Riding a Continuous Rollercoaster: The Impact of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) on Everyday Life
摘要
AB, a 16-year-old female, presented to a multidisciplinary postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) clinic for a second opinion regarding the management of her POTS symptoms. Symptoms were manageable until 6 months prior, after she attended a football game on a hot day. Although she reported several symptoms, including dizziness, headaches, fatigue, and nausea, her clinical picture was confounded by several comorbid conditions. Over the next few years, AB’s symptoms fluctuated, a common disease course we see among patients in our pediatric POTS clinic. Because POTS patients frequently suffer from comorbid medical conditions and various symptoms across multiple body systems, they are often followed by several medical providers, which can have negative consequences, namely, over-medicalization, polypharmacy, and disjointed medical care. In addition, we commonly see POTS negatively impact both quality of life and mental health in our adolescent population.