Long QT syndrome is an alteration of the center’s electrical mechanism. We will explain what it’s and what implications it can have.
Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a heart disease. It involves changing the center’s electrical system, making its rhythm fast and chaotic.
The heart is the organ accountable for pumping oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. Therefore, when it is just not beating properly, blood flow to other organs can also be affected.
Therefore, long QT syndrome can result in seizures, fainting, and even death.
The problem is that this condition can have many causes, starting from medical or metabolic to genetic. In this text, we’ll explain every thing you have to know concerning the syndrome and its causes.
What is long QT syndrome?
Long QT syndrome is a disorder of the electrical activity of the center. As explained in an article by Nemurs Foundationthis disease makes it difficult for the center to beat normally.
The structure of the center is just not affected. To understand this syndrome, you should first understand how the center works. With each beat, the organ pushes the precise amount of blood to the tissues. The beats are attributable to a series of electrical changes going down within the cells of the center.
This electrical system allows the center to beat rhythmically and at the precise speed in order that the ventricles can fill well with blood. What happens in long QT syndrome is due to electrical disturbances the center needs more time to get better between beats.
As a result, the chambers of the center don’t fill completely with blood. In addition, the rhythm is disturbed and the beats develop into an increasing number of irregular.
Causes of Long QT Syndrome
Long QT syndrome can have many causes. In general, it’sit is split into two predominant types: congenital and bought. The former, because the name suggests, is present from birth. In the next sections, we’ll explain every one specifically.
Congenital causes
Congenital long QT syndrome is attributable to a genetic mutation. Many genes have been identified which may be involved in pathology, as summarized in an article in EMC-Pediatrics.
In easy terms, a distinction is made between causes which can be transmitted by autosomal dominant inheritance and others which can be recessively inherited. Autosomal recessive cases are often more severe and are often related to deafness.
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Acquired long QT syndrome
Acquired long QT syndrome is far more common than congenital. The predominant reason for its occurrence are drugs. There is a mess of medication that may extend the QT interval, including:
- Antipsychotics
- Antibiotics similar to azithromycin
- Antiarrhythmic drugs
On the opposite hand, electrolyte imbalance can also be a vital cause. The syndrome often occurs when levels of potassium, calcium or magnesium within the blood fall.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the syndrome was related with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
What symptoms does it give?
As explained by Mayo Clinic specialists, long QT syndrome doesn’t at all times cause symptoms. In fact, many cases are detected through testing for a distinct reason or suspected based on family history.
However, there may be also a really high percentage of people that have symptoms. The most typical symptom is fainting or fainting. These people often faint when exercising or when faced with strong emotions. Sometimes there are symptoms that precede syncope, similar to palpitations, dizziness and weakness.
Other patients have seizures. In some cases, if electrical activity doesn’t return to normal, it might probably even result in death.
Symptoms related to long QT syndrome can occur at any time of the day, even while sleeping. In most cases, This disease makes its debut after the age of 40 and could be very rare before this decade, as stated in Gene Reviews.
Complications of long QT syndrome
One of essentially the most common complications is the so-called torsades de pointes. This is a kind of ventricular arrhythmia that causes the ventricles to beat uncontrollably and rapidly. This causes the center to be unable to pump blood normally. As a result, the blood supply to the brain may fail.
Ventricular fibrillation is one other common complication of this syndrome. This is some of the dangerous arrhythmias; if not defibrillated, it results in death. In addition, fainting can result in falls or other serious accidents.
How is long QT syndrome diagnosed?
diagnosis of long QT syndrome, as noted in Texas Heart Institute article, requires quite a lot of additional tests. The to substantiate the change, the electrical activity of the center should be observed.
The electrocardiogram is essentially the most commonly used test for this purpose. This records the electrical activity of the center. It may be used to find out if the QT interval is prolonged.
The Q wave refers to ventricular depolarization and the T wave to repolarization.
In some cases, a Holter test is performed. This is a test that lets you monitor your heart rhythm for twenty-four hours or more. This lets you see if the band is acting at any time of the day.
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How to treat it?
Long QT syndrome is normally treated as soon because it is detected. otherwise it increases the danger of sudden death. In addition, in lots of cases, lifestyle or lifestyle changes are enough to cut back the likelihood of a fatal event.
When a drug is the cause, it’s most frequently withdrawn or replaced with one other drug. If it’s an electrolyte disturbance, it’s going to be corrected immediately. As stated in 2022 reportthe mix of certain medications prescribed for vomiting and the lack of electrolytes from vomiting alone is a mix of high risk for the syndrome.
Drugs used to treat long QT syndrome
There are many medications that may be used to guard patients with long QT syndrome. Beta-blockers similar to propranolol and nadolol are essentially the most commonly used. These drugs help to slow your heart rate and reduce episodes of QT prolongation.
In other patients mexiletine It’s used. It is normally combined with a beta blocker. Reduces the danger of seizures and fainting.
Surgery or other procedures
In addition to medical treatment, long QT syndrome may profit from other interventions. One of them is surgery. How study in Revista Española de Cardiology explain, the operation consists of sympathetic denervation of the left heart.
Therefore, it’s a method that tries to remove the innervation of the sympathetic nervous system from this a part of the center. The sympathetic nervous system is certainly one of the regulators of the center rhythm. This prevents the center from beating too fast and reduces the danger of sudden death.
This treatment is normally reserved for cases that don’t respond well to medications. Another option is to have a defibrillator or pacemaker implanted. These are devices that control the rhythm of the center. They deliver small electric shocks when an organ fails.
Long QT syndrome increases the danger of sudden death
Long QT syndrome is a disorder in the center’s electrical system. Sometimes it causes uncontrollable, arrhythmic heartbeats. Many people may remain asymptomatic for a very long time.
If an individual has repeated unexplained fainting or seizures, it’s important to seek the advice of your doctor. Family history should at all times be considered when searching for a diagnosis.
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