Syncope or seizure? A matter of opinion

Abstract

We studied the diagnostic interpretation by physicians of written histories of 118 patients with a transient loss of consciousness. Considerable disagreement about a diagnosis of either syncope or seizure was found. Overall agreement was only 31%; an erroneous diagnosis was made in 16% of cases. We concluded that the diagnosis of a seizure after a single event is often too unreliable to justify early treatment. © 1992.