An important advance in the diagnosis of arrhythmias as the cause of syncopes is the introduction of intracardiac electrocardiography and diagnostic electric stimulation known at present as clinical cardiac electrophysiology. The author examined a group of 70 patients with syncopes and divided them into two sub-groups. The first group comprised 46 patients examined by means of a hisogram and assessment of the recovery period of the sinus node and the second group 24 patients where the examination comprised in addition programmed stimulation of the right atrium and ventricle. In the first group the examination explained the cause of syncopes in arrhythmia in 22 patients (48%), in the second group in 12 patients (50%). In the entire group the invasive technique proved useful in 34 patients (49%). Based on the results of tests a therapeutic procedure was selected--implantation of a pacemaker or medicamentous antiarrhythmic therapy.

Keywords: Aged; Arrhythmias, Cardiac /complications/; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; Electrocardiography /methods/; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Syncope /etiology/