Prevention of Torsade de Pointes in Hospital Settings: A Scientific Statement

The purpose of this scientific statement is to raise awareness among those who care for patients in hospital units about the risk, ECG monitoring, and management of drug-induced LQTS. The characteristic patterns of Torsade de Pointes (TdP) present as a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia characterized by a pattern of twisting points.

Topics in this document include the ECG characteristics of TdP and signs of impending arrhythmia, cellular mechanisms of acquired LQTS and the current thinking about genetic susceptibility, drugs and drug combinations most likely to cause TdP, risk factors and exacerbating conditions, methods to monitor QT intervals in hospital settings, and immediate management of marked QT prolongation and TdP.