Dysautonomia

The term dysautonomia covers a range of issues, including problems with temperature change, decreased sweating, fast heart rate (called ‘tachycardia’), low blood pressure, fainting and dizziness, and sluggish digestion and blood circulation.

If someone with Dravet Syndrome is experiencing these symptoms, their epilepsy nurse or doctor needs to know. They might need to have an electrocardiogram (ECG), a test that measures a person’s heart rate and looks for any change in heart rhythm.

If necessary, the nurse or doctor can arrange additional investigations, or refer the person to a cardiologist (heart specialist), depending on what the initial tests show.