Neurological complications of syncope and sudden cardiac arrest

Abstract

Syncope is very common and usually comes with enough warning for the person to assume a safer position rather than fall in a potentially dangerous way. Syncope may be associated with pregnancy, for example, but we rarely encounter significant injury related to the potential for an associated fall. In the elderly, however, there are often comorbid factors such as delayed reaction time and other aspects of cognitive impairment, along with gait instability, that can affect the defensive reflexes to the point that brain injury, including subdural or epidural hematoma, is not uncommonly encountered. Sudden syncope without warning can also have both neurological and general physical implications in terms of driving safety, safety operating potentially dangerous equipment or exposure to heights as well as the potential impact for drowning or near-drowning while swimming or taking a bath. Sudden death, from whatever the mechanism, implies cerebral hypoperfusion with the potential consequences of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Keywords: Cardiac arrhythmia; Hypoxic encephalopathy; Obstructive sleep apnea; Orthostasis; Seizure; Sudden cardiac death; Syncope; Vasovagal.