Sick sinus syndrome

Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is a clinical and pathogenetic concept that unites a number of rhythm disturbances caused by a decrease in the functional capacity of the sinus node.

Sick sinus syndrome proceeds with bradycardia / bradyarrhythmia and, as a rule, with the presence of concomitant ectopic arrhythmias.

Clinical manifestations of sick sinus syndrome may be insignificant or include a feeling of weakness, palpitation and fainting (Morgagni-Adams-Stokes syndrome). Only in a part of patients, a decrease in the heart rhythm causes a worsening of the cerebral or peripheral blood flow, which leads to the appearance of complaints.

When the disease progresses, patients notice symptoms associated with bradycardia. The most frequent complaints include a feeling of dizziness, fainting, a feeling of palpitation, chest pain and shortness of breath.

Symptoms

• Dizziness, darkening in the eyes, staggering, confusion, fainting.
• Loss of consciousness can be accompanied by cramps.
• Constant weakness, fatigue, extremely low work capacity
• Memory losses, a sudden anxiety, some inadequacy of behavior, sudden falls (especially in the elderly), which often become the cause of injuries.
• Rare pulse, followed by rapid heartbeat.