Tag Archives: postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS)

While the aetiology of this complex condition remains unclear, PoTS has been associated with other conditions, including the Epstein-Barr virus, autoimmune conditions1 such as Sjögren’s syndrome and antiphospholipid syndrome, joint hypermobility conditions,2 and chronic fatigue.3 PoTS, as is the case for most syndromes, presents uniquely in everyone in terms of its thumbprint of symptomatic expression. Similarly, these post-COVID-19 cases, in addition to the diagnostic presence of abnormal response by the autonomic nervous system to upright posture (diagnosed by a sustained increase in heart rate of over 30 bpm in adults within 10 minutes

Introduction Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) was first described in American Civil War soldiers,1 and subsequently in First World War soldiers.2 These early descriptions were published by some of the most eminent cardiologists of the time. It was defined formally as a syndrome in 1993,3 leading onto guidelines, more recently published by the Heart Rhythm Society 2015,4 and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society 2020.5 While we remain uncertain in detail about its underlying cause, it seems to be an abnormality in the regulation of the cardiovascular system causing excessive tachycardia on standing, with cardiovascular symptoms including ch