Biomaterial Database

Vasovagal syncope. 1989

S Waddell

To return to the patient's syncopal episode, it is clearer now that he probably did have a vasovagal reaction. An hour had elapsed since administration of morphine, making that etiology unlikely. The patient showed no evidence of heart block or acute ischemia. While nitrate induced hypotension may have contributed to his faint, that would not have explained his bradycardia. Worth noting is the fact that he developed nausea and lost consciousness as an arterial puncture was about to be performed. Had he been asked, the patient might have recalled other incidents of vasovagal fainting. A combination of factors may cause a brief syncopal episode in the ICU. Sorting out the causes of vasovagal syncope may be difficult if not impossible, and a syncopal episode may set a chain of events into motion that further complicates the situation. The patient with an acute, especially inferior MI who received intravenous medications is particularly prone to vagal-like reactions. Patients with nausea or extreme anxiety should be watched carefully and their symptoms treated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007362	Intensive Care Units	Hospital units providing continuous surveillance and care to acutely ill patients.	ICU Intensive Care Units,Intensive Care Unit,Unit, Intensive Care
D008297	Male		Males
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013575	Syncope	A transient loss of consciousness and postural tone caused by diminished blood flow to the brain (i.e., BRAIN ISCHEMIA). Presyncope refers to the sensation of lightheadedness and loss of strength that precedes a syncopal event or accompanies an incomplete syncope. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp367-9)	Drop Attack,Fainting,Presyncope,Syncope, Postural,Syncopal Episode,Syncopal Vertigo,Syncope, Cardiogenic,Syncope, Carotid Sinus,Syncope, Convulsive,Syncope, Deglutitional,Syncope, Effort,Syncope, Hyperventilation,Syncope, Micturition,Syncope, Situational,Syncope, Stokes-Adams,Syncope, Tussive,Attack, Drop,Cardiogenic Syncope,Cardiogenic Syncopes,Carotid Sinus Syncope,Carotid Sinus Syncopes,Convulsive Syncope,Convulsive Syncopes,Deglutitional Syncope,Deglutitional Syncopes,Drop Attacks,Effort Syncope,Effort Syncopes,Episode, Syncopal,Hyperventilation Syncope,Hyperventilation Syncopes,Micturition Syncope,Micturition Syncopes,Postural Syncope,Postural Syncopes,Presyncopes,Situational Syncope,Situational Syncopes,Stokes-Adams Syncope,Stokes-Adams Syncopes,Syncopal Episodes,Syncope, Stokes Adams,Syncopes,Syncopes, Cardiogenic,Syncopes, Carotid Sinus,Syncopes, Convulsive,Syncopes, Deglutitional,Syncopes, Effort,Syncopes, Hyperventilation,Syncopes, Micturition,Syncopes, Postural,Syncopes, Situational,Syncopes, Stokes-Adams,Syncopes, Tussive,Tussive Syncope,Tussive Syncopes,Vertigo, Syncopal,Vertigos, Syncopal
D014630	Vagus Nerve	The 10th cranial nerve. The vagus is a mixed nerve which contains somatic afferents (from skin in back of the ear and the external auditory meatus), visceral afferents (from the pharynx, larynx, thorax, and abdomen), parasympathetic efferents (to the thorax and abdomen), and efferents to striated muscle (of the larynx and pharynx).	Cranial Nerve X,Pneumogastric Nerve,Tenth Cranial Nerve,Nerve X,Nervus Vagus,Cranial Nerve, Tenth,Cranial Nerves, Tenth,Nerve X, Cranial,Nerve Xs,Nerve, Pneumogastric,Nerve, Tenth Cranial,Nerve, Vagus,Nerves, Pneumogastric,Nerves, Tenth Cranial,Nerves, Vagus,Pneumogastric Nerves,Tenth Cranial Nerves,Vagus Nerves,Vagus, Nervus