Epileptic seizure as a mask of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Transient loss of consciousness is frequently encountered in the practice of physicians of various specialties. These conditions can be caused by multiple factors that can be divided into two major groups: traumatic and non-traumatic. Non-trauma-related loss of consciousness includes epileptic seizures and syncopal states. Among the latter, it is important to identify cardiogenic syncope as the most significant and common. They can be associated with various structural cardiac pathologies, as well as rhythm and conduction disorders. However, when encountering cardiogenic syncope in a patient with a previously established diagnosis of epilepsy, the physician may face a challenging diagnostic situation. The previous diagnosis typically initially leads to the assumption of another epileptic seizure. The article systematizes and analyzes data from domestic and foreign literature on the differential diagnosis of cardiogenic syncope and epileptic seizures. A clinical observation of a patient with a history of epilepsy and transient loss of consciousness due to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is presented. Knowledge of the clinical manifestation features of these conditions can help specialists in making the correct diagnosis, as well as prescribing necessary therapy and preventing complications of atrial fibrillation.