Transient Loss of Consciousness - Impact
Episodes of Transient Loss of Consciousness have a substantial impact on patients.
It is essential to be aware that whilst the initial focus of investiagtion is to identify or exclude potentially life threatening causes, morbidity is significant even for patients identified as having a 'benign' cause for their episodes.
Recent studies have demonstrated that patients presenting with episodes of Transient Loss of Consciousness have an impairment of their quality of life comparable with patients suffering from chronic arthritis or recurrent moderate depression.
A study which compared patients with epilepsy and neurally mediated syncope found an equivalent degree of impairment in Quality of life - suggesting that the main contributor to quality of life impairment may be the unpredictable loss of control.
Quality of Life is more severely affected in patients who experience recurrent episodes over a short period of time and those who have interval pre-syncopal symptoms.
Although, in theory, in the absence of co-morbidities, physical function should be normal between episodes significant quality of life impairment remains due to:
- Driving restrictions
- Avoidance of activites during which syncope would be dangerous - eg swimming
- Work/Schooling restrictions
- Fear of episodes occuring in public places
- Loss of control
In addition significant injury (fractures/head injuries) can result from episodes of loss of consciousness that are found to have an underlying benign cause - eg disorders of blood pressure control such as neurally mediated syncope.
Return to Transient Loss of Conciousness - Incidence/Impact/ Prognosis
