Abstract

RIOS-MARTINEZ, Blanca P et al. Psychopathology and personality in patients with vasovagal syncope. Arch. Cardiol. Méx. [online]. 2009, vol.79, n.3, pp.207-211. ISSN 1665-1731.

Syncope is characterized by a sudden and brief loss of the normal state of consciousness (fainting), caused by multiple factors (biological, psychological and social), which consequences can be lethal if it is not timely diagnosed and treated. These episodes affect the total sphere of the subject (on an individual, work, school, social, and family level). Purpose of the study: Contribute to the study of vasovagal syncope (VVS) patients, describing their personality and psychopathological characteristics. Method: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was used to evaluate psychopathology in a sample of 30 subjects diagnosed with (VVS), attended in the National Institute of Cardiology "Ignacio Chavez", making a descriptive analysis of the complete sample, regarding demographic variables and inventory scores. Results: The scales with higher scores found within these subjects were hypochondriasis (= 67.43), depression (= 69.83), hysteria (= 67.83) among others. Conclusions: In general, patients with (VVS) show significant levels of anxiety and depression, dissatisfaction, bad mood, pessimism, concern, somatic complaints, difficulty to solve problems adaptively, among others. This study remarks the importance of knowing these characteristics to implement treatments that manage this disease properly and may improve patients quality of life, as well as their physical and mental health.

Keywords : MMPI; Syncope; Personality; Psychopathology; Depression; Anxiety.

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