Syncope.

Successful treatment of patients with syncope depends on the accuracy of the diagnosis, because syncope is a symptom, not a disease; diagnosis of the cause for syncope therefore creates a blueprint for treatment. Most experienced practitioners can diagnose the cause of syncope for less than half of their patients. Excessive and repeat testing is expensive and may not improve the chance of a correct diagnosis. Patient history is the key to the diagnosis. Treatment may vary from a lifestyle change to open heart surgery. The great challenge of treating patients with syncope is to provide cost-effective, safe therapy to those with a benign course and still provide needed treatment for those whose syncope is life threatening.