Dr Hive: Can a sudden drop in blood pressure cause a seizure?

[Paisley Hedgehog]

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[Dmmetler]

I would think it could, because blood pressure changes can trigger a seizure in a susceptible person. I went through a period of several years where I was on Depakote because I would get the wild blood pressure swings when I had a migraine, which would throw me into seizures. I also have high blood pressure when I'm pregnant, and will start having seizures then, too. My original DX for the migraines was a pediatric neurologist, and the pregnancy related stuff was diagnosed by a perinatologist.

Edited February 7, 2012 by dmmetler

[Isabella]

Yes, it can. It's happened several times to my dd when she was younger. We just went to our GP. The fainting is called Vasovagal Syncope, and can occur from a stimulus of shock ( the anxiety would be a precursor to the shock) and or pain. The seizure happens as a result of such a drop in blood pressure. Here is a bit of cut n pasted info...

 

 

In a 6-year study conducted by investigators at Northwestern University, up to 8% of patients with vasovagal syncope displayed seizure-like activity when they lost consciousness during a tilt table study. These patients underwent extensive neurological evaluations including EEG (electroencephalogram - a study of the electrical signals produced by the brain), CAT scans, and MRI scans, and none proved to have evidence of a true seizure disorder. Their seizure-like movements during syncope are apparently caused by temporary but extremely low blood pressure during the syncopal episode.

 

 

You may have some peace of mind to rule out any other cause by a neurologist....I never did...the key for my dd was to try to control her anxiety.

 

Hth.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Isabella

[Harriet Vane]

Yes, it can. It's happened several times to my dd when she was younger. We just went to our GP. The fainting is called Vasovagal Syncope, and can occur from a stimulus of shock ( the anxiety would be a precursor to the shock) and or pain. The seizure happens as a result of such a drop in blood pressure. Here is a bit of cut n pasted info...

 

 

In a 6-year study conducted by investigators at Northwestern University, up to 8% of patients with vasovagal syncope displayed seizure-like activity when they lost consciousness during a tilt table study. These patients underwent extensive neurological evaluations including EEG (electroencephalogram - a study of the electrical signals produced by the brain), CAT scans, and MRI scans, and none proved to have evidence of a true seizure disorder. Their seizure-like movements during syncope are apparently caused by temporary but extremely low blood pressure during the syncopal episode.

 

 

You may have some peace of mind to rule out any other cause by a neurologist....I never did...the key for my dd was to try to control her anxiety.

 

Hth.

:iagree:

 

My dh has experienced vasovagal syncope, as has my dd. For most people it just looks like the person has fainted. This is what happened to my dd when she had her blood drawn.

 

My husband, however, experienced not just the faint, but also his entire body shook immediately afterward for close to a minute. He was then coherent for a minute before glazing over and shaking again, this time for about thirty seconds. I thought he had just had two seizures and called an ambulance.

 

After a lot of (expensive!) testing and several weeks of not being able to drive, they determined that it was indeed just a vasovagal syncope. The shaking my dh experienced is not common, but has been known to happen with this phenomenon.

 

HTH

[kalanamak]

MUCH more common is a faint with myoclonic jerks!!!

 

I used to faint with blood draws. Every time people were in a panic, and I learned to warn people "I will have myoclonic jerks. It is not a seizure!" When I was preggers on a plane I knew I was going to faint. I called out: I'm going to faint, and I will jerk but not to worry!!!, as I passed out. I could not get the guy next to me to sit back down. He spent the rest of the flight standing to "give me air".

[asta]

Syncope is not a seizure. It can look like one to someone from the outside, though.

 

a

[lailasmum]

Yes it's called Vaso Vagal Syncope (and about a zillion other names depending where in the world you are) as others have said. Its a part of dysautonomia. Some people just faint at their trigger which can be all sorts of things from pain, changes in temperature, fear etc... Some people have seizures. My son has VVS and mostly has seizures. Some people have it with other wierd symptoms too.

 

My understanding is its not that they are not seizures but they are non-epileptic seizures caused by lack of oxygen in the brain and generally the conditon does them no harm unless it happens in a dangerous situation such as in a pool or if they were to fall and injure themselves. Your body always reboots itself. You can also have just one incident and never have it again or have it so regularly that it becomes a major problem.

 

If you want to find out more then try the Stars website.

 

You can follow it up through a general doctor but the most helpful seem to be electrophysiologist or electrocardiologist. They don't do much unless it becomes a real regular problem and then it seems to be a case for a pacemaker. I think there are drugs that can help but the only ones I have heard being given to people haven't helped.

Edited February 8, 2012 by lailasmum