Hello doctor,
Yes, I have a few young deaths in my family on my dads side . All cardiac related. An uncle age 35, his son age 34 and my great grandfather age 28. The Andersens comes from my mothers side so I almost wonder if we got hit with two long QT genetic defects.
Dear Laurie,
It worries me as well. Is there a family history of sudden death? If yes then I would definately check his QT interval on the ECG and consider him for EP testing and possibly an ICD. It is not an easy decision and is somewhat of a judgement call so he should be sure to see someone with experience in this area. A heart rate of 45 can be normal in an athletic individual but he may need additional work-up. Let us know how things turn out.