LONG QT GENES AND METHOD FOR DIAGNOSING OR PREVENTING THE OCCURRENCE OF LONG QT SYNDROME

摘要

The invention relates to the identification of the molecular basis of acquired long QT syndrome. More specifically, the invention has identified that HERG is associated with acquired long QT syndrome. HERG has been identified to encode the major subunit for the IKr channel. It has been found that increasing the extracellular levels of K+ paradoxically increases the outward current of this channel. Increasing extrarcellular K+ levels in patients, especially those being treated with antiarrhythmic medication or other medication which can cause cardiac arrhythmia or those with the hereditary form of long QT syndrome, decreases the likelihood of developing LQT and torsade de pointes.