What is the caused of Long QT Syndrome?”
Long QT Syndrome The long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a rare congenital heart condition with delayed repolarization following depolarization (excitation) of the heart, associated with syncope (fainting) due to ventricular arrhythmias, possibly of type torsade de pointes, which can deteriorate into ventricular fibrillation and ultimately sudden death. Arrhythmia in individuals with LQTS is often associated with exercise or excitement. Individuals with LQTS have a prolongation of the QT interval on the ECG. The QRS complex corresponds to ventricular depolarization while the T wave corresponds to ventricular repolarization. The QT interval is measured from the Q point to the end of the T wave. While many individuals with LQTS have persistent prolongation of the QT interval, some individuals do not always show the QT prolongation; in these individuals, the QT interval may prolong with the administration of certain medications.
Shawna White was diagnosed with Prolonged QT Syndrome when she was 15 years old. After being put on strict diets and taking a multitude of pills, doctors are still baffled at what is really wrong with her. White can’t drive, can’t take care of her children alone, can’t work, can’t stand or sit for long periods of time, and family members are always on the lookout for Shawna to fall over or injure herself. Long QT syndrome is caused by an abnormality of the heart’s electrical system. Defects in cell structure of the heart muscle cause the heart to speed up, which can lead to loss of consciousness and death, according www.qtsyndrome.ch, a Web site dedicated to Mael Benjamin Mettler, 26, who died of Long QT syndrome in 2007.
