Clues to a life-threatening disease

Syncope, with its multiple underlying causes, represents a challenging clinical problem. Identification of the etiology, which can range from benign to potentially life-threatening disease, might require a complex diagnostic pathway. We report the case of a 24-year-old man who presented to the outpatient clinic after 3 episodes of syncope at rest during the previous month. Each lasted a few seconds and was preceded by palpitations and lightheadedness. His past medical history included no significant findings, and he had no history of recent drug use. His father died suddenly at the age of 43 years.