Health

Long QT Fundraiser November 22

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    Central High School senior Diamond Yarbrough is choosing to raise awareness for Long QT through a fundraiser for hre senior project. The fundraiser is scheduled for November 22, 2014 from 11am-2pm at the BREC Palomino park in the back of the Bridlewood subdivision. T-shirts will be sold at the fundraiser for $20, and jambalaya dinners are being sold both ahead of time and at the fundraiser for $7.
    The following are some facts about Long QT:
1. LQTS is a disturbance of the heart’s electrical system. This causes an abnormality of the heartbeat or rhythm of the heart
2. Because of the abnormality, affected people are vulnerable to sudden fainting (syncope) and even death
3. LQTS is a rare condition that is usually inherited     
4. LQTS can be acquired through taking certain medications and having certain conditions 
5. Long QT affects about 1 in 7,000 people 
6. LQTS causes about 3,000-4,000 sudden deaths in children and young adults each year in the U.S.     
7. More than half of the people who have untreated, inherited types of LQTS die within 10 years
8. There are twelve different types of Long QT 
9. Most common signs/symptoms of Long QT are Fainting, Seizures, and Sudden Death
10. Generic testing is needed to find out which form of Long QT you have.
11. Treatment includes different medicines. 
12. Depending on the form of Long QT a patient has, the implementation of a pacemaker and/or ICD (defibrillator) may be needed
13. Patients with LQTS should avoid participation in competitive sport, strenuous exercise, and stress related emotions
14. A QT interval that is longer than 0.44 seconds is considered abnormal.