Syncope is the most important, frequently occurring, and difficult to diagnose problem in modern clinical medicine. Often, syncope in the elderly is the first and only symptom of life-threatening arrhythmias and, if not diagnosed in time, increases the risk of sudden cardiac death. The presence of concomitant pathology, primarily cardiological and neurological, makes it difficult to differentiate syncope in elderly and old patients. The combination of the patient’s complaints about transient short-term loss of consciousness and electrocardiographic signs of bifascicular heart block makes the cardiac – arrhythmic cause of syncope to be more probable. The article is devoted to the possibility of diagnosing arrhythmic causes of syncope in elderly and old patients with polymorbid pathology.

The article presents a clinical case of such difficult for detection disease assystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is characterized by atypical debut options, rapid development of complications, inadequate response to therapy. It is emphasized that the first clinical manifestations of the disease are the most important for its timely diagnosis, beginning of treatment and prevention of complications. The study concludes that mistakes in the diagnosis, late beginning of treatment may be related to the absence of SLE awareness among physicians.

This article presents a clinical case of dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm. The first clinical manifestations were typical symptoms of the disease. Timely diagnosis and treatment are particularly important to prevent a fatal outcome. Late diagnosis may be related also to the lack of doctors’ caution with regard to dissecting aortic aneurysm.