lqts

HI ,
my son has had an adrenaline provaction study and had qt levels above 530, but he got worse after atropine was included to speed his heart rate even more as his resting heart rate is 38bpm on average , we are currently awaiting blood results aswell but would this suggest to you lqt syndrome/jervell lang neilson syndrome as he is proufoundly deaf aswell he has collapsed 13 diffrent times over the  the last 16 years and has had an implantable loop recorder fitted until bloods come back?????  

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

I am sorry to hear about your experiences and understand that you are very concerned.  If the numbers are correct, it is certainly concerning for a long QT syndrome.

There are implantable defibrillator vests that can be worn for situations like this:
http://www.lifecor.com/press/news1.asp
The problem is that it beeps when it is activated (when it detects an arrhythmia) and the person wearing it is to press a button to hold off the shock.  The thought is that if you can't press the button, you are unconscious from the arrhythmia.  If your son is deaf, he won't be able to respond to the beeping.

It sounds like a difficult situation and I am sorry my response cannot be more comforting.

I hope this helps and I wish you and your family the best.

[nettynoo]

thank you ,
for your reply and website address but would atropine increase your qt levels ?

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

In long QT type one, QT interval often prolongs with increased heart rate.  It might be the heart rate rather than the atropine itself.  It is also important to note that the correction formula for long QT does not work as well at faster heart rates.  It is important to actually see the EKG and o the calculations rather than trust the EKG.

[nettynoo]

wow thank you again ,for answering my question my sons qt levels did increase even more when atropine was induced and his heart was rate was increased now getting more anxious for genetic bloods so we are able to get the treament he needs  asap. thank you .

[nettynoo]

just heard from genetics and the results wont be in until early may, now we are stuck the genetics dr doesnt think our son has jlns but has a mutation of lqts and other people have just looked at him being deaf , he still maintains our son has got long qts after stress but doesnt seem to have it on a normal ecg all the time however he does agree that something else maybe wrong, my son also has a brady resting heart rate of 38 bpm  we have also had the reveal monitor read he had the following events 1 reading heart rate at 228bpm no symptoms, 1 asystole overnight for 10s whilst asleep no symptoms  1 heart rate 180bpm then plummeted to 38 bpm this he did have symptoms with and pressed the activator after feeling dizzy? what do you feel about these results and should i be on the phone again
thank you again for your help