Drop attack: Difference between revisions

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Causes of drop attacks include:
Causes of drop attacks include:


# [[Vascular]] - [[transient ischemic attack]], [[cerebrovascular accident]], [[dissection]], [[occlusion]], [[hemorrhage]]
# '''[[Vascular]]''' - [[transient ischemic attack]], [[cerebrovascular accident]], [[dissection]], [[occlusion]], [[hemorrhage]]
#* [[Intracranial hemorrhage]]
#* [[Intracranial hemorrhage]]
#*  [[Posterior circulation infarct|Posterior circulation infarction]], [[emboli]], [[vasospasm]]
#*  [[Posterior circulation infarct|Posterior circulation infarction]], [[emboli]], [[vasospasm]]
Line 16: Line 16:
#* [[Migraine]] - develops over 1 hour, with associated [[paresthesia]], ''[[Hypertonia]] arterialis''
#* [[Migraine]] - develops over 1 hour, with associated [[paresthesia]], ''[[Hypertonia]] arterialis''
#*  [[Basilar artery insufficiency]] - older [[patient]] with no [[loss of consciousness]], [[transient]] loss of LE tone
#*  [[Basilar artery insufficiency]] - older [[patient]] with no [[loss of consciousness]], [[transient]] loss of LE tone
# [[Epilepsy]]/paroxysmal:
# '''[[Epilepsy]]/paroxysmal''':
#* [[Neurally mediated syncope]] - 75% of all causes
#* [[Neurally mediated syncope]] - 75% of all causes
#* [[Myoclonic seizure]], [[Idiopathic generalized epilepsy|myoclonic-astatic seizure]], or [[Absence seizure|petit mal syndrome]]
#* [[Myoclonic seizure]], [[Idiopathic generalized epilepsy|myoclonic-astatic seizure]], or [[Absence seizure|petit mal syndrome]]
Line 29: Line 29:
#* [[Episodic ataxia]]
#* [[Episodic ataxia]]
#* Panayiotopoulos syndrome
#* Panayiotopoulos syndrome
# Degenerative:
# '''Degenerative''':
#* [[Postural instability]] with [[Parkinsons]]
#* [[Postural instability]] with [[Parkinsons]]
# Structural:
# '''Structural''':
#* Chronic odontoid instability
#* Chronic odontoid instability
#* [[Spinal cord trauma]] with transient [[paraplegia]]
#* [[Spinal cord trauma]] with transient [[paraplegia]]
#* [[Brainstem]] mass
#* [[Brainstem]] mass
# metabolic
# '''Metabolic''':
#* [[Hypoglycemia]], [[hypocalcemia]], [[Hypomagnesemia]]
#* [[Hypoglycemia]], [[hypocalcemia]], [[Hypomagnesemia]]
#* [[Toxins]], [[drugs]] - [[cocaine]], [[sedatives]], [[antihistamine]], TCA
#* [[Toxins]], [[drugs]] - [[cocaine]], [[sedatives]], [[antihistamine]], TCA
# [[Cardiac]]
# '''[[Cardiac]]''':
#* Prolonged QT, [[tachycardia]], [[bradycardia]], [[sick sinus syndrome]], [[Cardiac arrhythmia|arhythmia]], IHSS. AS
#* Prolonged QT, [[tachycardia]], [[bradycardia]], [[sick sinus syndrome]], [[Cardiac arrhythmia|arhythmia]], IHSS. AS
#* [[Hypovolemia]]
#* [[Hypovolemia]]
# Psychologic
# '''Psychologic''':
#* Malingering, conversion, [[panic]], [[anxiety]]
#* Malingering, conversion, [[panic]], [[anxiety]]



Revision as of 01:55, 9 April 2014

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Farman Khan, MD, MRCP [2]

Overview

Drop attacks are sudden spontaneous falls while standing or walking, followed by a very swift recovery, within seconds or minutes. Drop attacks are typically seen in elderly patients, and the most common cause is carotid sinus hypersensitivity, resulting in either short periods of reversible asystole, or in marked drop in blood pressure in response to carotid sinus stimulation.

Causes

Causes of drop attacks include:

  1. Vascular - transient ischemic attack, cerebrovascular accident, dissection, occlusion, hemorrhage
  2. Epilepsy/paroxysmal:
  3. Degenerative:
  4. Structural:
  5. Metabolic:
  6. Cardiac:
  7. Psychologic:

Common Causes

  • Seizure
  • Transient ischemic attack
  • Cerebrovascular accident
  • Basilar artery insufficiency
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Hypotension
  • Cataplexy associated with narcolepsy
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
  • Sick sinus syndrome
  • Migraine
  • Aortic stenosis
  • Conversion disorder

Causes by Organ System

Cardiovascular

Cardiac arrest, bradycardia, prolonged QT, sick sinus syndrome, Stokes-Adams attacks, tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, aortic stenosis

Chemical / poisoning No underlying causes
Dermatologic No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect

Sedatives, antihistamine, tricyclic antidepressants

Ear Nose Throat No underlying causes
Endocrine

Hypoglycemia

Environmental No underlying causes
Gastroenterologic No underlying causes
Genetic No underlying causes
Hematologic No underlying causes
Iatrogenic No underlying causes
Infectious Disease No underlying causes
Musculoskeletal / Ortho No underlying causes
Neurologic Astatic seizure , Episodic ataxia , Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy , Migraine , Myoclonic seizure , Panayiotopoulos syndrome

Parkinsons , Pure autonomic failure , Seizure , Verterbrobasilar artery insufficiency , Paraplegia, Brain stem mass

Nutritional / Metabolic

Hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia

Obstetric/Gynecologic No underlying causes
Oncologic No underlying causes
Opthalmologic No underlying causes
Overdose / Toxicity Cocaine
Psychiatric

Malingering, conversion, panic attack, anxiety

Pulmonary Sleep apnea
Renal / Electrolyte No underlying causes
Rheum / Immune / Allergy No underlying causes
Sexual No underlying causes
Trauma No underlying causes
Urologic No underlying causes
Dental No underlying causes
Miscellaneous No underlying causes

Causes in alphabetical order

  • Anaphylaxis
  • Antihistamines
  • Aortic stenosis
  • Astatic seizure
  • Bradycardia
  • Brain stem mass
  • Breath holding spells
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Cardiac syncope
  • Cardiac tamponade
  • Cocaine
  • Conversion disorders
  • Episodic ataxia
  • Gout
  • Hypocalcemia
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Hypokalemic periodic paralysis
  • Hypomagnesemia
  • Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
  • Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome - drop attacks
  • Malingering
  • Migraine
  • Myoclonic seizure
  • Panayiotopoulos syndrome
  • Parkinsons disease
  • Paraplegia
  • Panic attack
  • Panic disorder
  • Prolonged QT
  • Pure autonomic failure
  • Sedatives
  • Seizures
  • Sick sinus syndrome
  • Sleep apnea
  • Spinal cord trauma
  • Stokes-Adams attacks
  • Superior canal dehiscence syndrome
  • Tachycardia
  • Trypanophobia
  • Ventricular tachcardia
  • Verterbrobasilar artery insufficiency

Diagnosis

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