title: Bradycardia from flash stimulation.
abstract: This case study documents a patient who experienced bradycardia brought on by flash stimulation during a routine outpatient EEG recording. The patient had known photosensitive seizures in the past. During this routine EEG, the patient's heart rate dropped to about 12 beats per minute with the EEG displaying slow-delta-frequency waves with no epileptiform spikes or sharp waves. During immediate follow-up, in our emergency department, the patient had a brief asystolic event, followed by bradycardia. Cardiology examinations were normal. We propose that this response was a photic-triggered reflex vasovagal reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology (Clinical Neurophysiology).
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Einspenner
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology (Clinical Neurophysiology).
authors.forename: Donald G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Brunet
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology (Clinical Neurophysiology), Division of Respirology, Queen's University and Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Lysa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boissé Lomax
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology (Clinical Neurophysiology).
authors.forename: Allison E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Spiller
mesh_terms: D001919:Bradycardia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019462:Syncope, Vasovagal / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: bradycardia; case study; flash stimulation; syncope