Boston Syncope Criteria
Assesses the risk of adverse events among patients presenting to the emergency department with syncope.
Advice
- Use results in conjunction with clinical judgment and a thorough investigation.
- Be sure to exclude syncope mimics (e.g., seizure, hypoglycemia, intoxication).
Management
- No criteria are present:
- The patient is likely low risk.
- Consider discharge or brief observation with clear return precautions.
- Ensure timely outpatient follow-up for additional evaluation.
- Any criteria are present:
- The patient is not low risk.
- Admission for inpatient evaluation is appropriate for cardiac monitoring and targeted testing (based on the positive criterion domain and suspected underlying etiology).