Sick Sinus Syndrome and Myopia
摘要
Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is a sinus node dysfunction that causes an abnormality in heartbeats. Natural heartbeats are generated in the sinoatrial (SA) node and transmitted to cardiac muscles, making them contract and pump blood. In this syndrome, the SA node does not generate a normal pulse, leading to severe bradycardia or tachycardia, and sometimes alternating abnormal heartbeats, which is known as tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome. These misregulations can cause dizziness, syncope, light-headedness, palpitations, confusion, fatigue, chest pain, and difficulty breathing (Adan and Crown 2003). Myopia, or shortsightedness, is a leading cause of vision loss, and its prevalence is rapidly growing across the world. This condition can be caused by genetics or environmental effects on the eyes (Fredrick 2002). The association of SSS with myopia was first reported in a family case study in 1986, in which three individuals (a father and his son and daughter) experienced total sinus arrest with secondary AV junctional rhythm at a normal rate. Myopia was observed in the father and his daughter. The son affected by this condition was still under the age of 7, and it was suggested that he might develop myopia in the future. A cardiac pacemaker was implanted in the son because of cardiac defects, such as paroxysmal atrial flutter and ventricular asystole lasting up to 7 s (Onat 1986).