiring a clinical guidance that neutralizes it. There is no evidence of the diagnostic usefulness of neuroimaging tests, EEG or vascular studies in patients with this disorders when no neurological focal signs are detected. The most efficient diagnostic test for the study of unexplained syncope is the tilt table. Syncope cases should be referred to the neurologists only when neurological signs of focal dysfunction are observed, if doubts arise about the real incidence of epilepsy or when the cardiologist’s assessment including the study using tilt table is negative.

Keywords : SYNCOPE VASOVAGAL [diagnosis]; SYNCOPE VASOVAGAL [therapy]; EPILEPSY; ARRHYTHMIA; PSYCHOTHERAPY; UNCONSCIOUSNESS.