Differential Diagnosis? Long QT Syndrome?

Question

I was hospitalized last year for an accident overdose (I took the wrong pills). After a few shots, a bunch of tests etc, I was released about 12 hours later. Since then, I've had panic attacks a lot. I was reading my original report, and it said Differential Diagnosis: Long QT Syndrome. What is that? What does differential diagnosis mean? I've had EKG's since then (panic attacks mistaken for heart attacks) and my EKG's come back sinus tachcardia.

Answer 1

I bet you are taking Paxil, Prozac or another SSRI.

Answer 2

A little dope on medicine which a person has can make him believe that he has a condition every time he reads something. This is well known. OK. First of all, Long QT(or corrected QTc) Syndrome is an open and shut case when you see the ECG and and no physician worth his salt can miss it. Secondly, the common arrhythmia in Long QT is ventricular tachycardia which can lead to V-fib with fatal outcome. If you had V-tach, your doctor would not have shrugged it off. Thirdly, there are many other causes for syncope one of which could one that is bothering you. So, Long QT looks far fetched in your case. Talk to your doctor about this.

Answer 3

You can go to all kinds of web sites to learn about Long QT Syndrome. One of my favorites is:



www.sads.org



Long QT Syndrome is an electrical conduction defect of the heart that you can be born with, or you can actually acquire because of the effects of certain drugs on your heart. The QT interval on your ECG can be too long (this occurs during the re-polarization phase), and when it's too long, it can leave more chance of irregular heartbeats, fast heartbeats, etc. sometimes even heartbeats that can alternate between too fast and then slow, called Torsades de Pointes.



You can go to: www.longqt.org and learn all about the drugs that can effect your heart's QT interval. That is not to say you should think you have Long QT Syndrome, or even that you should stop taking one of those drugs cold turkey, without first talking to your doctor.



Differential would probably mean in this case, they needed to separate the effects from the drugs (your accidental overdose), with an actual case of Congenital Long QT Syndrome.



If the diagnosis was sinus tachycardia, that would mean your heart was beating too fast, but this too could have been the effects of the drug you said you took.



Did they recommend any follow-up of any kind? A panic attack can be pretty hard to separate from Long QT Symptoms sometimes. You probably need to be checked by an experienced cardiologist who is familiar with Long QT Syndrome. If every one of your ECGs shows sinus tachycardia and you are not under the influence of any stimulants, too much caffeine, etc. this should really be investigated.



Try not to worry too much about it--just take the proper course of action with a qualified doctor who is used to separating panic attack symptoms from an actual condition like Long QT Syndrome.