title: Long-QT syndrome.
abstract: Acquired and hereditary long-QT syndromes are important causes of sudden cardiac death. Both categories are characterized by abnormally prolonged cardiac repolarization arising from a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. This produces a potentially dangerous substrate for polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death. In this review, the pathophysiologic, diagnostic, and prognostic features of long-QT syndromes, as well as recommendations regarding therapy, are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. dkramer@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Zimetbaum
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D016171:Torsades de Pointes / Q000503:physiopathology