Drug-related syncope.
The records of 483 patients admitted to the emergency room because of syncope were reviewed. Forty-one patients were found to have drug-related syncope. Thirty-nine experienced syncope related to drugs administered for cardiovascular disease. The most frequently associated diseases were anginal syndrome (22 patients), hypertension (13 patients), and a history of myocardial infarction (6 patients). Thirty-eight patients experienced symptomatic orthostatic hypotension following drug taking (nitrates in 19 patients, beta blockers in 10 patients, nifedipine in 3 patients, prazosin and quinidine in 2 patients each, methyldopa and verapamil in 1 patient each). One patient developed complete heart block as a result of digoxin intoxication. Two patients developed the characteristic picture of anaphylactic reaction (1 with ampicillin, 1 with dipyrone). During one-year follow-up, without the offending medications, no further syncopal episodes were reported by these patients. We conclude that drug-related syncope was more common among our patients with syncope than had been reported previously. It is suggested that drug-related syncope should be taken into consideration in any patient with syncope who is treated by any of the above-mentioned drugs.
Davidson
E
E
Department of Medicine A, Beilinson Medical Center, Petah, Tel Aviv, Isreal.
Fuchs
J
J
Rotenberg
Z
Z
Weinberger
I
I
Agmon
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013575:Syncope / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents