title: Ictal asystole: case report with review of literature.
abstract: Cardiac arrhythmias are frequently observed during epileptic seizures. Mostly they are benign, but severe bradycardia and asystole occur in 0.27-0.5% of patients who have seizures on video-EEG monitoring units. Especially patients with partial seizures involving the insular, orbital frontal and anterior temporal lobe regions, are at risk. Ictal bradycardia could be a cause of SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy) and pacemaker insertion might therefore improve survival in selected cases, although more research is needed to prove this. We present a case of prolonged ictal asystole in a patient with newly diagnosed partial epilepsy originating from the temporal lobe.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Cardiology, St.-Maarten Hospital, Mechelen and Duffel, Belgium. thomas.marynissen@student.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marynissen
authors.forename: Nelly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Govers
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vydt
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications*; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000150:complications; D004562:Electrocardiography; D020937:Epilepsy, Partial, Sensory / Q000150:complications*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000150:complications*; D006323:Heart Arrest; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000209:etiology