Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society
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Imprecise definitions of syncope and related conditions appear common in the medical literature. To investigate the scope of the problem we systematically searched for definitions in high-ranking medical journals. ⋯ Syncope and related conditions proved to be infrequently and inconsistently defined in current medical literature. The lack of consistent terminology is likely to harm medical education, research, and patient care. There is a strong need for a systematic terminology for syncope and related conditions.