Syncope toolkit

Resources

PoTS UK

Charity for those with postural tachycardia syndrome. Website has a list of clinicians with an interest in this area as well as information for patients and healthcare professionals. The first link is to a GP summary of PoTS and the second is to a page of talk recordings, for those who want to know more.

• GP Guide: PoTS on a Page
• PoTS lecture recordings

Syncope Trust And Reflex Anoxic Seizures (STARS)

The website of this charity has information on a variety of causes of syncope, as well as patient information about travel insurance companies which are likely to cover those with syncope, and a list of specialists with an interest.

• Homepage of Syncope Trust And Reflex Anoxic Seizures 

Stop Fainting

This website is run by staff who treat syncope at Imperial College Healthcare Trust. It has information about the causes of syncope, what investigations might be done, and about conservative and medical management.

• Homepage of Stop Fainting

Patient information on reflex anoxic seizures

Though benign, this condition can be terrifying for patients. The following information leaflets may be useful.

• Kingston Hospital Reflex anoxic seizures (RAS) information page
• STARS FAQ Booklet

Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY)

This UK based charity offers bereavement support after the sudden cardiac death of a person aged 35 or under – this may have presented with cardiac syncope. They also offer support to young people diagnosed with cardiac conditions, and screening with ECGs and echocardiograms. Their website has information for GPs and patients.

• Homepage of Cardiac Risk in the Young 

Resources for athletes

Athletes who seek advice from their GP regarding sport and syncope or risk of heart disease may find the following resources useful. The first article concerns return to sport after COVID-19 infection and has a pragmatic flowchart to follow and the second would help them to access cardiac screening (if aged under 35). GPs are generally not trained or indemnified to certify someone as fit to return to sport; if such a report is needed then the patient could be directed to a private sports medicine physician.

• Hughes DC, Orchard JW, Partridge EM, et al. Return to exercise post-COVID-19 infection: A pragmatic approach in mid-2022. J Sci Med Sport. 2022 Jul;25(7):544-547. 
• Cardiac Screening page of Cardiac Risk in the Young 

Patient information on arrhythmias

Patients with a cardiac cause for their syncope may find the following resources useful.

• Arrhythmia Alliance Patient Resources

Information on drugs which alter the QT interval

This information classifies drugs into those with a known risk of torsade de pointes (TdP) due to prolonged QT interval, those with a possible risk of TdP, and those which may cause TdP in certain situations. Registration is required and is free. 

• Resources for Healthcare Professionals

Information on syncope units

The following articles may be useful for commissioning GPs who are thinking about commissioning a syncope unit.

• Kenny RA, Brignole M, Dan GA, et al. Syncope Unit: rationale and requirement – the European Heart Rhythm Association position statement endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society. EP Europace 2015 Sep;17(9):1325–1340.
• McLintock B, Reid J, Capek E, et al. Unscheduled care bed days can be reduced with a syncope pathway and rapid access syncope clinic. Br J Cardiol 2019 Nov;26:133–6.
• Adlan AM, Eftekhari H, Paul G, et al. The Impact of a Nurse-Led Syncope Clinic: Experience from a single UK tertiary center. J Arrhythm. 2020 Aug 31;36(5):854-862.