What is POTS?
POTS is a debilitating disorder that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, fainting, fatigue and light-headedness, and is often triggered by standing up after lying down.
The condition is caused by a reduction in the circulation of blood to the heart and dysfunction in the nervous system response to the body standing up. This results in the heart racing to compensate for the reduced blood supply to the heart and brain.
How a heart failure drug affects POTS
Researchers used a randomised trial to investigate the effect ivabradine (a heart failure drug) has on heart rate, quality of life and plasma norepinephrine levels in 22 patients with hyperadrenergic POTS.