Prolongation of the QT interval can lead to a life threatening ventricular arrhythmia known as torsades de pointes which can result in sudden cardiac death. There are a number of widely used drugs which are known to cause QT prolongation. Recently there have been warnings relating to drug-induced QT prolongation for three commonly used drugs – citalopram, domperidone and ondansetron.1,2,3 QT prolongation might worsen weeks, months, or years after treatment is started because of changes like the addition of potentially interacting drugs or the appearance of new medical conditions that cause electrolyte imbalances (particularly hypokalaemia and/or hypomagnesaemia), otherwise affect the QT interval, or increase the plasma concentrations of psychoactive drugs. What is Electrocardiogram qt corrected interval prolonged? Electrocardiogram qt corrected interval prolonged is found to be associated with 232 drugs and 355 conditions by eHealthMe. Check our latest studies of Electrocardiogram qt corrected interval prolonged. To ensure a uniform measurement, the QT interval is adjusted to give what is termed the corrected QT, or QTc, inter-val. This corrects the value for variations in heart rate, normal-ised to a heart rate of 60bpm. Normal QTc intervals are variable in the literature but, in general, are less than 450ms for men and 460ms for women. The length of the QT interval represents the time required for ventricular depolarization and repolarization. Prolongation of ventricular repolarization can result in fatal ventricular arrhythmias [3]. Faster heart rates can shorten the QT interval [4], so it is often adjusted for rate and reported as the heart rate corrected (QTc) interval. The typical ventricular action potential is 200 The unexpected and catastrophic cardiovascular effects of psychotropic drugs are well described albeit uncommon. The list of drugs which have been associated with prolonging QT interval and hence potentially causing Torsades de pointes is Do you take Gabapentin and are concerned about Electrocardiogram qt prolonged? eHealthMe's data-driven phase IV clinical trials have been referenced on 800+ peer-reviewed medical publications including The Lancet, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, and Nature. Check whether Electrocardiogram qt prolonged is associated with a drug or a condition. Acquired long QT syndrome The QT interval is defined as the duration from the beginning of the QRS complex to the end of the T wave. It is a surrogate parameter of ventricular depolarization and repolarization in the surface electrocardiogram (ECG). Heart rate influences the QT duration, so it is common to present the rate-corrected QT interval Prolongation of the QT interval on the ECG is also associated with arrhythmia risk and sudden cardiac death. Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) comprises a group of arrhythmia disorders, arising from cardiac channelopathies in both sodium and potassium channels. Many drug therapies are associated with prolongation of the QT interval. This may increase the risk of Torsades de Pointes (TdP), a potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia. As the QT interval varies with a change in heart rate, various formulae can adjust for this, producing a 'corrected QT' Case reports suggest the potential for these drugs to enhance QTc prolongation in patients receiving one or more known QTc–prolonging medications. In a patient presenting after a self-reported overdose of nefazodone and gabapentin [18], the QTc interval increased from 405 ms at 85-min post-ingestion to 490 ms at 145-min post-ingestion. The unexpected and catastrophic cardiovascular effects of psychotropic drugs are well described albeit uncommon. The list of drugs which have been associated with prolonging QT interval and hence potentially causing Torsades de pointes is exhaustive. The insight into the plausible mechanisms are largely unclear. However, the practical implications of anticipating and recognizing QT Drugs that prolong the QT interval Prolongation of the QT interval can lead to a life threatening ventricular arrhythmia known as torsades de pointes which can result in sudden cardiac death. The risk of torsades de pointes depends on patient factors and current medication. A safe drug in one patient may be potentially harmful in another. The heart has an electrical system that allows it to contract in a rhythm. A vital aspect of this electrical system is depolarization and repolarization. The focus of this activity is on the QT interval. It is measured from the Q wave until the T wave, and the QT interval clinically represents the repolarization of the ventricles. Many commonly used medications exhibit QT-prolonging effects However, a patient's risk of a fatal ventricular arrhythmia may be reduced with the pharmacist's awareness of nonpharmacologic risk factors, drugs known to cause QT prolongation, and specific drug interactions. QT Interval The QT interval is the length of time required for the heart to repolarize following the onset of depolarization. A comprehensive list of conditions and drugs that may prolong the QT interval, and cause torsade de pointes (TdP) and long QT syndrome (LQTS) is presented below. With regards to drugs, the risk of QT prolongation and TdP varies markedly across the list but tends to be rather similar within a drug class. Drugs associated with QT Prolongation, QTc prolongation including Antipsychotics, antiarrhythmics, antidepressants, and antihistamines Prolongation of the QT interval above 470 ms for men and 480 ms for women should be regarded as abnormal [4]. Several risk factors for QT prolongation have been identified, including female sex, advanced age, drug-drug interactions, genetic predisposition, hypokalemia, hypo-magnesemia, heart failure, and bradycardia [5,6]. Without the citalopram for anxiety and pain medication the QT interval has reverted to normal. But hearing 'catastrophic side effects' and 'sudden death' is scary. Keywords: Long QT Syndrome, Torsades de pointes, Anesthesia, QT-prolongation, Anesthetic drugs Core tip: Long QT syndrome is a cardiac conduction disorder characterized by prolongation and increased dispersion of ventricular repolarization, manifested by lengthening of the QT interval on the surface electrocardiography.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |