Pujadas R, Anguera N, Batalla N, Abardia J, Machengs I, Freixa E
Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Central Quinta de Salud La Alianza, Barcelona.
Rev Esp Cardiol. 1990 Jun-Jul;43(6):408-9.
Syncope is a rare presentation of glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GN). A patient with squamous cell cancer of the pharynx had GN and syncope due to asystolic pauses and extreme hypotension. The bradyarrhythmias were atropine-sensible, but both this treatment and pacing failed to prevent recurrence of syncopal hypotensive crises, blood pressure continuing to fall during GN attacks. These data suggest that during a neuralgic attack the stimulation excites vagi, causing asystole, and simultaneously abolishes sympathetic tone. Carbamazepine was effective in controlling the symptoms of the patient.
