Management of life-threatening bleeding in anticoagulated patients.

Book of the Week

SQTS - short QT syndrome

As you you know, I read EKG' on the side ( and any interesting tracings send them my way, please). I read an EKG fir the first time the other day with Short QT < 360 ms . I was aware SQTS is an arrhythmogenic disease associated with paroxysmal atrial and ventricular fibrillation, syncope and sudden cardiac death.
What I didn't know is that the the first one to describe this syndrome is Preben Bjerregaard , originally from Denmark, but moved to the USA in 1989 ( Professor at Washington University in St Louis, Mo until 2012) and discovered the syndrome in 1999.
His website is quite interesting. also there is a nice summary on Life in the Fast Lane.
It is still considered quite rare, but then was amyloid also 50 years ago. The more dangerous genotypes are the ones associate with QT of <320 and <340 ms, respectively.

Therapy is an ICD, but has a lotof problems with over sensing of the large T -wave. Type Ia drugs appear promising therapies

Be on the look-out ! Let me know if you find a tracing 💫

• QTc intervals < 330 ms in males or < 340 ms in females should be considered diagnostic of SQTS
• QTc intervals < 360 ms in males or < 370 ms in females should only be considered diagnostic of SQTS when supported by symptoms or family history