Understanding POTS: What Is It and How Is It Diagnosed?
- posted: Jan. 10, 2025
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, more commonly known as POTS, is a circulatory disorder that affects between one and three million Americans, including children and adults. By understanding what it is and the diagnostic process, you can feel confident in your child's care and POTS treatment and be better prepared for an appointment at Pediatric & Adolescent Care in Gaithersburg, MD, which serves Rockville, MD, and the nearby region.
What's POTS?
POTS is a group of symptoms that occur when your child stands up; it causes their heart rate to rise. It's a circulatory and nervous system disorder because of autonomic nervous system dysfunction. While the body typically regulates a person's heart rate, breathing, etc., this disorder changes their heart rate whenever they stand.
Though testing is necessary to determine for certain, the heart is usually normal in a child with POTS. However, it may develop if your child has decreased blood circulation, higher levels of certain hormones, or blood pooling below the heart.
Gravity pulls blood downward when a person stands, but the nervous system responds to ensure the brain receives enough blood. The efforts to ensure this happens stop whenever the brain has enough oxygenated blood. However, if your child has this issue, more blood pools in the lower portion of their body, meaning less reaches the brain when standing.
How We Diagnose It
Whenever you arrive at our office in Gaithersburg, MD, and serving Rockville, MD, and the surrounding areas, we'll ask you questions about your child's symptoms and when they occur. This helps us know if POTS treatment is the right approach.
The main test we perform for this condition is a tilt table test, which involves placing your child on a movable table that changes position and posture. Throughout the test, a specialist from our practice will evaluate your child's blood pressure and heart rate.
Other potential testing includes:
- Urinalysis and blood tests to rule out other causes or determine the reason
- Skin nerve biopsy
- Autonomic breathing test
- Autonomic nerve test known as QSART
POTS Treatment
POTS treatment depends on the cause of your child's condition, if it's identifiable. In general, though, we may recommend lifestyle changes to help manage POTS spells. Sometimes, the treatment is medicine, counseling, or wearing compression stockings to promote better leg circulation.
Pediatric & Adolescent Care practitioners in Gaithersburg, MD, and serving Rockville, MD, and the neighboring communities can offer POTS treatment.
Call us at 301-869-2292 today.
Gaithersburg, MD, and Serving Rockville, MD.
Understanding POTS: What Is It and How Is It Diagnosed?
- posted: Jan. 10, 2025
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, more commonly known as POTS, is a circulatory disorder that affects between one and three million Americans, including children and adults. By understanding what it is and the diagnostic process, you can feel confident in your child's care and POTS treatment and be better prepared for an appointment at Pediatric & Adolescent Care in Gaithersburg, MD, which serves Rockville, MD, and the nearby region.
What's POTS?
POTS is a group of symptoms that occur when your child stands up; it causes their heart rate to rise. It's a circulatory and nervous system disorder because of autonomic nervous system dysfunction. While the body typically regulates a person's heart rate, breathing, etc., this disorder changes their heart rate whenever they stand.
Though testing is necessary to determine for certain, the heart is usually normal in a child with POTS. However, it may develop if your child has decreased blood circulation, higher levels of certain hormones, or blood pooling below the heart.
Gravity pulls blood downward when a person stands, but the nervous system responds to ensure the brain receives enough blood. The efforts to ensure this happens stop whenever the brain has enough oxygenated blood. However, if your child has this issue, more blood pools in the lower portion of their body, meaning less reaches the brain when standing.
How We Diagnose It
Whenever you arrive at our office in Gaithersburg, MD, and serving Rockville, MD, and the surrounding areas, we'll ask you questions about your child's symptoms and when they occur. This helps us know if POTS treatment is the right approach.
The main test we perform for this condition is a tilt table test, which involves placing your child on a movable table that changes position and posture. Throughout the test, a specialist from our practice will evaluate your child's blood pressure and heart rate.
Other potential testing includes:
- Urinalysis and blood tests to rule out other causes or determine the reason
- Skin nerve biopsy
- Autonomic breathing test
- Autonomic nerve test known as QSART
POTS Treatment
POTS treatment depends on the cause of your child's condition, if it's identifiable. In general, though, we may recommend lifestyle changes to help manage POTS spells. Sometimes, the treatment is medicine, counseling, or wearing compression stockings to promote better leg circulation.
Pediatric & Adolescent Care practitioners in Gaithersburg, MD, and serving Rockville, MD, and the neighboring communities can offer POTS treatment.
