tor·sade de pointes (tôr-säd d pw  t )n. Paroxysms of ventricular tachycardia in which the electrocardiogram shows a steady undulation in the QRS axis in runs of 5 to 20 beats and with progressive changes in direction. |
torsade de pointes
French, torsade–twist, Cardiology A form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia with prolonged Q-T intervals initiated by a premature ventricular depolarization striking near the apex of a delayed T wave;
torsades have irregular rates of 200-250/min with marked variability in amplitude and direction of a QRS wave that seems to twist around an isoelectric baseline; torsades may spontaneously resolve or evolve to ventricular tachyarrhythmia and may be
nonspecific or due to drugs–eg, adrenergics, antihistamine, phenothiazine, procainamide, quinines, sotalol, and tricyclic antidepressants, electrolyte imbalance–eg, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, CNS hemorrhage or trauma, long Q-T wave
syndrome, liquid diet, and underlying heart disease Management Isoproterenol
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