Welcome to the Genetic Heart Rhythm Diseases page. The Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Genetic Heart Rhythm Clinic, with the Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory in Rochester, MN, is dedicated to diagnosing, treating, and researching all types of genetic heart rhythm diseases that can cause sudden death. Follow the Genetic Heart Rhythm Diseases page and stay up-to-date as we post stories, clinical trials, and useful information regarding your genetic heart rhythm condition.

Video Library

Available Videos:

COVID-19

Recommendations

SADS Foundation Facebook Live Episodes

Miscellaneous

COVID-19 Videos

Facebook Live COVID-19 Update

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ACE2 in Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) & COVID-19

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Identifying risks of hydroxychloroquine for coronavirus treatment: Mayo Clinic cardiologist

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Potential coronavirus treatment hydroxychloroquine comes with cardiac risk: Mayo Clinic genetic cardiologist

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Special EP on EP Episode: QTc Monitoring With Drug Therapy During COVID-19

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Dr. Michael J. Ackerman & Dr. Arthur Wilde discuss COVID-19 and SADS Conditions

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SADS Conditions and COVID-19 with Dr. Michael J. Ackerman and Dr. Raymond Woosley

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Mayo Clinic: Off-label drugs used for COVID-19 treatment come with cardiac risks

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Navigating QTc Prolonging Potential of Pharmacotherapies for COVID-19

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Dr. Michael Ackerman discusses use of off-label COVID-19 treatments

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Dr. Michael J. Ackerman answers your questions about COVID-19 and SADS Conditions

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Recommendation Videos

Evaluating the Family After Sudden Death in the Young

Identify the pathology and causes of sudden cardiac death in the young (under 35 years). Understand the importance of postmortem genetic testing and the importance of evaluating surviving family members after a sudden cardiac death.

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Competitive Sports Athletes and Genetic Heart Diseases

This 7-minute video details the 5 Return-To-Play considerations for athletes with genetic heart diseases like LQTS, CPVT, and HCM, that the athlete, their families, coaches, and physicians should consider carefully before returning to play.

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Return to Play Considerations for Athletes with Genetic Heart Rhythm Diseases

This 50-minute lecture details the evolution from "If in Doubt, Kick them Out" to "Shared Decision Making" when it comes to athletes with a variety of Genetic Heart Diseases and their ability to safely return to or continue in the competitive sports that they love.

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QT Preventative Measures

Dr. Michael Ackerman reviews the five overarching QT preventative safety measures that patients with long QT syndrome (LQTS) should observe.

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The Necessity of an AED

Dr. Michael Ackerman discusses the necessity of an AED as part of family safety gear for families with genetic heart rhythm conditions like LQTS, Brugada syndrome, and CPVT.

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The Latest Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches for Long QT Syndrome

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Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes and Vaccinations

Dr. Michael Ackerman, a genetic cardiologist from Mayo Clinic, discusses concerns about vaccinations and flu shots for patients with genetic heart rhythm conditions like Brugada Syndrome (BrS), Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT), and Long QT Syndrome (LQTS). The benefits of being vaccinated far exceed the low risk the vaccination or potential fever could have on a genetic heart rhythm condition.

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Cardiac Channelopathies: Who Needs an ICD?

In this 35 minute lecture, Mayo Clinic Genetic Cardiologist Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., discusses who should and, more importantly, who should not receive an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for the management of their cardiac channelopathies, such as Brugada Syndrome (BrS), Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT), and Long QT Syndrome.

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Avoiding ICD Implantation in Primary Electrical Diseases

Dr. Michael Ackerman discusses the avoidance of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation in primary electrical disease and how this might be achieved in practice.

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Michael Ackerman, MD, PhD, Athletes with a Genetic Channelopathy Who Says I Can't Play Anyway

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Precision Medicine and Phenotyping

Dr. Michael Ackerman, Director of Mayo Clinic’s Genetic Heart Rhythm Clinic in Rochester, MN, provides a case study in the November 2016 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings which tells of a family who experienced the sudden death of a child, the well-meaning but incorrect way it was treated, and demonstrates an appropriate approach for interpreting and using genetic information to enhance the best care for patients and their families. Available at: http://tinyurl.com/jxm23dx

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Back to School Screening

Mayo Clinic professor of medicine and pediatrics, Frank Cetta, M.D. and professor of medicine and pharmacology, Michael Ackerman M.D., discuss the importance of back to school screening for sudden cardiac death.

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Sudden Cardiac Death Risk Stratification in Athletes

Identifying athletes at risk for SCD can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. In a video originally posted on TheHeart.org | Medscape Cardiology, Stephen Hammill, MD, talks to Michael J Ackerman, MD, and Douglas Packer, MD, about the many challenges involved, including why we need to think carefully about ECG screening and the importance of a proper history and physical for all patients, not just athletes.

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A Genetic Test Prediction Score for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Dr. Michael J. Ackerman, a genetic cardiologist and Director of Mayo Clinic's Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory in Rochester, MN, explains in his article appearing in the June 2014 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, the development of a simple 5-point scoring method which clinicians and genetic counselors can use in their pre-genetic counseling sessions with patients diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/la4u5ac

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Treating malignant VF syndromes by Left Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation (LCSD)

In this interview, Professor Michael J. Ackerman from the Mayo Clinic at Rochester MN, speaks about the Left Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation Therapy (LCSD) in patients with malignant VF syndromes. Though this technique itself is not very new but known for decades it is going to be a valuable further treatment option among pharmacologic therapies and ICD. The pediatric cardiologist successfully treated infants, small children, and adults and gives an overview of how the procedure is performed, what complications could occur, which patients would profit from an LCSD, and which ones would not. And he points out: LCSD is helpful, but it is not a cure. Ackerman presented this promising treatment option at the 5th Euro VT/VF 2013 meeting in Berlin, Germany.

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Eligibility recommendations for competitive athletes with cardiovascular abnormalities

Professor Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D. from the Mayo Clinic at Rochester MN spoke at the 5th Euro VT/VF Meeting about athletes with arrhythmias like the Long QT Syndrome or the Brugada Syndrome taking part in competitive sports. The existing guidelines in the US and Europe are not evidence-based but just well-meant advice trying to prevent any risk for these athletes, Ackerman says. He called for a paradigm shift to provide the athletes with valuable data and information to decide for themselves whether they are willing to take the residual risk and continue their training and competitive activity.

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Guidelines for Sports Participation in Athletes with Heart Disease

Alfred A. Bove, MD, PhD, interviews Michale John Ackerman, MD, PhD, about guidelines for sports participation in athletes with heart disease.

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When in Doubt, Kick them Out? Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) Sports Guidelines

In a video originally posted on www.theheart.org, Mayo Clinic cardiologist Douglas Packer, M.D., and Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., cardiologist and Director of Mayo Clinic's Long QT Syndrome Clinic, discuss Long QT Syndrome, the consequences of guideline-based recommendations for disqualification, and the JAMA article discussing sports guidelines for Long QT syndrome patients.

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Screenings of newborns and athletes for genetic heart disease

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Treating Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) patients who have asthma

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After Death Genetic Testing - Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic scientists presented research at the American Heart Associations Scientific Sessions 2009 in Orlando, showing that postmortem testing to identify genetic mutations for sudden unexplained death could be a less expensive manner to determine first-degree relatives' risk. Dr. Michael Ackerman, the study's senior author, talks about the research.

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SADS Foundation Facebook Live Episodes

SADS Live: Meet the Staff

On January 29th Dr. Ackerman is joined by the SADS Foundation staff. Hear about who they are, how they got involved, and how they adapted to changes in 2020.

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SADS Live

Join us for a review and discussion with Drs. Michael Ackerman and Andrew Landstorm of the top 5 papers published in journal Circ: Gen in 2020.

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Covid-19 Vaccine and Updates Discussion

Friday, January 15th, 2021 we are joined by guest expert Dr. Stacey Rizza, an infectious disease expert at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and one of the leaders in navigating the SARS-CoV2/COVID-19 pandemic for the Mayo Clinic. She unfolds what is fact or fiction and what you need to know about the vaccine.

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SADS Live: Ask the Expert - Live Q&A

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SADS Live: New Year's Resolutions

Join us for a New Year with Dr. Michael Ackerman.

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SADS Live: Top 10 Asked Questions

A special live broadcast with Dr. Susan Etheridge and Dr. Michael Ackerman answering the Top 10 questions asked by the SADS Community throughout the year 2020.

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Ask the Expert: SADS Live Q&A

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SADS Live: Family Health History Month

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SADS Live: Gratitude: Let's Give Thanks Together!

The day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 27th, Dr. Ackerman hosts a special SADS Live episode on Facebook. Join the SADS Foundation and Dr. Mike Ackerman to share with your community why you are thankful this year.

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SADS Live: Mental & Emotional Health Resiliency

On November 20th, we welcome back Pediatric Psychologist Shannon Hourigan, PhD, MS, to SADS Live. Drs. Ackerman and Hourigan will discuss dealing with your emotional health when you're living with a genetic arrhythmia, coping with COVID-19 during the holiday season, and the intersection of the two!

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SADS Live Family Health History Month

This week we will hear from Lee Cooper, a long-time SADS advocate and Allison Cirino, a genetic counselor from Brigham and Women’s Hospital Cardiovascular Genetics Center. They will discuss with Dr. Michael Ackerman the importance of expanding your family pedigree and cascade screening. Don’t miss this Family Health History Month special episode.

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SADS Live Family Health History Month

Chief Medical Officer Robert Nussaum of Invitae will be visiting with Dr. Ackerman about the newest techniques in genetic testing.

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SADS Live SCA Awareness Month

This week we are joined with Anne and Kevin LeMoyne’s founders of Lovin’ Every Day Foundation. Hear about their diagnosis, how they came to SADS and what they have done in the community.

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Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month

This week Dr. Michael Ackerman will be joined by a surprise guest from the Facebook community. Our guest has joined us for several live sessions and will share their family's story along with how the SADS Foundation has helped them.

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SADS Live - SCA Awareness Month

Dr. Mike Ackerman and guest Pediatric Cardiologist Dr. Robert Campbell of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta will discuss the importance of SCA awareness and prevention.

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SCA Awareness Month: Meet SADS UK

Join us this week as Dr. Ackerman interviews our international partners, Anne and John Jolly, from SADS UK. Hear about how they co-founded SADS UK and the work they’ve been doing to prevent SCA in the UK. They may also tell us about getting an MBE (Prince William gave Anne’s award).

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Ask the Experts: Highlights of the Latest Research on SADS Conditions

Dr. Mike Ackerman is joined by Associate Editor of Circulation, Dr. Sami Viskin of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine. They will discuss some of the most remarkable papers published in Genetic Heart Disease space in the journal Circulation.

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Ask the Experts: Back to School and Back to Sports

Closing off SADS Safe School month, Dr. Mike Ackerman discusses issues for middle school and high school kids with SADS conditions in the setting of COVID-19. Joined by Dr. Peter Aziz, Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Aarti Dalal, St. Louis Children's Hospital.

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Meet the SADS Board Members

This week Dr. Mike Ackerman is joined by a few members of the SADS Board, they will share their stories and their involvement with SADS.

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Ask the Expert Live Q&A with Dr. Mike Ackerman

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SADS Safe Schools Facebook Live Q&A

Dr. Ackerman is joined by Rachel Flores, RN, and mom of CPVT teenager, and Richard Lamphier, RN, Project S.A.V.E. Program Manager for a discussion and kick-off of SADS Safe Schools month.

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Ask The Experts: Managing Families with Inherited Arrhythmias

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Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Ackerman and Dr. Susan Etheridge answer the top 10 frequently asked questions from the SADS community during the past 30 years.

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Ask the Experts Mental & Emotional Health Resiliency

Have the past months had an impact on your kids' mental and emotional health? You're not alone. Dr. Michael Ackerman with special guest Dr. Shannon Hourigan, a pediatric psychologist at Boston Children's Hospital answering questions related to mental and emotional health resiliency from the SADS community.

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Ask the Expert Back to School Q&A

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Facebook Live Special Guest Peter Schwartz, MD

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Ask the Expert with Mike Ackerman, MD, PhD of Mayo Clinic

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Ask the Experts with Mike Ackerman, MD, PhD of Mayo Clinic

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Ask the Experts: ICDs and Device Therapy with Drs. Charlie Berul and Mike Ackerman

We asked the SADS community for feedback on topics for our weekly Facebook Live Q&As, and we were excited to discuss: ICDs and Device Therapy! Watch as the SADS Foundation community asks Drs. Charlie Berul and Mike Ackerman answer your questions about ICDs and Device Therapy for SADS conditions.

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Ask the Experts: Drs. Mike Ackerman and Georgia Brugada

Hosted in English and Spanish with Drs. Mike Ackerman and Georgia Brugada.

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SADS Class of 2020 and Q&A with Dr. Michael Ackerman

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CPR and AED Awareness Week

Dr. Mike Ackerman, Richard Lamphier, RN from Project S.A.V.E., and Adrian Olmos, Director of Patient Advocacy at LifeSure Home AED Solutions. We are excited to have these CPR and AED experts available to educate and answer questions from our SADS community!

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Ask the Experts: Dr. Ackerman and SADS Canada

Dr. Ackerman and special guests of the Canadian SADS Foundation: Drs. Robert Hamilton, Andrew Krahn, and Shubhayan Sanatani.

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Ask the Experts: Drs. Mike Ackerman and Susan Etheridge

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Ask The Experts: Dr. Mike Ackerman and Georgia Sarquella Brugada, MD, PhD

Ask The Experts: Dr. Mike Ackerman is joined by Georgia Sarquella Brugada, MD, PhD Head of Pediatric Arrhythmias, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona - Universitat de Barcelona

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Ask the Expert: Dr. Mike Ackerman & SADS Foundation Courts Cleveland Jr. Young Investigator Awardees

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Ask The Experts: Silvia Priori, MD, PhD and Michael Ackerman MD, PhD

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Ask the Experts: Timothy Syndrome

Dr. Paul Thornton, Dr. Maully Shah, and Katherine Timothy (for which Timothy Syndrome is named) join Dr. Michael Ackerman to discuss Timothy Syndrome.

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Ask the Experts: Dr. Susan P. Etheridge and Dr. Michael J. Ackerman

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Ask the Experts: Dr. Christopher Semsarian and Dr. Michael J. Ackerman

Dr. Christopher Semsarian at the University of Sydney, Australia, and Michael Ackerman at Mayo Clinic available to discuss and answer questions about SADS conditions.

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Ask the Experts: Dr. Ackerman Answers your Questions

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Ask the Experts: ARVC/D

Dr. Calkins, and Brittney Murray, CGC from Johns Hopkins joins Dr. Ackerman for a Q&A

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Ask the Experts: Dr. Elijah Behr and Dr. Michael Ackerman

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Q&A with Dr. Ackerman and CEO of SADS Alice Lara

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Miscellaneous Videos

SADS Foundation Courts K. Cleveland, Jr. Young Investigator Awards in Cardiac Channelopathy Research

Winners are: Aravind Gade, PhD, and mentor, Geoffrey Pitt, MD, PhD of Cornell Weill Medicine, New York City for basic science and Yukiko Asaki, MD and mentor, Susan P. Etheridge, MD of Primary Children’s Hospital/University of Utah, Salt Lake City for clinical/translational science category.

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Getting to Know Dr. Michael Ackerman

In this video, Dr. Ackerman, a genetic cardiologist, and director of Mayo Clinic's Windland Smith Rice Genetic Heart Rhythm Clinic explains how and why he decided to study genetic heart rhythm diseases.

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Genetics and Genetic Testing 101: Pedigrees, Penetrance and Purgatory

Mayo Clinic Genetic Cardiologist Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., provides a 50 minutes high-level lecture on Genetics and Genetic testing.

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Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Awareness Month - March 2019

Dr. Michael Ackerman talks about sudden unexplained death in childhood. It's the 5th leading category of death in children ages 1 - 4. Dr. Ackerman explains the importance of raising awareness of sudden unexplained deaths in children.

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Welcome to Mayo Clinic

Dr. Michael Ackerman welcomes you and your family to Mayo Clinic and helps you prepare for your first visit to Mayo Clinic's Genetic Heart Rhythm Clinic.

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Warning Signs and National Heart Month - February 2019

Dr. Michael Ackerman talks about the warning signs of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD).

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Michael Ackerman, MD, PhD, Measuring the QTc Pearls and Pitfalls

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Michael Ackerman, MD, PhD, Diagnostic Evaluation of a Patient with a Prolonged QTc

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With Sudden Death, Don't Automatically Blame the Heart

In this video first shown on Medscape Cardiology, Michael Ackerman, M.D., and Peter Noseworthy, M.D., discuss the evaluation of patients with sudden death.

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Long QT Syndrome (LQTS): Mayo Clinic Radio

Dr. Michael Ackerman, a pediatric cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, explains the heart rhythm condition known as long QT syndrome. This interview originally aired Sept. 16, 2017.

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Mayo Clinic Transform 2013 Symposium, "Science Sunday" with Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D.

Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic expert on Long QT Syndrome and sudden death discusses sudden deaths in athletes.

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Mayo Clinic Transform 2013 Symposium, "Science Sunday" panel discussion

Engaging panel discussion moderated by John Hockenberry, following the Mayo Clinic Transform 2013 Symposium "Science Sunday" session, with panelists Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., Lynn Hartmann, M.D., Michael Joyner, M.D., and sixth-grade students Joy Jasik and Hermanth Asirvatham.

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Unexplained Drownings and Cardiac Channelopathies

Dr. Michael J. Ackerman, Windland Smith Rice Cardiovascular Genomics Research Professor and Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Pharmacology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, discusses his article appearing in the October 2011 Issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings on a relationship between victims of an otherwise unexplained drowning and a collection of genetic heart rhythm disorders known as the cardiac channelopathies. These findings have the potential to not only establish a genetic cause for the tragic drowning but to also significantly affect the health outcomes for the surviving family members. Available at: http://tinyurl.com/9yaef7l

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Is swimming a trigger for a Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) episode?

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When a fainting episode might suggest a Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) diagnosis

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Heart of the Matter - Ask the Experts

"I have a negative test result. What do I do next?" (posted, May 2012) This pilot video features the first question submitted from Spain and is answered by Michael J. Ackerman, MD, PhD

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Heart of the Matter - Ask the Experts

"Does the drugs-to-avoid list mean you must always avoid those drugs or can you take some with a physician's guidance?" Posted Jun 13, 2012.

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Relationship between Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

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Heart of the Matter - Ask the Experts

"When are they going to know what mutations are dangerous and which ones will never have an event?" (posted April 2012)

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Michael J. Ackerman, MD, PhD SADS 2012 Conference

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Mayo Clinic Led Study on Long QT Syndrome Sheds Light on Genetic Testing

Results of a Long QT Syndrome study in the current issue of Circulation play an important role in understanding genetic testing's role in diagnosing disease, according to the senior author, Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., the Mayo Clinic pediatric cardiologist who directs Mayo's Long QT Syndrome Clinic and is the director of the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory.

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Long QT Syndrome (or not) - Part 1

Ronda King’s newborn son, Trevor, was diagnosed with a fatal heart rhythm problem and maybe the youngest patient to ever receive a cardiac pacemaker/defibrillator. Mrs. King describes the experience of bringing her son to see Mayo Clinic pediatric cardiologist, Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., for a second opinion.

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Long QT Syndrome (or not) - Part 2

Ronda King’s newborn son, Trevor, was diagnosed with a fatal heart rhythm problem and maybe the youngest patient to ever receive a cardiac pacemaker/defibrillator. Mrs. King describes the experience of bringing her son to see Mayo Clinic pediatric cardiologist, Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., for a second opinion.

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Warning Institution-Wide QT Alert System

In a video originally posted on TheHeart.org | Medscape Cardiology, Michael J Ackerman, MD, PhD, reviews the results of an institution-wide QT-alert warning system, the first of its kind.

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Institution-Wide QT Alert System Identifies Patients with High Risk of Mortality

Dr. Michael Ackerman, the Windland Smith Rice Cardiovascular Genomics Research Professor and Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Pharmacology, and Dr. Pedro Caraballo, Assistant Professor of Medicine from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, assess the outcome of a study appearing in the April 2013 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings regarding the development of an institution-wide QT alert system and the mortality rates across diverse patient populations throughout Mayo Clinic's inpatient and outpatient practice whose electrocardiogram prompted an alert because of marked QT interval prolongation.

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