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Gowers' syndrome III

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A syndrome characterised by attacks of paraesthesia, dyspnoea, precordial discomfort in the form of pain or palpitation, depressed pulse, pallor, cramps, and a feeling of apprehension and dread. To this Gowers unfortunately and erroneously applied the adjective "vagal». The attacks occurred primarily in women, whose family history was tinged with migraine, epilepsy, or insanity.

The only significance of this syndrome is that it contributed to the differentiation and clarification of the clinical concept of the vasovagal syndrome. Gowers’ syndrome has no counterpart in today’s diagnostic terminology,

Bibliography

  • W. R. Gower:
    Vagal and vaso-vagal attacks. The Lancet, London, 1907, 1: 1551-1554.

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