Featurees of the three risk groups
| Factor | Group 1 n=47 | Group 2 n=63 | Group 3 n=100 | All patients n=210 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Figures are number (%) unless otherwise stated. *Suspicion only of heart disease includes all patients with syncope without warning, associated with injury or exertional syncope in whom definite organic heart disease could not be demonstrated in the history, examination or via the ECG; †Defined as a fall in systolic BP of 20 mm Hg or more on standing, or any in diastolic BP of 10 mm Hg or more on standing, or a rise in heart rate of 20 bpm or more on standing (see text). | ||||
| Age in years mean (SD) | 76.7 (10.9) | 71.9 (17) | 33.6 (13) | 54.7 (25) |
| Age ≥70 years (%) | 40 (85) | 43 (68) | Nil | 83 (40) |
| Female sex (%) | 29 (62) | 43 (68) | 57 (57) | 129 (61) |
| Known organic heart disease (%) | 38 (81) | Nil | Nil | 38 (18) |
| Abnormal ECG (%) | 26 (55) | Nil | Nil | 26 (12) |
| Suspicion only of organic heart disease* (%) | Nil | 19 (30) | Nil | 19 (9) |
| On cardioactive or psychotropic drugs (%) | 37 (79) | 33 (52) | Nil | 70 (33) |
| Moderate to severe postural hypotension† (%) | 5 (11) | 6 (10) | Nil | 11 (5) |