[Anesthesia and the long QT syndrome.].

Background And Objectives: Cardiac arrhythmias are important factors of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Among the causes of arrhythmias, the long QT syndrome, both in the genetic and acquired types, should be remembered since several drugs used in anesthesia, as well as in the perioperative period, can prolong the QT interval and trigger potentially malignant arrhythmias.

Contents: A review of the long QT syndrome (LQTS), discussing its causes and definition, as well as the mechanisms of the disease.