据估计,在欧洲,晕厥占约 1% 的急诊室就诊量,[23]Blanc JJ, L'Her C, Touiza A, et al. Prospective evaluation and outcome of patients admitted for syncope over a 1 year period. Eur Heart J. 2002;23:815-820.http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/ehj/23/10/815.full.pdfhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12009722?tool=bestpractice.com[24]Disertori M, Brignole M, Menozzi C, et al. Management of patients with syncope referred urgently to general hospitals. Europace. 2003;5:283-291.http://europace.oxfordjournals.org/content/5/3/283.fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12842645?tool=bestpractice.com 但根据美国地区以前的报告,此数字接近于 3%。[25]Martin GJ, Adams SL, Martin HG, et al. Prospective evaluation of syncope. Ann Emerg Med. 1984 Jul;13(7):499-504. 晕厥的发病率因群体而异:儿童(< 18 岁)占 15%;17 到 26 岁的部队人群占 25%;40 到 59 岁的男性和女性分别占 16% 和 19%;> 70 岁的养老院人群占高达 23%。[25]Martin GJ, Adams SL, Martin HG, et al. Prospective evaluation of syncope. Ann Emerg Med. 1984 Jul;13(7):499-504.[26]Lamb L, Green HC, Combs JJ, et al. Incidence of loss of consciousness in 1980 Air Force personnel. Aerospace Med. 1960;12:973-988.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13758427?tool=bestpractice.com[27]Day SC, Cook EF, Funkenstein H, et al. Evaluation and outcome of emergency room patients with transient loss of consciousness. Am J Med. 1982 Jul;73(1):15-23.[28]Savage DD, Corwin L, McGee DL, et al. Epidemiologic features of isolated syncope: the Framingham study. Stroke. 1985;16:626-629.http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/16/4/626.full.pdf+htmlhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4024175?tool=bestpractice.com[29]Lipsitz LA, Wei JY, Rowe JW. Syncope in an elderly institutionalised population: prevalence, incidence, and associated risk. Q J Med. 1985;55:45-54.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4011842?tool=bestpractice.com[30]Feruglio GA, Perraro F. Rilievi epidemiologici sulla sincope nella popolazione generale e come causa di ricovero. G Ital Cardiol. 1987;17:11-13.[31]Morichetti A, Astorino G. Epidemiological and clinical findings in 697 syncope events [in Italian]. Minerva Med. 1998;89:211-220.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9739353?tool=bestpractice.com[32]Lewis DA, Dhala A. Syncope in the pediatric patient: the cardiologist's perspective. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1999;46:205-219.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10218070?tool=bestpractice.com[33]Sarasin FP, Louis-Simonet M, Carballo D, et al. Prospective evaluation of patients with syncope: a population-based study. Am J Med. 2001 Aug 15;111(3):177-84.[34]Soteriades ES, Evans JC, Larson MG, et al. Incidence and prognosis of syncope. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:878-885.http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa012407#t=articlehttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12239256?tool=bestpractice.com
血管迷走性晕厥是晕厥的最常见原因。 其在青年中患病率最高,其次是在老人中。 但是,老年人的病史特征可能不明确,增加了诊断难度。 大多数研究表明,女性(尤其年轻女性)更易患血管迷走性晕厥,尽管报告偏倚可能也是原因之一,因为年轻男性可能较少报告此类事件。
晕厥最常见于具有心血管疾病的患者以及保健机构的老年人。[29]Lipsitz LA, Wei JY, Rowe JW. Syncope in an elderly institutionalised population: prevalence, incidence, and associated risk. Q J Med. 1985;55:45-54.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4011842?tool=bestpractice.com 老年人中,引用的晕厥患病率的数字可能低估了发病情况,因为这些患者中多达 20% 患有意识丧失的失忆症。 心源性晕厥患者的 1 年死亡率(18% 到 33%)大于非心源性晕厥患者(0% 到 12%)或不明原因晕厥患者 (6%)。 心脏病因患者猝死的 1 年发病率约为 24%,其他两组为 3%。 另一方面,尽管心脏病因患者的死亡率高于非心脏病因或未知病因患者,但在有相似程度心脏病匹配对照组中,死亡率类似。 本质上,器质性心脏病的严重度是死亡率最重要的预测参数。 通过对比发现,某些子群的晕厥患者具有良好的预后。 其中包括无心脏病及心电图正常的健康年轻人,以及出现大多数神经介导的综合征(可能不包括颈动脉窦综合征)、体位性低血压(死亡率根据体位性低血压的病因而定)及未知原因的晕厥的患者(不明原因晕厥患者第一年死亡率 5%)。[23]Blanc JJ, L'Her C, Touiza A, et al. Prospective evaluation and outcome of patients admitted for syncope over a 1 year period. Eur Heart J. 2002;23:815-820.http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/ehj/23/10/815.full.pdfhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12009722?tool=bestpractice.com[28]Savage DD, Corwin L, McGee DL, et al. Epidemiologic features of isolated syncope: the Framingham study. Stroke. 1985;16:626-629.http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/16/4/626.full.pdf+htmlhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4024175?tool=bestpractice.com[32]Lewis DA, Dhala A. Syncope in the pediatric patient: the cardiologist's perspective. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1999;46:205-219.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10218070?tool=bestpractice.com[34]Soteriades ES, Evans JC, Larson MG, et al. Incidence and prognosis of syncope. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:878-885.http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa012407#t=articlehttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12239256?tool=bestpractice.com