Utility of noninvasive, mobile, continuous outpatient rhythm monitoring to diagnose seizure-related arrhythmias.
The identification of patients with a diagnosis of seizure disorder who are also at risk for clinically significant bradycardia and/or tachycardia may require long-term cardiac rhythm monitoring. Noninvasive, continuous, outpatient cardiac rhythm monitoring may be useful for such clinical scenarios. The study group consisted of two male patients with a history of seizure disorder involving loss of consciousness. Clinical data and results of electrocardiography, echocardiography, electroencephalography, and continuous, mobile, outpatient cardiac rhythm monitoring are described. In the first patient, while cardiac bradyarrhythmias were secondary to seizures, sinus arrest most likely complicated the episodes by leading to more prolonged states of unconsciousness. In the second patient, permanent pacemaker implantation for AV block averted all clinical events previously attributed to seizures. Despite the different causal relationships between seizures and bradyarrhythmias in these two patients, mobile, cardiac outpatient telemetry was successful in diagnosing the contribution of cardiac dysrhythmia, leading to permanent pacemaker implantation. A diagnostic strategy that incorporates mobile, noninvasive, continuous, outpatient cardiac rhythm monitoring can effectively be utilized to diagnose significant seizure-related arrhythmias.
Driver
Kevin
K
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Gilliam
Frank
F
Dizon
Jose
J
Whang
William
W
Ehlert
Frederick
F
Hickey
Kathleen
K
Garan
Hasan
H
Biviano
Angelo B
AB
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods*; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*