Long-QT syndrome
Definition
Long-QT syndrome is a family of genetic or acquired disorders that causes cardiac arrhythmias, irregularities in the electrical activity of the heart, that can lead to cardiac arrest and sudden death. The syndrome is characterized by a longer-than-normal QT interval on an electrocardiogram.
Description
Long-QT syndrome (LQTS) is one of the sudden arrhythmia death syndromes (SADS). It is a major cause of sudden, unexplained death in children and young adults, resulting in as many as 3,000–4,000 deaths per year in the United States. Its symptoms include seizures or fainting, often in response to stress.
LQTS was first described by C. Romano and coworkers in 1963 and by O. C. Ward in 1964, as a syndrome that was almost identical to
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