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Vasovagal Syncope
The Contributions of Sir William R. Gowers and Sir Thomas Lewis
Frederick Nahm, MD, PhD;
Roy Freeman, MD
Arch Neurol. 2001;58:509-511.
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INTRODUCTION
The term vasovagal has widespread use today
in medical parlance. Its origin can be attributed to the eminent 19th century
neurologist Sir William R. Gowers. Based entirely on patient histories and
examinations, Gowers described a constellation of "vagal" symptoms, such as
epigastric, respiratory, and cardiac discomfort, that were associated with
vasomotor spasms leading to pallor and coldness. He suggested that the term vasovagal be used to describe seizurelike attacks that
were predominately vasomotor in nature. Sir Thomas Lewis later dismissed Gowers'
nosological classification, and redefined the term vasovagal using a pathophysiological model based on his research into the electrical
properties of the heart.
CLINICAL RECOGNITION: SIR WILLIAM GOWERS
Sir William R. Gowers (1845-1915) (Figure 1) was born in Hackney, England. He was apprenticed to Sir
William Jenner at the Royal College of Physicians, London, England, and was
first appointed to the newly founded National Hospital for . . . [Full Text of this Article]
REDEFINING VASOVAGAL: SIR THOMAS LEWIS
From the Department of Neurology, Autonomic and Peripheral Nerve Laboratory,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
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Tan and Parry
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ABSTRACT
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Syncope and the History of Nervous Influences on the Heart
Nahm and Freeman
Arch Neurol 2003;60:282-287.
FULL TEXT
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