The full form of HUTT is Head-Up Tilt Test. This test is used to diagnose the cause of fainting (syncope) or near-fainting episodes.
What is a Head-Up Tilt Test?
A Head-Up Tilt Test (HUTT) is a diagnostic procedure used to determine the cause of fainting or loss of consciousness. During the test, a patient lies on a table that is slowly tilted to an upright position. This simulates the effects of standing up and helps doctors identify whether a drop in blood pressure or a change in heart rate is causing the symptoms.
Several sources confirm this:
- Spectrum Health Lakeland: States that the Head Up Tilt Test (HUTT) is used to determine the cause of fainting or loss of consciousness. http://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/lakeland-heart-and-vascular/our-services/head-up-tilt-test-(hutt)
- NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information): Multiple articles on NCBI's PubMed Central (PMC) refer to the head-up tilt test (HUTT) as a diagnostic tool for syncope (fainting). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4623382/ , https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3184676/, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7965941/
- Cleveland Clinic: Refers to the test as a "passive head-up tilt test" or "head-up tilt test." https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/17043-tilt-table-test
- ScienceDirect: Describes the HUTT as helpful in diagnosing neurally mediated syncope (NMS). https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/head-up-tilt-test
The test is particularly useful in diagnosing conditions like:
- Neurally Mediated Syncope (NMS): A common cause of fainting involving abnormal signals between the heart and the brain.
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS): A condition causing rapid heart rate upon standing.
