When epilepsy masquerades as heart disease. Awareness is key to avoiding misdiagnosis.

Autonomic neural impulses that accompany discharges during a seizure can cause a variety of cardiac manifestations, including cardiac arrhythmias, sudden death, anginal chest pain, neurogenic pulmonary edema, and symptoms of pheochromocytoma. Either generalized or focal seizures may generate such signs and symptoms. A better appreciation of cardiac problems caused by epilepsy is helpful in preventing misdiagnosis, because the clinical picture in such a patient may be confusing.