A rare cause of syncope: cough.

Background: Syncope is a transient loss of consciousness, associated with loss of postural tone, with spontaneous return to baseline neurologic function. Syncope is a common complaint in the emergency department.

Objective: Cough syncope occurs immediately after coughing. Cough syncope rapidly recovers in 1-2 second. Although cough syncope has been classified in vasovagal syncope, it may differ from pathogenetic mechanism. Physicians should be aware of this easily recognizable cough induced syncope.

Methods: We present a 59-year-old obese man was referred for clinical evaluation because of recurrent syncope without seizures following coughing who developed cough syncope.

Conclusions: Physicians should be aware of this easily recognizable cough induced syncope in all subjects admitted with syncope and should screen possible underlying sources of cough.