neuro cardiogenic syncope

I am 71 yo male  w a history of bypass , stents severe cad, hyn cardiomyapathy.  A few days ago I had a sudden experience of becomining nauseated , diaphoretic and "faiting" 2xs in a matter of 2 minutes.  My pulse was in the high 30's.  I was sitting having breakfast when this happened.  I was transported to a hospital via ambulance,   had numerous tests  and a few days later had a tilt table test which was positive.  I was told I had ncs and my BP meds were adjusted.  I have cardiomyapathy , had an ECHO and my EF was beween  43-48.  could I have had an arrythmia problem at the time of my fainting?  I have been told in the past I might need a defribrillator if I become symptomatic and I am wondering if this was a symptom of a cardiac event.        Thank you    


This discussion is related to Neurocardiogenic Syncope.

[kenkeith]

The defribrillator shocks the heart if it needs to be shocked, because of a life-threatening rhythm disturbance from the lower chambers of the heart. It can correct this rhythm. Because it has a pacemaker built into it, a defibrillator also has the capability of stimulating the heart like a pacemaker, to help stop fast rhythms, at times, and to prevent the heart from getting too slow.

"Pacemakers are a somewhat controversial treatment for neurocardiogenic syncope. Many studies have suggested the efficacy of pacemakers. However, a double-blind randomized trial showed that pacing therapy did not reduce the risk of recurrent syncope in patients with vasovagal syncope. The authors of this study concluded that pacemaker therapy should not be recommended as a first-line therapy for patients with recurrent vasovagal
implantable defibrillator?"

There are various ways to treat heart rhythm problems. If the heart rhythm gets very slow and it is not treatable with changes in medications then a pacemaker is needed.

What a pacemaker does is keep the heart beating at the proper rate and from beating too slow. You can adjust the pacemaker so that it can be suitable for either the top or bottom heart chambers or both, depending on what type of pacemaker it is and the needs of the patient. It also will only work if it is needed, it doesn't work all the time.

An implanted defibrillator is a bigger device. It is there to prevent death from a cardiac arrest.