[Assessment of QT interval duration in patients with wide QRS]

The QT interval is the most widely used ECG parameter for the assessement of myocardial repolarization and the risk of torsades de pointes. Measured from the beginning of the QRS complex, it is also influenced by the duration of the depolarization phase. The presence of ventricular conduction abnormalities or a widening of the QRS during ventricular pacing prolongs the QT interval, even if the repolarization phase is normal. Consequently, it is difficult to assess the QT interval in this population and to estimate the risk of torsades de pointes. In this article, we would like to give an overview of the current literature as guidance to the measurement of the QT interval in the presence of a QRS widening.