title: Idiopathic long QT syndrome with late onset of bradycardia-dependent and short-coupled variant of torsade de pointes.
abstract: We report an idiopathic variant of the long QT syndrome in a 72 year old woman with a history of recurrent syncope over 3 years who presented with repeated episodes of cardiac arrest due to bradycardia-dependent torsade de pointes (TdP), which continued long after possible triggers were eliminated. During these episodes a short coupling interval of the first tacycardia beat was also observed. The patient's stormy course was only controlled with pacing. She received a permanent dual-chamber pacemaker and prophylactically a beta-blocker was added. Over the subsequent 14 months she has remained completely asymptomatic.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Patras University Hospital, Rio, Greece.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chiladakis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karapanos
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Manolis
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016171:Torsades de Pointes / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists