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Published on: January 16, 2019
Spectrum of cardiac abnormalities associated with long QT in stroke survivors
K Y K Wong1, S McSwiggan, N S J Kennedy
1Division of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK. kywong@doctors.org.uk
Insights
Long QT syndrome in stroke survivors is linked to increased cardiac abnormalities, including higher blood pressure and left ventricular mass. This association may explain their elevated risk of cardiac death.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Stroke survivors often face increased cardiovascular risks.
- Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a recognized risk factor for cardiac events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spectrum of cardiac abnormalities in stroke survivors with prolonged QTc interval (QTc max).
- To determine the association between QTc max and cardiac risk factors in post-stroke patients.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 202 stroke survivors with good recovery.
- Cardiac assessments included ECG, echocardiography, myocardial perfusion scan, and heart rate variability.
- QTc max calculated using Bazett's formula from digitized ECGs.
Main Results:
- Prolonged QTc max correlated with elevated blood pressure and left ventricular mass index.
- Increased number of cardiac abnormalities was associated with more prolonged QTc max.
- QTc max remained significantly associated with left ventricular mass index after adjusting for blood pressure.
Conclusions:
- Long QT is linked to increased left ventricular mass and overall cardiac disease burden in stroke survivors.
- These findings suggest a potential mechanism for the heightened cardiac mortality risk in stroke patients with long QTc.
- Identifying cardiac abnormalities in long QT stroke survivors is crucial for risk stratification.
Objectives:
To find out what spectrum of cardiac abnormalities are found in those stroke survivors who can be deemed to be at high cardiac risk by their having long QT.
Methods:
202 patients with good recovery from a cerebrovascular event occurring at least one month previously were recruited into a prospective epidemiological study. These stroke survivors underwent a battery of cardiac investigations including 12 lead ECG, echocardiography, myocardial perfusion scanning, and heart rate variability assessment. The ECGs were digitised by a single observer blinded to the blood pressure and other investigations of the patients. The maximum heart rate corrected QT interval (QTc max) in the 12 lead ECG was derived by Bazett's formula.
Results:
Prolonged QTc max significantly correlated with increasing blood pressure, left ventricular mass index, and depressed heart rate variability. As the number of cardiac abnormalities increased, QTc max became more prolonged.
Conclusions:
Long QT is significantly associated with left ventricular mass index even after adjustment for both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Long QT was also associated with the total cardiac disease burden. These two observations may explain why stroke survivors with long QTc max were at greater risk of cardiac death.
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