Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Vasovagal syncope, and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

The Swansea City footballer Bafetimbi Gomis collapsed during their recent game against Tottenham Hotspur, and was taken off the pitch on a stretcher, on oxygen.  After spending some time in the dressing room he was taken to hospital for tests and later released.

For those watching, and especially those on the pitch, it brought back memories of the collapse a few years ago at the same ground of Fabrice Muamba, who recovered but had to retire from the game.  Muamba's collapse was due to hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.  The wall of the heart thickens, and the heart cannot pump blood efficiently.  Patient.co.uk has information.

Gomis' was due to a vasovagal condition - fainting - which has caused him problems before. 

Patient.co.uk has information about syncope and describes vasovagal syncope as "common faint", with several possible causes.

NICE Clinical Guideline 109 covers "transient loss of consciousness" in adults and young people.  NICE have produced an evidence update to that guideline.

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