NICE Guideline 'Red Flags' to Predict Serious Outcome After Transient Loss of Consciousness

NICE Guideline 'Red Flags' to Predict Serious Outcome After Transient Loss of Consciousness: Prospective Validation Study in the Emergency Department.

This study is designed to evaluate the accuracy of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guideline 'red flags' to identify patients at high risk of short term serious outcome when presenting in the emergency department (ED) with Transient Loss of Consciousness (TLoC). Red flags were defined as ECG abnormality, history or physical signs of heart failure, TLoC during exercise, family history of sudden cardiac death at an age < 40 years and/or an inherited cardiac condition, new or unexplained breathlessness, heart murmur, absence of prodromal symptoms in any patient aged > 65 years.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult patients (>= 16 years) with a complaint of TLoC

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients needing immediate treatment, with trauma related or drug or alcohol related TLoC were excluded, as well as patient with persistent altered level of consciousness, simple fall and drop attack