BIOGRAPHY 

Jenny Butler works in acute General Medicine at Christchurch Hospital.  She was always interested in syncope (“collapse?cause” being a daily occurence in General Medicine).  She became more interested in autonomic medicine whilst doing an advanced training project on sympathetic nerve function (under the supervision of Dr Jardine) in 2008.  She has subsequently continued to work in the ‘funny turns clinic’.  Particular areas of interest include tilt testing, diagnosis of ‘funny turns’ (is it cardiac?hypotensive? seizure? psychogenic?), management of postural hypotension and vasovagal syncope, autonomic neuropathy, and POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome).  She is also interested in quality, teaching, and communication in healthcare.  She works 0.6FTE at the DHB and has three boisterous sons at home.  She is also keen on running, travelling, music, and Game of Thrones.  

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ABSTRACT

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is an increasingly recognised condition.  It is defined as a postural increase in heart rate of more than 30 beats per minute, with associated postural symptoms (such as dizziness or palpitations).  It may present in both acute and outpatient settings and to a wide range of specialties, given the range of symptoms and associations with other syndromes such as chronic fatigue, migraine, fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome. Diagnosis is frequently delayed.  This talk will outline the clinical presentations and proposed mechanisms of disease, along with an approach to diagnosis and management.