WASHINGTON (March 9, 2017) -- The American College of Cardiology, with the American Heart Association and the Heart Rhythm Society, today released a guideline on the evaluation and management of patients with syncope. The 2017 ACC/AHA/HRS Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Syncope will publish online today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology , Circulation and HeartRhythm .
Syncope, or fainting, is caused by low blood pressure resulting in an insufficient supply of blood, and therefore oxygen, to the brain. This can happen due to several causes, some of them even due to a serious underlying medical condition. Until now, there have been no written standards outlining the best course of action to take when treating patients who faint.
"This is very important because fainting impacts thousands of people every day," said Win-Kuang Shen, MD, chair of the writing group that developed the guidelines. "Now that we have these guidelines, physicians and clinicians will be able to make better-informed decisions and this will contribute to improved patient outcomes."
The new recommendations include:
"Studies show that in the U.S., about one-third to half the population faints at some point in their lifetime. That means there is a very good chance these guidelines will either affect you directly or someone you know. Therefore, having these guidelines is not only good for the clinicians using them--but for everyone," Shen said.
The guideline was written in collaboration with the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.
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About the American College of Cardiology
The American College of Cardiology is a 52,000-member medical society that is the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team. The mission of the College is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College operates national registries to measure and improve care, offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions, provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet stringent qualifications. For more, visit acc.org .
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke - America's No. 1 and No. 5 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the Heart Rhythm Society
The Heart Rhythm Society is the international leader in science, education, and advocacy for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and patients, and the primary information resource on heart rhythm disorders. Its mission is to improve the care of patients by promoting research, education and optimal health care policies and standards. Incorporated in 1979 and based in Washington, DC, it has a membership of more than 5,800 heart rhythm professionals in more than 72 countries around the world. For more information, visit http://www.HRSonline.org .
Journal of the American College of Cardiology