Measuring QT interval

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

when I am setting my alarms for QTc I am also prompted to set an alarm for QT HR. Does anyone know what this means and how to set the alarms. thanks, Kaiser

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
when I am setting my alarms for QTc I am also prompted to set an alarm for QT HR. Does anyone know what this means and how to set the alarms. thanks, Kaiser

Monitoring systems are different with different acronyms for their alarms. This may be better answered by the manufacturer's book/guidelines, your clinical Specialist/educator, and co-workers. The QT interval varies with heart rate and the indications with long QT syndrome is that with an increased heart rate can precipitate an arrhythmic event.

The QT interval will change in a given patient in response to the patient's heart rate. Normally, if the heart rate increases, the QT interval will shorten; if the heart rate decreases, the QT interval will lengthen. Thus, it may be difficult to determine when the QT interval has become "prolonged" for a particular patient. To overcome this problem, any of a number of known heart rate correction formulas may be applied, which may be used on a measured QT interval at a measured heart rate to "correct" or normalize the QT interval measurement to what it would be if the heart rate was 60 beats-per-minute. The corrected QT Interval is commonly labeled "QTc"

What this means to your monitoring system I am sorry but I can't answer you. :)

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