Cardiac Arrhythmias in Acute Central Nervous System Disease

Abstract

In 1954, the American literature carried the first description of a series of cases with electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities occurring with acute central nervous system (CNS) disease.¹ Subsequently, a number of reports have described in detail the wave-form changes.^2-8 Cardiac rhythm disturbances have also been noted in the experimental animal and in man, associated with acute CNS lesions. The role of the sympathetic nervous system in mediating these abnormalities was suggested by Korteweg⁹ and others^10,11 on the basis of CNS stimulation studies. More recently, Yanowitz¹² demonstrated similar changes with stimulation and sectioning of the cervical sympathetic nerve trunks. The similarity of ECG wave-form abnormalities associated with CNS disease and the prolonged QT interval syndromes was first noted by Moss.¹³ He reported a case of prolonged QT_c, deafness, and syncope caused by recurrent ventricular tachycardia, which was successfully treated by left stellate ganglion block. This