Task Force on Syncope, European Society of Cardiology.Guidelines on management (diagnosis and treatment) of syncope-update 2004. Executive Summary.

The European Society of Cardiology guidelines for the management (diagnosis and treatment) of syncope were published in August 2001. Since then, more clinical trials and observational studies have been published, some of which alter the recommendations made in that document. The panel reconvened in September 2003, made revisions where appropriate and developed the consensus recommendations. This executive summary reports the most important changes. Furthermore, since the strategies for the assessment of syncope vary widely among physicians and among hospitals in Europe, we recognised the need to coordinate the evaluation of syncope. The panel sought to define ESC standards for the management of syncope and proposed a model of organisation for the evaluation of the syncope patient. A new section was thus added to the document on this topic.