Carotid sinus hypersensitivity in elderly nursing home patients.

Fourteen of 100 geriatric nursing home patients were shown to have evidence of carotid sinus hypersensitivity. The incidence of syncope and falls was noted in prospective follow-up over 33 months. Falls were classified as either simple or complicated by laceration or fracture. Patients experienced simple falls at similar rates whether carotid sinus hypersensitivity was present or absent. For patients with carotid sinus hypersensitivity, the risk of a laceration was increased more than twofold, that of fracture more than threefold, and that of syncope tenfold. Carotid sinus hypersensitivity warrants greater attention as a contributory factor to serious falls and syncope in the elderly; and its importance may have been underestimated in the past.