© 1999 by European Society of Cardiology
Clinical usefulness of head-up tilt test in patients with syncope and intraventricular conduction defect
Servei de Cardiologia, Hospital General Universitari Vall d’Hebron Barcelona, Spain
Head-up tilt test was performed in 99 patients with syncope of unknown origin and intraventricular conduction defect. Twenty-five per cent had a positive response to tilt with reproduction of spontaneous clinical symptoms. Holter recording revealed paroxysmal atrioventricular (AV) block in three patients. Carotid sinus massage was positive in four patients. An electrophysiological study was performed in 76 patients with abnormal findings in 17 (22%). Thus, vasovagal syncope was the discharge diagnosis in 25 patients (25%). Therefore, tilt test should be considered in patients with intraventricular conduction defect presenting with syncope of unknown origin, especially if clinical findings suggest the possibility of a vasovagal mechanism, or if the results of the electrophysiological study are inconclusive.
Key Words: Syncope, tilt test, intraventricular conduction defects
Correspondence: J. Sagristà-Sauleda, Servei de Cardiologia, Hospital General Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Paseo Vall d’Hebron 119–129, Barcelona, 08035 Spain.
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