Short QT syndrome
Last updated 18 Aug 2020
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Short QT syndrome is a condition that can cause a disruption of the heart's normal rhythm (arrhythmia). In people with this condition, the heart (cardiac) muscle takes less time than usual to recharge between beats. The term "short QT" refers to a specific pattern of heart activity that is detected with an electrocardiogram (EKG), which is a test used to measure the electrical activity of the heart. In people with this condition, the part of the heartbeat known as the QT interval is abnormally short.
Description
Short QT syndrome is a condition that can cause a disruption of the heart's normal rhythm (arrhythmia). In people with this condition, the heart (cardiac) muscle takes less time than usual to recharge between beats. The term "short QT" refers to a specific pattern of heart activity that is detected with an electrocardiogram (EKG), which is a test used to measure the electrical activity of the heart. In people with this condition, the part of the heartbeat known as the QT interval is abnormally short.
If untreated, the arrhythmia associated with short QT syndrome can lead to a variety of signs and symptoms, from dizziness and fainting (syncope) to cardiac arrest and sudden death. These signs and symptoms can occur any time from early infancy to old age. This condition may explain some cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which is a major cause of unexplained death in babies younger than 1 year. However, some people with short QT syndrome never experience any health problems associated with the condition.
Inheritance patterns
The source lists the following possible inheritance patterns: Autosomal dominant. More than one pattern can apply in different cases.
Related genes
Other names
SQTS
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Further reading and references
- Short QT syndrome; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- Bjerregaard P, Gussak I. Short QT syndrome. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol. 2005 Oct;10(4):436-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1542-474X.2005.00064.x.
- Borggrefe M, Wolpert C, Antzelevitch C, Veltmann C, Giustetto C, Gaita F, Schimpf R. Short QT syndrome. Genotype-phenotype correlations. J Electrocardiol. 2005 Oct;38(4 Suppl):75-80. doi: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2005.06.009.
- Brugada R, Hong K, Cordeiro JM, Dumaine R. Short QT syndrome. CMAJ. 2005 Nov 22;173(11):1349-54. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.050596.
- Gaita F, Giustetto C, Bianchi F, Wolpert C, Schimpf R, Riccardi R, Grossi S, Richiardi E, Borggrefe M. Short QT Syndrome: a familial cause of sudden death. Circulation. 2003 Aug 26;108(8):965-70. doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000085071.28695.C4. Epub 2003 Aug 18.
- Giustetto C, Schimpf R, Mazzanti A, Scrocco C, Maury P, Anttonen O, Probst V, Blanc JJ, Sbragia P, Dalmasso P, Borggrefe M, Gaita F. Long-term follow-up of patients with short QT syndrome. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011 Aug 2;58(6):587-95. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2011.03.038.
- Gollob MH, Redpath CJ, Roberts JD. The short QT syndrome: proposed diagnostic criteria. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011 Feb 15;57(7):802-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2010.09.048.
- Gussak I, Bjerregaard P. Short QT syndrome--5 years of progress. J Electrocardiol. 2005 Oct;38(4):375-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2005.06.012. No abstract available.
- Maluli HA, Meshkov AB. A short story of the short QT syndrome. Cleve Clin J Med. 2013 Jan;80(1):41-7. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.80a.12029.
- Patel U, Pavri BB. Short QT syndrome: a review. Cardiol Rev. 2009 Nov-Dec;17(6):300-3. doi: 10.1097/CRD.0b013e3181c07592.
- Schimpf R, Wolpert C, Gaita F, Giustetto C, Borggrefe M. Short QT syndrome. Cardiovasc Res. 2005 Aug 15;67(3):357-66. doi: 10.1016/j.cardiores.2005.03.026.
- Wolpert C, Schimpf R, Veltmann C, Giustetto C, Gaita F, Borggrefe M. Clinical characteristics and treatment of short QT syndrome. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2005 Jul;3(4):611-7. doi: 10.1586/14779072.3.4.611.
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