Torsade de Pointes
- PMID: 29083738
- Bookshelf ID: NBK459388
Torsade de Pointes
Excerpt
Torsades de Pointes is a type of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia characterized by a gradual change in amplitude and twisting of the QRS complexes around an isoelectric line on the electrocardiogram. Torsades de Pointes is associated with QTc prolongation, which is the heart rate adjusted lengthening of the QT interval. A QTc is considered long when it is greater than 450 ms in males and 460 ms in females. A QTc greater than 500 ms has been associated with a two-fold to three-fold increase in risk for Torsades de Pointes. The rhythm may terminate spontaneously or may degenerate into ventricular fibrillation.
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