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Prolonged QT is a risk factor for arrhythmia and sudden death. In this report from Mayo Clinic, investigators developed an institution-wide alert system for electrocardiographic QT prolongation as well as a risk score for QTc (corrected QT interval) prolongation.
Using a QTc threshold of ≥500 msec in patients with heart rates <100 beats per minute (≥550 msec in patients with QRS duration ≥120 msec), 1145 of 52,579 patients (2.2%) who received electrocardiograms (ECGs) during 8 months showed QTc prolongation; 470 had no other ECG reason for QT prolongation (e.g., paced rhythm). In the latter group, mortality was 19% (compared with 5% in those without QT prolongation) during mean follow-up of 224 days. A QTc prolongation risk score (pro-QTc) —…