Adams–Stokes syndrome |
Classification and external resources |
Specialty |
cardiology |
ICD-10 |
I45.9 |
ICD-9-CM |
426.9 |
DiseasesDB |
12443 |
MeSH |
D000219 |
Stokes–Adams syndrome (alternative eponyms include Gerbezius-Morgagni-Adams–Stokes syndrome and Gerbec-Morgagni-Adams–Stokes syndrome)[1] refers to a sudden, transient episode of syncope, occasionally featuring seizures. Named after two Irish physicians, Robert Adams (1791–1875)[2] and William Stokes (1804–1877),[3] the first description of the syndrome was published in 1717 by the Carniolan physician of Slovene descent Marko Gerbec, which was 44 years after its publication quoted by Giovanni Battista Morgagni.
Contents
- 1 Signs and symptoms
- 2 Diagnosis
- 3 Causes
- 4 Treatment
- 5 Prognosis
- 6 References
Signs and symptoms
Prior to an attack, a patient may become pale, their heart rhythm experiences a temporary pause, and collapse may follow. Normal periods of unconsciousness last approximately thirty seconds; if seizures are present, they will consist of twitching after 15–20 seconds. Breathing continues normally throughout the attack, and so on recovery the patient becomes flushed as the heart rapidly pumps the oxygenated blood from the pulmonary beds into a systemic circulation which has become dilated due to hypoxia.[4]
As with any syncopal episode that results from a cardiac dysrhythmia, the faints do not depend on the patient's position. If they occur during sleep, the presenting symptom may simply be feeling hot and flushed on waking.[4]
Diagnosis
Stokes-Adams attacks may be diagnosed from the history, with paleness prior to the attack and flushing after it particularly characteristic. The ECG will show asystole, an AV block, or ventricular fibrillation during the attacks.
Causes
The attacks are caused by lack of cardiac output due to antimony poisoning, cardiac asystole, heart block, Lev's disease or ventricular fibrillation. The resulting lack of blood flow to the brain is responsible for the faint.
Treatment
Initial treatment can be medical, involving the use of drugs like isoprenaline (Isuprel) and epinephrine (adrenaline). Definitive treatment is surgical, involving the insertion of a pacemaker – most likely one with sequential pacing such as a DDI mode as opposed to the older VVI mechanisms,[4] and the doctor may arrange the patient to undergo electrocardiography to confirm this type of treatment.[5]
Prognosis
If undiagnosed (or untreated), Stokes–Adams attacks have a 50% mortality within a year of the first episode. The prognosis following treatment is very good.
References
- ^ synd/1158 at Who Named It?
- ^ R. Adams. Cases of Diseases of the Heart, Accompanied with Pathological Observations. Dublin Hospital Reports, 1827, 4: 353–453.
- ^ W. Stokes. Observations on some cases of permanently slow pulse. Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science, 1846, 2: 73–85.
- ^ a b c Katz, Jason; Patel, Chetan (2006). Parkland Manual of Inpatient Medicine. Dallas, TX: FA Davis. p. 903.
- ^ Chart 63: "Faintness and Fainting", page 161, ISBN 0-86318-864-8
Cardiovascular disease I00–I52, 390–429
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Ischaemic |
Coronary disease
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- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Coronary artery aneurysm
- Coronary artery dissection
- Coronary thrombosis
- Coronary vasospasm
- Myocardial bridge
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Active ischemia
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- Angina pectoris
- Prinzmetal's angina
- Stable angina
- Acute coronary syndrome
- Myocardial infarction
- Unstable angina
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Sequelae
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- hours
- Hibernating myocardium
- Myocardial stunning
- days
- weeks
- Aneurysm of heart / Ventricular aneurysm
- Dressler syndrome
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Layers |
Pericardium
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- Pericarditis
- Acute
- Chronic / Constrictive
- Pericardial effusion
- Cardiac tamponade
- Hemopericardium
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Myocardium
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- Myocarditis
- Cardiomyopathy: Dilated (Alcoholic), Hypertrophic, and Restrictive
- Loeffler endocarditis
- Cardiac amyloidosis
- Endocardial fibroelastosis
- Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia
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Endocardium /
valves
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Endocarditis
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- infective endocarditis
- Subacute bacterial endocarditis
- non-infective endocarditis
- Libman–Sacks endocarditis
- Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis
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Valves
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- mitral
- regurgitation
- prolapse
- stenosis
- aortic
- tricuspid
- pulmonary
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Conduction /
arrhythmia |
Bradycardia
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- Sinus bradycardia
- Sick sinus syndrome
- Heart block: Sinoatrial
- AV
- Intraventricular
- Bundle branch block
- Right
- Left
- Left anterior fascicle
- Left posterior fascicle
- Bifascicular
- Trifascicular
- Adams–Stokes syndrome
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Tachycardia
(paroxysmal and sinus)
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Supraventricular
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- Atrial
- Junctional
- AV nodal reentrant
- Junctional ectopic
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Ventricular
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- Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
- Catecholaminergic polymorphic
- Torsades de pointes
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Premature contraction
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- Atrial
- Junctional
- Ventricular
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Pre-excitation syndrome
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- Lown–Ganong–Levine
- Wolff–Parkinson–White
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Flutter / fibrillation
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- Atrial flutter
- Ventricular flutter
- Atrial fibrillation
- Ventricular fibrillation
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Pacemaker
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- Ectopic pacemaker / Ectopic beat
- Multifocal atrial tachycardia
- Pacemaker syndrome
- Parasystole
- Wandering pacemaker
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Long QT syndrome
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- Andersen–Tawil
- Jervell and Lange-Nielsen
- Romano–Ward
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Cardiac arrest
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- Sudden cardiac death
- Asystole
- Pulseless electrical activity
- Sinoatrial arrest
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Other / ungrouped
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- hexaxial reference system
- Right axis deviation
- Left axis deviation
- QT
- T
- ST
- Osborn wave
- ST elevation
- ST depression
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Cardiomegaly |
- Ventricular hypertrophy
- Left
- Right / Cor pulmonale
- Atrial enlargement
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Other |
- Cardiac fibrosis
- Heart failure
- Diastolic heart failure
- Cardiac asthma
- Rheumatic fever
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Index of the heart
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Description |
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Development
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Disease |
- Injury
- Congenital
- Neoplasms and cancer
- Other
- Symptoms and signs
- Blood tests
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Treatment |
- Procedures
- Drugs
- glycosides
- other stimulants
- antiarrhythmics
- vasodilators
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