SQTL and competitive sports: a challenge for medicine in Latin America

The QT interval, measured on the ECG, represented the time of ventricular depolarisation and repolarisation, and its prolongation indicated a risk of serious arrhythmias or sudden death. In athletes, this prolongation was sometimes observed as a physiological adaptation, although in certain cases it responded to pathologies such as Long QT Syndrome (LQTS). As competitive sport became more professional in Latin America, concerns grew about latent cardiac conditions, especially after sudden deaths in elite athletes. The diagnosis of prolonged QT required detailed evaluations, as intense training altered normal heart parameters. The lack of standardised protocols, systematic screening and access to advanced technology made it difficult to detect LQTS, increasing the risk in genetically susceptible populations. Despite some advances in education and partial reforms, inequalities in cardiac care persisted, making prolonged QT a medical and social challenge.