As a medical professional with expertise in cardiology, I can tell you that the QTC refers to the corrected QT interval on an electrocardiogram (ECG). The QT interval is a measure of the time between the start of the Q wave and the end of the T wave in the heart's electrical cycle, which corresponds to the time from the beginning of the depolarization to the end of repolarization of the ventricles. The QT interval can vary based on the heart rate, so the QTC is a corrected value that takes into account the patient's heart rate to provide a standardized measure.
The correction is typically done using one of several formulas, the most common of which is the Bazett's formula: QTC = QT / √RR. The RR interval is the time between two successive R waves (representing the time between heartbeats), and the square root of the RR interval is used to correct for variations in heart rate.
Prolongation of the QTC can be a sign of certain medical conditions, such as congenital long QT syndrome, electrolyte imbalances, or the effect of certain medications that can affect heart rhythm. It's important for healthcare providers to interpret the QTC in the context of the patient's overall health and medical history.
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