TY - JOUR T1 - Hypocalcaemia, long QT interval and atrial arrhythmias JF - BMJ Case Reports DO - 10.1136/bcr.08.2009.2216 VL - 2010 SP - bcr0820092216 AU - Sukhjinder Nijjer AU - Arjun K Ghosh AU - Simon William Dubrey Y1 - 2010/01/01 UR - http://casereports.bmj.com/content/2010/bcr.08.2009.2216.abstract N2 - Calcium has diverse roles in neuromuscular mechanisms. Within the cardiovascular system, hypocalcaemia is known to both impair myocardial contractility and prolong the QT interval, predisposing to ventricular arrhythmias. We present a case of chronic hypocalcaemia with prolonged QT interval associated with an atrial arrhythmia. Recent studies of congenital long QT syndrome suggest there is also a predisposition to atrial arrhythmias. Our case raises the hypothesis that acquired causes of long QT cause similar repolarisation abnormalities that predispose to atrial arrhythmias. ER -