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Emotion‐Triggered Cardiac Asystole‐Inducing Neurocardiogenic Syncope
Author(s) -
CATANZARO JOHN N.,
MAKARYUS AMGAD N.,
ROSMAN DAVID,
JADONATH RAM
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
pacing and clinical electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.686
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1540-8159
pISSN - 0147-8389
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8159.2006.00394.x
Subject(s) - asystole , medicine , syncope (phonology) , anxiety , pathophysiology , incidence (geometry) , anesthesia , cardiology , emotional stress , psychiatry , physics , optics
The pathophysiology of neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS) is multifactorial. Recurrent syncopal episodes can result in injury and can provoke substantial anxiety among patients. Although an abundance of descriptions of various forms of syncope have been reported in the literature, few articles to date address a documented case due to emotional stress or sound. This is a report of a 31‐year‐old woman who fainted after being startled by someone sneezing. Review of the episode on her event recorder revealed a transient cardiac asystole of 10 seconds. We discuss the incidence of NCS and the proposed mechanism by which this syncopal event occurred.