Symptoms » Coma » Book Sections

Syncope

Neurologic or Mechanical Causes, or Both

Mediated by vagal stimulation or autonomic insufficiency,
or both
   Vasovagal reaction (often associated with strong emotion or pain)
   Prolonged recumbency or inactivity
   Peripheral neuropathy with autonomic involvement (e.g., diabetes, amyloidosis, tabes dorsalis)
   Drugs (e.g., nitrates, antihypertensive agents, ganglionic blockers, alcohol)
   Carotid sinus syncope
   Micturition syncope
   Swallow syncope
   Stretch syncope
   Bowel stimulation or defecation syncope
   Airway stimulation (e.g., suctioning)
   Eyeball pressure
   Glossopharyngeal neuralgia
   Syringomyelia
   Shy-Drager syndrome
   Sympathectomy
   Primary autonomic insufficiency
Seizure
Head trauma
Reduced cardiac output or venous return
   Hypovolemia
   Hypotension
   Valsalva maneuver
       Cough
       Voluntary forced expiration against closed glottis
       Weight lifting
   Atrial myxoma or thrombus
   Cardiac tamponade

Cardiopulmonary Causes

Cardiac arrhythmias
   Bradyarrhythmias (e.g., sick sinus syndrome)
   Tachyarrhythmias (especially ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, paroxysmal atrial tachycardia)
   Atrioventricular block
Pulmonary embolism
Myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock
Pericardial tamponade
Aortic stenosis
Pulmonic stenosis
Primary pulmonary hypertension
Congenital heart disease
Cardiomyopathies
Shock
Atrial myxoma or thrombus
Prosthetic valve thrombosis or obstruction

Cerebrovascular Causes

Atherosclerotic disease of carotid and/or cerebral vessels (especially vertebral-basilar insufficiency)
Subclavian steal
Takayasu's arteritis
Hypertensive encephalopathy
Cervical spine abnormalities (e.g., cervical spondylosis)

Metabolic Causes

Anemia
Hypoxia
Hyperventilation
Hypoglycemia
Adrenal insufficiency

Psychological Causes

Anxiety, hysteria

References

1. Pedley TA, Ziegler DK: Syncope and Seizure, p. 12. See Bibliography, 2.
2. Friedman HH: Syncope, p. 395. See Bibliography, 4.

Book Source Details

• Book Title: A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis
• Author(s): Stephen N. Adler, Dianne B. Gasbarra
• Year of Publication: 1999
• Copyright Details: A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis, Copyright © 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

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Copyright Details: A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis, Copyright © 2008 Williams & Wilkins.

More About Causes of Coma

• Back to symptom: Coma: Introduction (review 823 causes)
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More About This Book: Title: A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis Authors: Stephen N. Adler, Dianne B. Gasbarra Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Copyright: 1999 ISBN: 0-78171-943-7

 » Next page: Acute Confusional State or Coma, or Both* (A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis)

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