Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) in Adult Patients

Guest: Jeremy K. Cutsforth-Gregory, M.D. (@JCGneuro) Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. (@ChutkaMD) Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, or POTS, is a medical condition manifested by tachycardia that occurs after standing or prolonged sitting and is often associated with symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, and occasionally syncope. POTS can be difficult to diagnose as patients often present with a variety of vague, and what seem like unrelated, symptoms. Management of patients with POTS can be equally difficult as there’s no one treatment which is effective in all patients. However, patients with POTS often have typical symptoms and objective findings on physical exam. Once a diagnosis is made, effective treatment is available and many patients with POTS can be helped with non-pharmacologic therapy. To help us understand POTS and its management, we’ll speak with Dr. Jeremy Cutsforth-Gregory, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic. We’ll discuss the proposed theories regarding the cause of POTS, the different types of POTS, pathologic findings in patients with POTS, and the management of patient with POTS. Specific Topics: Typical symptoms of POTS Risk factors for POTS Theories regarding the cause of POTS Description of the varieties of POTS How to diagnose POTS Pathologic and pharmacologic abnormalities related to POTS Management of patients with POTS Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.