%A Jennifer Gracie %A Christine Baker %A Mark H. Freeston %A Julia L. Newton %J Indian Pacing and Electrophysiology Journal %T The role of Psychological Factors in the Aetiology and Treatment of Vasovagal Syncope %X Syncope is a sudden transient loss of consciousness with loss of postural tone, followed by spontaneous recovery1. Around 30 percent of the general population have one syncopal event in their lifetime, with 3% having recurrent episodes2. Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is an exaggerated tendency towards the common faint that accounts for up to 29% of syncope3 and affects all age groups. VVS is characterised by profound hypotension with or without bradycardia. Those with VVS are at risk of injury during episodes and the long term implications of recurrent episodes of hypotension are unclear1. The underlying pathophysiology of VVS is uncertain and current treatments involve salt and fluid replacement and maintenance of blood pressure using mineralocorticoids or alpha agonists1. These treatments are largely symptomatic and may be associated with side effects that make their use in younger age groups inappropriate %N 2 %K vasovagal syncope; psychological factors %P 79-84 %E Balbir Singh %E Yash Lokhandwala %E Johnson Francis %E Anup Gupta %V 4 %D 2004 %I Indian Pacing and Electrophysiology Group %L cogprints4231