title: Recognizing postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
abstract: This article describes the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnosis, and management of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a potentially debilitating autonomic disorder that can have many causes and presentations. POTS can be mistaken for panic disorder, inappropriate sinus tachycardia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Clinician suspicion for the syndrome is key to prompt patient diagnosis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Daniel Pavlik is an assistant professor in the Department of Medical Science at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pa., and practices in the ED at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden, N.J. Donna Agnew is an associate professor and director of the PA program at Salus University in Elkins Park, Pa., and practices internal medicine at Fountainville (Pa.) Medical Specialists. Lauren Stiles is the co-founder of Dysautonomia International, a nonprofit focused on advancing research on POTS and other autonomic disorders. Rachel Ditoro is an assistant professor in Arcadia University's Department of Medical Science. The authors have disclosed no other potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavlik
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Agnew
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stiles
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ditoro
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019468:Disease Management; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D054972:Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013616:Tachycardia, Sinus / Q000175:diagnosis