Diseases Commons^™

Reducing The Rate Of Misdiagnosis Of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Isabelle C. Gill

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a common yet frequently misdiagnosed dysautonomia characterized by a significant increase in heart rate upon standing. POTS patients experience severe fatigue, dizziness, pre-syncope, and a diminished quality of life. The intent of this thesis is to investigate factors contributing to POTS misdiagnosis and develop a proposal for improving diagnostic procedures. The first part of this thesis presents an overview of other frequently misdiagnosed conditions, providing an understanding of the basis for the diagnostic problems in POTS and methods to combat such difficulties. The second part of this thesis details a meta-analysis performed on POTS …