Sudden death accounts for almost half of the high mortality in adult patients with
heart failure and is assumed to be associated with ventricular arrhythmias. Beta-blocking
agents result in improved ventricular function and reduce the risk of death in these
patients
1
,
2
and decrease QT and QT dispersion in adults with heart failure. This may account
for the decrease in mortality.
- Bristow M.R.
- Gilbert E.M.
- Abrahma W.T.
- Adams K.F.
- Fowler M.B.
- Hershberger R.E.
- Kubo S.H.
- Narahara K.A.
- Ingersoll H.
- Krueger S.
- Young S.
- Shusterman N.
Carvedilol produces dose-related improvements in left ventricular function and survival
in subjects with chronic heart failure. MOCHA Investigators.
Circulation. 1996; 94: 2807-2816
3
QT dispersion has been proposed as a measure of ventricular recovery and may provide
indirect evidence of the inhomogeneity of ventricular repolarization. Studies have
demonstrated a correlation between inhomogeneous myocardial repolarization and ventricular
arrhythmias.
4
Thus, QT dispersion has been proposed as a means to identify patients with heart
failure at risk of sudden death.
5
QT dispersion is increased in adults with chronic heart failure compared with controls,
3
and is reduced with β-blocking agents. A similar decrease has not been explored in
pediatric patients with heart failure. This study examines QT dispersion in pediatric
patients with heart failure and the effect of β-blocker therapy.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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References
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Article Info
Publication History
Accepted:
February 27,
2003
Received in revised form:
February 27,
2003
Received:
November 25,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Excerpta Medica Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
