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08:28
Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus
Published on: April 5, 2011
Cardiac repolarization indices in epilepsy patients
Gregory Neufeld1, Jason M Lazar, Geetha Chari
1Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203-2098, USA.
Cardiology
|August 13, 2009
Summary
Epilepsy patients exhibit prolonged Q-T intervals (QTmax c) and increased Q-T dispersion (QTDc), potentially linked to disease duration. These cardiac repolarization changes are not associated with age or seizure frequency.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Clinical Electrophysiology
Background:
- Epilepsy is linked to sudden cardiac death risk.
- Cardiac repolarization effects in epilepsy are not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate Q-T interval duration (QTmax c, QTmin c) and dispersion (QTDc) in epilepsy patients.
- To determine if epilepsy affects cardiac repolarization parameters.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 40 epilepsy patients and 60 age-matched controls.
- Analysis of Q-T intervals from a single 12-lead ECG.
Main Results:
- Epilepsy patients showed higher QTmax c and QTDc compared to controls.
- Epilepsy patients had lower QTmin c.
- QTmax c correlated with disease duration, but not age or seizure frequency.
Conclusions:
- Epilepsy is associated with prolonged Q-T intervals and increased Q-T dispersion.
- Cardiac repolarization changes in epilepsy may relate to disease duration.
- Age and seizure frequency do not correlate with these repolarization indices.
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