Screening for QT Prolongation Using a New Exponential Formula.

Medicines and QT Prolongation

Drug induced QT prolongation.

The drug-induced QT prolongation predisposes to development of torsades de pointes (TdP) ventricular tachycardia and sudden death. The association between specific drug and development of TdP is difficult to document, therefore, QT prolongation is considered as a surrogate marker of the proarrhythmia risk. Most of the drugs prolong QT interval usually by blocking the potassium IKr current or al...

Criteria for short QT interval based on a new QT-heart rate adjustment formula

BACKGROUND A short QT interval, within which an increased risk for atrial fibrillation and/or fatal cardiac arrhythmias occurs, has been difficult to define. METHODS The lower percentiles of a new QTc formula were determined, using a precise mathematical fitting of the QT-heart rate relationship from the ECGs of 13,600 individuals from the NHANES II and III surveys. RESULTS The QTc interval...

QT prolongation due to roxithromycin.

Roxithromycin and other macrolide antimicrobials are widely used for a broad variety of infections such as upper respiratory tract infection and community acquired pneumonia. Prolongation of the QT interval, torsade de pointes polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and sudden death are well described but little known adverse reactions common to all macrolides. We report the case of a 72 year old ...

Antipsychotic Medication and QT Prolongation

The QT interval represents ventricular depolarisation and repolarisation. Prolongation of this interval can lead to life-threatening complications. These can include arrhythmias such as Torsades de Pointes and Ventricular Fibrillation, which may ultimately lead to death. Many risk factors have been identified in prolonging the QT interval, one of which is medication commonly used in the treatme...