Seizures following hippocampal kindling induce QT interval prolongation and increased susceptibility to arrhythmias in rats.

The prolonged seizures of status epilepticus produce chronic arrhythmogenic changes in cardiac function. This study was designed to determine if repeated, self-limiting seizures administered to kindled rats induce similar cardiac dysfunction. Multiple seizures administered to rats following hippocampal kindling resulted in cardiac QT interval prolongation and increased susceptibility to experimental arrhythmias. These data suggest that multiple, self-limiting seizures of intractable epilepsy may have cardiac effects that can contribute to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).