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Inducible syncope in anorexia nervosa: Two case reports
Author(s) -
Buchowski Katherine P.,
Pardo Jennifer,
Ringel Richard,
Guarda Angela S.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.10262
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , syncope (phonology) , psychology , psychiatry , psychotherapist , medicine , eating disorders , cardiology
Objective Syncope is a potentially dangerous symptom of anorexia nervosa that is usually attributed to bradycardia, dehydration, or hypoglycemia. Methods This study describes two adolescents, one male and one female, with recurrent self‐induced syncope associated with isometric exercise. Results In one patient, Holter monitoring showed that isometric exercise led to increasing bradycardia followed by asystolic pauses accompanied by presyncopal symptoms. Discussion We hypothesize that inducible syncope in these two patients is due to increased vagal tone and baroreceptor sensitivity. Physicians should be aware that patients with anorexia nervosa may be able to induce syncope with isometric exercise and that this potentially dangerous behavior needs to be addressed during treatment. © 2004 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 35: 359–362, 2004.