What are the top four causes of syncope in order?

What are the top four causes of syncope in order?

• A. Vasovagal, orthostatic, cardiac, medication
• B. Vasovagal, cardiac, orthostatic, medication
• C. Cardiac, Vasovagal, orthostatic, medication
• D. Vasovagal, cardiac, medication, orthostatic

Answer: (B)

Vasovagal syncope is the most common type, caused by an exaggerated autonomic reflex that lowers heart rate and dilates vessels, reducing cerebral perfusion and producing a brief loss of consciousness with often a quick recovery. Following that, cardiac causes are the next most frequent and include arrhythmias or structural heart disease that disrupt blood flow to the brain. Orthostatic hypotension comes next, occurring when standing causes a drop in blood pressure that the body can’t compensate for, especially in older adults, the dehydrated, or those on certain medicines. Medication-related syncope, while important, tends to be less common than the others and stems from drugs that lower blood pressure or slow the heart, or from drug interactions. So the top four causes in order are vasovagal, cardiac, orthostatic, and medication.

Vasovagal syncope is the most common type, caused by an exaggerated autonomic reflex that lowers heart rate and dilates vessels, reducing cerebral perfusion and producing a brief loss of consciousness with often a quick recovery. Following that, cardiac causes are the next most frequent and include arrhythmias or structural heart disease that disrupt blood flow to the brain. Orthostatic hypotension comes next, occurring when standing causes a drop in blood pressure that the body can’t compensate for, especially in older adults, the dehydrated, or those on certain medicines. Medication-related syncope, while important, tends to be less common than the others and stems from drugs that lower blood pressure or slow the heart, or from drug interactions.

So the top four causes in order are vasovagal, cardiac, orthostatic, and medication.