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American Heart Association

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Final ID: MP628

Improved Quality of Life Following Cardiologist-Directed Care in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here):
Introduction
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a chronic autonomic disorder mainly found in a younger female demographic and is characterized by orthostatic intolerance, often presenting with a combination of cardiovascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal symptoms. Despite the central role of blood pressure and heart rate dysregulation in its pathophysiology, POTS is misclassified as psychosomatic frequently. Many patients see 8 to 10 providers before a diagnosis and ultimately self-refer to cardiology after prolonged symptom burden. This study evaluates quality-of-life (QoL) outcomes in POTS patients treated with a cardiologist-led protocol focused on hemodynamic stabilization and symptom control.

Methods
This single-center study included patients with a diagnosis of POTS (ICD G90.A) or autonomic dysfunction (ICD G90.8) who received care between May and December 2024. All patients were managed using a non-invasive, multifaceted treatment protocol developed and overseen by a cardiologist, focusing on blood pressure and heart rate regulation. Patients completed the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) before and after the intervention, with primary follow-up occurring at 3 months. All patients had complete pre- and post-treatment data. Paired t-tests were used to assess statistical significance across SF-36 domains, with Cohen’s d reported for clinical effect size.

Results
Among 109 patients (92.6% female; Table 1), all SF-36 domains saw statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001). Physical functioning, energy/fatigue, emotional well-being, and social functioning showed the most notable gains. The largest effect size was seen in the Health Change domain (Cd = 0.53), reflecting patients’ perception of meaningful improvement (Table 2). Despite a short follow-up interval, the consistency of gains supports the statistical and clinical significance of cardiologist-led management in this population.

Conclusion
POTS remains underrecognized and undertreated in medicine. This study demonstrates that targeted, cardiologist-directed interventions can lead to measurable and meaningful improvements in QoL for POTS patients. These findings underscore the need to reframe POTS as a condition that warrants early and ongoing symptom management. Increasing POTS presentation awareness among physicians may reduce diagnostic delays and improve outcomes for a historically underserved population.
  • Khalid, Emad  ( Cena Research Institute , Houston , Texas , United States )
  • Farooqui, Sami  ( Cena Research Institute , Houston , Texas , United States )
  • Ali, Asif  ( Cena Research Institute , Houston , Texas , United States )
  • Author Disclosures:
    Emad Khalid: DO have relevant financial relationships ; Researcher:Cena Research Institute:Active (exists now) ; Advisor:Healthseers:Expected (by end of conference) | Sami Farooqui: DO NOT have relevant financial relationships | Asif Ali: DO have relevant financial relationships ; Executive Role:Tabia Health :Active (exists now) ; Executive Role:HealthSeers:Active (exists now)
Meeting Info:

Scientific Sessions 2025

2025

New Orleans, Louisiana

Session Info:

Cutting-Edge Insights in Cardiovascular Care: From Precision Therapies to System-Level Outcomes

Saturday, 11/08/2025 , 01:45PM - 03:00PM

Moderated Digital Poster Session

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