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torsade de pointes

Twisting of the points a form of ventricular tachycardia nearly always due to medications and characterised by a long QT interval and a short-long-short sequence in the beat preceding its onset. The qRS complexes during this rhythm tend to show a series of complexes points up followed by complexes points down often with a narrow waist between. At one time referred to as cardiac ballet.

Origin: Fr. Torsade, fringe, twist, or coil, _ pointe, point or tip (euphonious for wave burst)