Torsades de pointes: A case with multiple variables

Torsades de pointes is a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that displays a unique electrocardiographic feature of twisting of the mean electrical ax is of QRS complexes around an isoelectric line on the surface electrocardio gram. It is associated with long QT syndrome and has many precipitating mec hanisms, etiologic factors, and treatment options. This report presents a c ase of torsades de pointes that was precipitated by multiple factors and re quired many treatment modalities. The patient in this case exhibited featur es of both congenital and acquired types of long QT syndrome. Copyright (C) 1999 by W,B. Saunders Company.