G Yilmaz1, S Ozme, S Ozer, K Tokel, A Celiker. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey. gonca@ato.org.tr
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present paper was to determine the factors related to sudden death in aortic stenosis. METHODS: The factors related to sudden death were investigated in 40 asymptomatic children with mild and moderate aortic stenosis by treadmill testing. RESULTS: The QT interval of aortic stenosis cases were significantly longer than those of healthy children with increasing heart rates during exercise. CONCLUSIONS: A longer QT interval of aortic stenosis cases compared to normal children during exercise is the first sign of myocardial ischemia and leads to fatal ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. For this reason we recommend that exercise testing should be performed frequently in aortic stenosis patients and that close follow up is necessary for patients with long QT segments that can be a marker for severe arrhythmias.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present paper was to determine the factors related to sudden death in aortic stenosis. METHODS: The factors related to sudden death were investigated in 40 asymptomatic children with mild and moderate aortic stenosis by treadmill testing. RESULTS: The QT interval of aortic stenosis cases were significantly longer than those of healthy children with increasing heart rates during exercise. CONCLUSIONS: A longer QT interval of aortic stenosis cases compared to normal children during exercise is the first sign of myocardial ischemia and leads to fatal ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. For this reason we recommend that exercise testing should be performed frequently in aortic stenosispatients and that close follow up is necessary for patients with long QT segments that can be a marker for severe arrhythmias.