In a new publication from Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications; DOI https://doi.org/10.15212/CVIA.2019.1266, Zhuzhi Wen, Jingying Hou, Zun Mai, Huifen Huang, Yangxin Chen, Dengfeng Geng and Jingfeng Wang from Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China and Guandong Province Key Laboratory of Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, Guangzhou, China consider predictive value of blood pressure, heart rate, and blood pressure/heart rate ratio in a Chinese subpopulation with vasovagal syncope.
Blood pressure, heart rate and ratios of blood pressure to heart rate in the titled position during the simplistic tilt test had predictive value with regard to the presence, pattern, and stage of syncope during the head-up tilt test.
Ratios of blood pressure to heart rate derived from ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) may be better predictors of the presence and pattern of vasovagal syncope (VVS), while ABPM-derived blood pressure should be used to predict the time when syncope will happen.
The authors found significant correlations in blood pressure to heart rate ratios between ABPM and the simplistic tilt test, and different VVS patterns had different correlative features. Parameters from both ABPM and the simplistic tilt test may be promising alternatives to the head-up tilt test in VVS evaluation.