van den Berg M P, Crijns H J, Bouwmeester T R, Smit A J, Lie K I
Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
Int J Cardiol. 1995 Oct;51(3):296-300. doi: 10.1016/0167-5273(95)02432-v.
Two patients are described with reproducible cardiac asystole post-exercise. No structural heart disease was demonstrable. At autonomic function testing no abnormal responses were noted. Also, head-up tilt tests were normal. However, electrophysiologic testing and heart rate variability during 24-h Holter monitoring were indicative of a high vagal tone in both patients. The findings suggest that post-exertional asystole may not be due solely to a vasovagal mechanism; excessive rebound vagotonia per se may also play a role.
