Has anyone ever heard of episodic bradycardia along with
RAISED blood pressure?
Husband has been having near-syncope episodes supposedly due
to bradycardia. He starts feeling dizzy, is confused and
disoriented, with heart rate usually around 43. Layind down
reduces dizzines, sitting up or standing or just moving
around makes it worse.
Going on for about 3 years, with episodes maybe once every 4
to 6 months. Episodes last anywhere from a few hours to
(longest) 2 days.
ECGs, Holter, stress tests, chest xrays and now a Reveal
Plus Heart Monitor since last fall -- all showing a healthy
heart. Also a CT scan of the head, glucose tests and
thyroid tests.
Docs now suspect that episodes are neurological in nature
and that the bradycardia a side effect of the near syncope,
rather than the cause.
Have been reading about vertebral arteries and symptoms that
go along with TIAs and such. However, as with all the
cardiac stuff I read, all the neurological symptoms seems to
note near syncope along with REDUCED blood pressure.
Episode yesterday with actual loss of consciousness this
time. In and out for about 90 minutes. Before passing out he
had talked about "waves" of a "weird feeling", and blood
pressure went from about
145/75 to 160/100 over a period of about half an hour, pulse
was 43. At the hospital he was unable to answer simple
questions - what year is it, what day is it, where are
you, etc. Also complained of tingling around the lips.
Started slowly coming out of it, becoming more aware. BP
leveled out to normal (for him), avg. 130/70, over the next
hour or so. Pulse up to 49.
There has never been any nausea, blurred vision, numbness
in limbs, chest pain, slurred speech. We have noted that he
often has a headache the night before one of these
episodes, but that did not happen this time. However, he
did complain of headache after. Very fatigued and depressed
in hospital, and started headache again today after being
allowed to get up for bathroom, brushing teeth and just
sitting in chair for a while. Tylenol helps but does not
completely treat headache.
Doctors admit they have no idea what is going on.
Carotid doppler today - don't know results yet - and now
in the middle of a 12-hour EEG. I suspect he will be
going home not knowing any more than we do now, just
instructions to come back in when it happens again
(probably in about six months).
Aliens? Phases of the moon? Vodoo curses?
Nothing I read seems to make sense, mostly in terms of the
blood pressure. Nothing references blood pressure going UP
during any kind of episode, always down.
I will note that my husband is a high stress kind guy, and
that these episodes - particularly the one yesterday - scare
him. He has been known to hyperventilate during other
medical scares, but has never done so during one of these
bradycardia events.
So, anyone ever heard of anything like this, or have any
suggestions about what more I can research? I will also be
posting this in a neuro forum.
Thanks.