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Emerg Med J 2005;22:600-601 doi:10.1136/emj.2003.007997
  • Case report

Long QT syndrome presenting as epileptic seizures in an adult

  1. D P J Hunt1,
  2. K Tang2
  1. 1The Hammersmith Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK
  2. 2Colchester General Hospital, Colchester, UK
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr D P J Hunt
 78 Queen Edith’s Way, Cambridge CB1 8PW, UK; david_hunt200hotmail.com
  • Accepted 11 December 2003

Abstract

A 50 year old woman with a previous diagnosis of epilepsy presented to the emergency department with a generalised seizure. Her admission ECG showed QT prolongation secondary to bradycardia and a subsequent seizure in the department demonstrated that these events were secondary to cerebral hypoperfusion during episodes of torsades de pointes. This case illustrates how long QT syndrome can masquerade convincingly as epilepsy, delaying treatment and exposing the patient to a high risk of sudden cardiac death. Careful ECG analysis is recommended for all patients presenting with seizures.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: none declared

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