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What Causes Frequent Episodes Of Syncope In A 42 Year Old Man?
Question: Hi my brother is 42, he has passed out 4 times in the last few months - doctors have not isolated a cause.
He is healthy weight, fit.
Tests are Negative for diabetes. First round with heart monitor did not show anything.
What should they check? What tests should they run? Should they do an Mri?
YYYY@YYYY
He is healthy weight, fit.
Tests are Negative for diabetes. First round with heart monitor did not show anything.
What should they check? What tests should they run? Should they do an Mri?
YYYY@YYYY
Brief Answer:
heart or nervous system
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question.
The most common causes for syncope (passing out) are orthostatic hypotension, cardiac and neurologic causes.
I am sure that they have checked him for orthostatic hypotension. This is done by just having the blood pressure checked lying down, sitting and standing. In these patients the blood pressure drops when they stand resulting in not enough blood to the brain and passing out.
Next are the cardiac causes and there are several things with the heart that can cause syncope. The cardiologists will probably want to get an Event Monitor, an echocardiogram and possibly a stress tests, depending upon his other risk factors.
Neurologic causes are less common and I would suggest if the heart tests are all normal that he see a neurologist before getting the MRI. They may suggest other testing be done before the MRI.
Please let me know if you have other questions
Dr Robinson
heart or nervous system
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question.
The most common causes for syncope (passing out) are orthostatic hypotension, cardiac and neurologic causes.
I am sure that they have checked him for orthostatic hypotension. This is done by just having the blood pressure checked lying down, sitting and standing. In these patients the blood pressure drops when they stand resulting in not enough blood to the brain and passing out.
Next are the cardiac causes and there are several things with the heart that can cause syncope. The cardiologists will probably want to get an Event Monitor, an echocardiogram and possibly a stress tests, depending upon his other risk factors.
Neurologic causes are less common and I would suggest if the heart tests are all normal that he see a neurologist before getting the MRI. They may suggest other testing be done before the MRI.
Please let me know if you have other questions
Dr Robinson
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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