Sick Sinus Syndrome

Sick Sinus Syndrome Diagnosis & Tests

The symptoms are non-specific and may mimic other disorders. The patient's heart rate may be very slow at any time or after termination of an episode of tachycardia. Blood pressure may be normal or low.

Sick sinus syndrome may cause symptoms of heart failure to occur or worsen. The diagnosis of sick sinus syndrome includes a history of symptoms that occur only during episodes of arrhythmia. However, this correlation often is difficult to prove.

An ECG would show various arrhythmias characteristic of sick sinus syndrome. Holter monitoring may be needed to document the arrhythmia because of the episodic nature of the disorder. An EPS (intracardiac electrophysiology study) may confirm that the arrhythmia is caused by a disorder of the sinus node.

Response of the heart to exercise may demonstrate sick sinus syndrome.