A critically-ill patient may show an acquired prolongation of the QT interval.
The presence of prolonged QTc is associated with a mortality rate twice that of patients with a normal QTc (22.2% vs 9.6% in Ding et al).
Some correctable factors that may be associated with a prolonged QT:
(1) medications
(2) hypokalemia
Other factors:
(1) reduced eGFR
(2) nonthyroidal illness syndrome
(3) female gender
(4) higher APACHE score
