Our aim was to characterize patients presenting with syncope or near-syncope to the emergency department regarding their risk profile, comorbidities and prognosis. First we evaluated if there is a difference between the two groups syncope and near-syncope concerning type and frequency of adverse events. Furthermore we analyzed the routinely measured cardiac biomarkers NT-proBNP and hs cTnT in patients with syncope or near-syncope. Then we determined both their prognostic accuracy in predicting adverse events and their diagnostic accuracy in finding the underlying etiology. Finally we analyzed a special patient collective, patients aged ≥ 65 years. It is assumed that elderly patients are suffering from comorbidities and age-related physiological and cognitive disabilities. We therefore hypothesize that elderly patients, in contrast to patients aged < 60, display an increased risk of adverse events and that they have a poorer prognosis.