Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome - Associated Conditions

Associated Conditions

• POTS is often accompanied by vasovagal syncope, also called "neurally mediated hypotension" (NMH) or "neurocardiogenic syncope" (NCS). Vasovagal syncope is a fainting reflex due to a profound drop in blood pressure. Autonomic dysfunction that occurs with these disorders causes blood to inappropriately pool in the limbs away from the heart, lungs, and brain. The combination of misdirected bloodflow and hypotension will invoke syncope. Tachycardia associated with POTS may be a cardiac response to restore cerebral perfusion.
• POTS may be coexist with chronic fatigue syndrome as one of the CFS symptoms as part of the orthostatic intolerance of this condition. Treating POTS may improve some of the patients CFS symptoms.
• Some patients with fibromyalgia complain of dysautonomia-related symptoms. Treating these patients for POTS will often improve myofascial and neuropathic pain.
• Autonomic dysfunction is most likely responsible for irritable bowel syndrome in many patients as well.
• Patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome may also have POTS. Joint hypermobility is a feature of the most common subtype of Ehlers-Danlos.
• Some POTS patients experience symptoms associated with restless leg syndrome. Treating POTS should also relieve these symptoms.
• Some findings link this with hypermobility
• A small percentage of pediatric cases of POTS have been associated with moderate to severe memory loss.