Acute Medicine | Medicine of the elderly | The overlap between falls and syncope

The Overlap Between Falls and Syncope
Session Overview
Description
This session defines syncope and outlines the common causes of syncope in the elderly. It shows the overlap between falls and syncope and describes the initial evaluation of an elderly patient with syncope.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Define syncope
• Recognise the overlap between falls and syncope in the elderly
• List the common causes of syncope in the elderly
• Complete an initial evaluation of an elderly patient with syncope
• Describe the initial investigations and management of syncope

Definition of a Fall
A fall is an event which results in a person unintentionally coming to rest on the ground or some other lower level.

There are multiple risk factors for falling (as shown in the table opposite), but this session will focus on syncope. In other words, the reasons for falling which are linked to cardiac factors or low blood pressure.

Definition of Syncope
Syncope is a transient, self-limited loss of consciousness with relatively rapid onset and spontaneous recovery. It is always the result of transient global hypoperfusion, resulting in the loss of voluntary muscle tone. It will usually result in a fall.