Congenital type 1 long QT syndrome unmasked by a highly caffeinated energy drink

摘要

Besides a variety of well-known activities and physiological states (eg, swimming, startling noises, and postpartum) that produce genotype-specific repolarization responses in LQTS, various drugs can prolong the QT interval and should be avoided by those with LQTS (www.qtdrags.org). One drag, caffeine, can prolong the QT interval, albeit weakly.6 Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, chocolate, soda, and, more recently, in energy drinks. Several reports have suggested that caffeine exerts a proarrhythmogenic effect.7'8 Consequently, there are pediatric heart rhythm specialists who advise elimination of all caffeine consumption in the diet of a patient with LQTS.