Syncope Beginning in People Over 50 Years Old—Experience in 52 Cases

Abstract

It is not common to start suffering from syncopes after age 50. They are mainly male patients who present causes other than vasovagal syncope, which predominates at an early age. Orthostatic hypotension is the predominant causal factor, which is attributed in many cases to advanced age, metabolic, cardiovascular or neurological diseases, to failure of baroreflexes, all of the above may be associated with the use of hypotensive drugs alone or in combination with psychotropic drugs. Furthermore, causes such as carotid sinus syncope, postprandial syncope and situational syncope become more frequent. Therefore, as people age, they present a favorable pathological terrain for the production of syncope. The older you are, the more likely you are to start with syncope. Finding the definitive diagnosis for their syncopes can be difficult, given the multiplicity of interacting factors. Their study is more exhaustive and requires a good anamnesis, knowing the drugs used by the patient, concomitant diseases and careful surveillance to get closer to the diagnosis.