Tilt Table Test in Sydney
What the tilt table test is, when it is actually needed, and how POTS and orthostatic intolerance are diagnosed — with comprehensive autonomic testing in a single visit, no referral required.
You do not need a referral from your doctor. Request an appointment online in about two minutes, and we will call you to arrange a time. Testing takes 40–60 minutes.
Request an appointment →Please note the tests themselves are not covered by a Medicare rebate. Questions? Call 02 9388 0615.
What Is a Tilt Table Test?
A tilt table test measures how your heart rate and blood pressure respond to an upright posture. You lie flat on a motorised table for a baseline period, then the table is tilted to about 70° head-up while you stay passive. Beat-to-beat heart rate and continuous blood pressure are recorded throughout. It is the classic provocation test for unexplained fainting (syncope) and for orthostatic intolerance, including POTS.
The diagnostic finding for POTS is a sustained heart-rate rise of ≥30 beats per minute (40 bpm in adolescents) within 10 minutes of upright posture, without a significant blood-pressure drop, in association with symptoms.
You May Not Need a Tilt Table
How we test — a comprehensive autonomic battery
Our clinic does not run a motorised tilt table. For every patient we use the active stand test with recovery blood pressure inside a comprehensive autonomic battery that also includes heart-rate variability (deep breathing), the Valsalva manoeuvre, the isometric handgrip test, and SudoScan — all in a single visit. Together these reliably detect POTS, identify the subtype, and give a complete mechanistic picture. The active stand reflects what your body does all day, every day.
A formal passive tilt table study is reserved mainly for unexplained syncope, where capturing a faint under monitoring changes management. When that is needed, we coordinate it through a hospital autonomic or cardiac electrophysiology service.
Tilt Table vs Active Stand — Side by Side
| Feature | Tilt Table | Active Stand (our method) |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity for POTS | Highest | High |
| Patient activity | Passive, strapped to table | Active standing — real-world |
| Equipment | Motorised tilt table, continuous BP | Continuous BP + HR monitoring |
| Best for syncope work-up | Yes — gold standard | Limited |
| Combines with full autonomic battery | Separately | Yes — same visit |
| Setting | Hospital / specialised lab | Outpatient clinic, Bondi Junction |
The Practical Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a tilt table test to diagnose POTS?
Not always. POTS is diagnosed by a sustained heart-rate rise of 30 bpm or more within 10 minutes of standing, without a large blood-pressure drop, plus symptoms. A comprehensive autonomic battery built around the active stand test detects this reliably. A formal tilt table is reserved mainly for unexplained fainting.
Do I need a referral?
No referral is required to book autonomic testing. A GP referral simply lets us send the report to your doctor, and is needed if you also want a Medicare rebate for a consultation with the neurologist.
Is the test covered by Medicare?
The autonomic test itself does not attract a Medicare rebate. A consultation with Dr Granot is rebatable when you have a valid GP referral. Nerve conduction studies are separately rebatable.
What if my tilt test elsewhere was "normal" but I still have symptoms?
False-negative tilt tests happen — timing in the menstrual cycle, recent salt or fluid loading, recent rest, and protocol differences between labs all affect the result. Hyperadrenergic POTS in particular can be missed. Comprehensive autonomic testing is worth seeking if symptoms strongly suggest POTS.
Comprehensive Autonomic Testing in a Single Visit
Active stand + heart-rate variability + Valsalva + handgrip + SudoScan, in one appointment, with results within a week.
Book Autonomic Testing