Smoking and Cough Syncope: Follow-up in 45 Cases
Abstract
A follow-up review of 45 patients with cough syncope was performed to ascertain the effect of therapy in relieving symptoms. These patients constituted 2.5% of all Mayo Clinic patients evaluated over a 3-year period for syncope. Cough syncope patients were predominantly male (43:2), the average weight was 96.1 kg, and the average age was 53.2 years. Eighty-two percent were current or ex-smokers at the time of the initial evaluation and 86% of those having pulmonary function tests demonstrated findings consistent with obstructive lung disease. Treatment was determined by their primary physician and, in general, was aimed at decreasing the cough. Cough-related symptoms were abolished or improved in 97% of patients. Smoking cessation was closely associated with decreased symptoms. Although felt by both patient and physician to be a benign disorder, cough syncope can result in severe bodily injury. Patients with a vigorous cough, especially smokers, should be questioned thoroughly about cough syncope. Treatment of cough is effective in relieving symptoms.
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Evidence for treatment of situational syncope is limited mainly to case reports, small case series, and small observational studies.
“Evidence for treatment is limited mainly to case reports, small case series, and small observational studies (431,433–436).”
From 2017 ACC/AHA/HRS Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Patients With Syncope (2017) · cites this paper as [433]
Evidence for treatment of situational syncope is limited mainly to case reports, small case series, and small observational studies.
“Evidence for treatment is limited mainly to case reports, small case series, and small observational studies (280,282–285).”
From 2017 ACC/AHA/HRS Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Patients With Syncope: Executive Summary (2017) · cites this paper as [282]
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- Authors
- Bonekat, H. W., Miles, R. M., & Staats, B. A.
- Affiliations
- Mayo Clinic (US)
- Venue
- International Journal of the Addictions
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1987-01
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 413-419
- ISSN
- 0020-773X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2048465330
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of the Addictions (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL21584)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Cardiovascular Syncope and Autonomic Disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Respiratory and Cough-Related Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
- Keywords
- cough syncope, smoking, smoking cessation, cough, obstructive lung disease, pulmonary function tests, symptom relief, follow-up outcomes, syncope
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Cough, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Lung Diseases, Obstructive, Male, Middle Aged, Risk, Smoking, Syncope
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