title: Palpitations and Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Arrest/Sudden Cardiac Death in Children and Adolescents.
abstract: Palpitations are a common complaint, particularly in teenagers, with etiologies ranging from no detectable cardiac dysrhythmia to life-threatening dysrhythmias. Despite the fact that as many as 50% of children and adolescents may be asymptomatic prior to experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, the occurrence of palpitations may afford the opportunity to detect a potentially lethal arrhythmia condition. This article discusses the evaluation of palpitations in the pediatric population by focusing on the two most common life-threatening arrhythmia diagnoses that may initially manifest itself in the pediatric population with the chief complaint of palpitations-Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and the long QT syndrome.
authors.forename: Jeanny K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male