Slow heart rate due to MS relapse

Jurić et al. Newly onset sinus bradycardia in the context of multiple sclerosis relapse. Intern Med. 2012;51(9):1121-4. Epub 2012 Apr 29. 

Cardiovascular disorders in acute MS relapse have been infrequently reported. They present a young MSer with acute onset of cerebellar symptomatology along with sinus bradycardia (slow heart beat). MRI showed one lesion in the left cerebellar hemisphere which showed postcontrast enhancement and one in the midbrain without postcontrast enhancement. No cardiac pathology was found and symptoms gradually improved after a 5-day course of corticosteroid therapy. It is important to bear in mind the possibility of these rare cardiac symptoms in MSers, because of their timely recognition and appropriate treatment.


"In view of the cases of  sudden death on fingolimod and the recognition of this syndrome in the literature this case is timely and reminds us that a MS lesion occurring in a strategic part of the brain can affect the cardiac cycle."

Other posts of interest:

08 Feb 2012
"Sudden death is very topical in view of the recent death of a patient on Fingolimod and the European Medicine Agency's decision to review the safety of the drug. I would be very interested to know if the unfortunate MS'er who ...

17 Mar 2012
The NICE approval of fingolimod yesterday has nothing to do with the ongoing safety review that the EMA is carrying out in relation to the unexplained sudden deaths that have been reported in PwMS taking fingolimod.

14 Apr 2012
"Sudden death is very topical in view of the recent death of a patient on Fingolimod and the European Medicine Agency's decision to review the safety of the drug. I would be very interested to know if the unfortunate MS'er who ...

21 Apr 2012
In January 2012, the Agency started a review of the cardiovascular safety of Gilenya following receipt of information related to an unexplained sudden death in a patient within 24 hours of taking Gilenya for the first time.


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