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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffPeople at risk of long QT syndrome include:
- Children, teenagers and young adults with unexplained fainting, unexplained near drownings or other accidents, unexplained seizures, or a history of cardiac arrest
- Family members of children, teenagers and young adults with unexplained fainting, unexplained near drownings or other accidents, unexplained seizures, or a history of cardiac arrest
- Relatives of persons with known long QT syndrome
- People taking medications known to cause prolonged QT intervals
Long QT syndrome often goes undiagnosed or is misdiagnosed as a seizure disorder, such as epilepsy. However, researchers believe that long QT syndrome may be responsible for some otherwise unexplained deaths in children and young adults. For example, an unexplained drowning of a young person may be the first clue to inherited long QT syndrome in a family.
People with low potassium, magnesium or calcium blood levels — such as those with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa — may be susceptible to prolonged QT intervals. Potassium, magnesium and calcium are all important minerals for the health of the heart's electrical system.
