Survey: Most EDs Follow the Guidelines for Ambulatory ECG Syncope Evaluation

Survey results published in EP Europace suggested that most, but not all, emergency department physicians in the United Kingdom and in Germany use ambulatory ECGs for the evaluation of syncope/collapse as recommended by guidelines. A total of 177 respondents participated in the quantitative survey. The use of ambulatory ECG monitors varied depending on specialty. For daily symptoms, between 20% and 31% of physicians used the ambulatory ECG monitoring, but that number changed to favor Holter monitoring when there was monitoring of more infrequent events. “In the evaluation of syncope/collapse, most UK and German emergency department physicians use ambulatory ECGs according to guidelines,” the researchers wrote, “but a substantial minority diverge from ambulatory ECG guideline recommendations.”

Sutton R, Mears R, Kohno R, Benditt D. EP Europace. 2018;doi:10.1093/europace/euy178