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Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
P A Low1, T L Opfer-Gehrking, S C Textor
1Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Neurology
|April 1, 1995
Summary
Orthostatic intolerance symptoms, often debilitating, can now be graded. A new system assesses symptom severity, stress tolerance, and daily life impact for better patient management.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Orthostatic intolerance (OI) presents with symptoms upon standing, relieved by lying down.
- Existing understanding lacks a standardized method for grading OI severity.
- This gap hinders consistent patient assessment and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel, three-pronged system for grading the severity of orthostatic intolerance.
- To provide a structured approach for quantifying OI based on objective criteria.
- To illustrate the application of this grading system using postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
Main Methods:
- Developed a grading system based on three key criteria:
- 1. Rapidity and severity of orthostatic symptoms.
- 2. Subject's ability to withstand orthostatic stress.
- 3. Degree of interference with daily living activities.
Main Results:
- The proposed system offers a quantifiable method to assess OI severity.
- It allows for differentiation between various degrees of functional impairment.
- Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) serves as a detailed case study for the grading system's application.
Conclusions:
- The newly developed grading system provides a standardized framework for assessing orthostatic intolerance.
- This system enhances the objective evaluation of OI severity and its impact on patients.
- It facilitates more precise clinical assessment and management strategies for conditions like POTS.
Keywords:
Non-programmatic