Usefulness of tilt training in patients with neurocardiogenic syncope

Neurocardiogenic syncope is a relatively common cause of syncope and is diagnosed by head-up tilt test. A wide variety of medical treatment has been proposed, such as beta-blocker, vasoconstrictor, fludrocortisone, and serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. But there are some cases in which these therapies have failed to prevent syncope. Recent report has shown that tilt training is a very effective therapy for recurrent neurocardiogenic syncope. Thus, to determine whether tilt training could prevent symptoms in the patients with recurrent neurocardiogenic syncope, the following study was taken. Five patients diagnosed with neurocardiogenic syncope by head-up tilt test were included. After hospital admission, they were tilted daily until negative response occurred. Negative response was noted in four patients. But tilt training was stopped in one patient because of no response of tilt training. After hospital discharge, the four patients performed tilt training at home by leaning against wall. They were interviewed on the phone eight to eleven months later. They have not experienced any symptoms during the follow-up period. This is the first domestic report of tilt training in patients with neurocardiogenic syncope.