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An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart
rhythm. Some arrhythmias cause no symptoms, while others can cause
death. In general arrhythmias are not normal, but they are not all
dangerous. The
short QT-interval found in SQTS
increases the risk of an arrhythmia originating
in either the small chambers of the heart (atria) or in the big chambers
of the heart (ventricles). The
two arrhythmias of concern in patients with Short QT Syndrome are atrial
fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation is the arrhythmia that
originates in the atria and is characterized by a fast and very
irregular pulse. The patient will often be able to feel the irregular
heart beats, and may develop other symptoms in terms of dizziness,
shortness of breath, chest pain and anxiety. The arrhythmia may
terminate spontaneously within minutes or hours, but can become a chronic condition. Many people learn to live with it and
it rarely becomes a major problem. This type of arrhythmia is
rarely fatal, and is generally not considered dangerous if the proper
medications are taken
Ventricular fibrillation (V-fib) is a life-threatening
event. The diagnosis of ventricular fibrillation is difficult to
make because the unmonitored patient typically dies before the diagnosis
can be made. To date, no individual with SQTS has been monitored
during sudden collapse or sudden cardiac death. Therefore, the
cause of their death can not be confirmed. Electrophysiology
studies performed in controlled environments have shown that patients
with SQTS develop ventricular fibrillation much more easily than normal
subjects. These observations suggest that v-fib is the cause of
death in patients that die suddenly with SQTS.
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