Former Chelsea star Oscar has been diagnosed with vasovagal syncope following his sudden collapse during a Sao Paulo training session this week.
The 34-year-old had been taken to Einstein Israelite Hospital on Tuesday after fainting at the club’s SuperCT base.
The scare triggered a detailed investigation at the hospital, with specialists now confirming the diagnosis after running controlled procedures to measure blood pressure and heart rate responses.
In a statement confirming their player’s condition, Sao Paulo also set out the timeline for further tests and revealed that Oscar has remained in a stable condition since his admission.
‘Midfielder Oscar remains hospitalized at the Einstein Hospital Israelita, where he was admitted on Tuesday afternoon (11) after presenting an incident with cardiological changes during tests carried out at SuperCT,’ the club said.
‘Extensive investigation carried out at the hospital confirmed the diagnosis of vasovagal syncope.
‘Oscar remains clinically well and stable, hospitalized in a cardiology unit, and will undergo an electrophysiological study this Friday.’
Specialists quoted in Brazilian outlet Globo explained that vasovagal syncope can be controlled with medication or a minor procedure to cauterise a node responsible for sudden drops in blood pressure.
They maintain that the condition is not considered life threatening when managed appropriately.
Earlier this week, the outlet revealed that Oscar had been taking medication for a heart condition since August. Their report also claimed that his family had urged him to prioritise long term wellbeing as he considered his options after the collapse.
Further reporting in Brazil stressed that the midfielder had been weighing up retirement, with local outlets stating that Sao Paulo were open to ending his contract amicably if he chose to bring his career to a close.
Oscar had returned to his boyhood club last December after eight years with Shanghai Port in China, where he had earned £150million during the height of the league’s spending boom.
His second spell at Sao Paulo had been disrupted by injuries and earlier health concerns, and he had appeared in only 21 matches since returning, with his last outing coming in August against Corinthians when he suffered a fractured vertebrae after 20 minutes.
Oscar had spent the previous decade as one of Brazil’s standout exports, scoring 38 goals in 203 matches for Chelsea between 2012 and 2016 before completing a high profile move to China.
Oscar and his wife, Ludmila Emboaba, share two children – Julia and Caio – and are understood to want to spend more time with them.
On Wednesday, the former Blues favourite thanked fans for their well wishes and and insisted that he is in good shape.
‘Thank you so much for the messages and prayers. Everything will be fine, God willing,’ he posted on Instagram.
