The  mission of the Familial Heart Rhythm Center is to provide excellent clinical care, education, and access to research protocols for patients with Congenital Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) and other genetically based arrhythmia disorders.

The FHRC has conducted various studies involving hundreds of patients from multiple families. The extensive data collected from these studies is used to further our understanding of LQTS and other genetic arrhythmia disorders.

Because symptoms of these disorders can be unexpected and sometimes fatal, it is our hope to further scientific knowledge and to serve as an educational resource for patients, families, and medical professionals. 

Patient Services

The center cares for patients who have been diagnosed with or are concerned about the following:

• Long QT syndrome
• Short QT syndrome
• Brugada syndrome
• Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
• Hereditary cardiomyopathy

In addition, the center examines unexplained sudden death in young individuals.

Useful Links and Patient Resources

• The SADS Foundation (Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome)
• CARE: Cardiac Arrhythmias Research and Education Foundation 
• European Information Center for Long QT Syndrome
• University of Arizona Health Sciences Center's list of medications that prolong the QT interval

Center Leadership

Elizabeth S. Kaufman, MD
Attending Cardiac Electrophysiologist, MetroHealth Heart & Vascular Center
Director of the Familial Heart Rhythm Center
Professor of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Investigator for the International Long QT Registry
Office: 216-778-2349
View her physician profile.

The staff of FHRC consists of several health care professionals and is led by Elizabeth S. Kaufman, MD, founder and director of the FHRC. Dr. Kaufman is a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist and an Investigator for the International Long QT Registry. Dr. Kaufman has been practicing cardiac electrophysiology since 1991 at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. She played a significant role in the development of the electrophysiology program at MetroHealth. Along with her clinical practice, Dr. Kaufman has pursued her interests in congenital long QT syndrome and other genetic heart rhythm disorders, the prevention of sudden cardiac death, and noninvasive methods for assessing the risk of sudden cardiac death. Review some of her papers on Long QT syndrome.

Ongoing Studies and Funding

The FHRC is currently involved in continuing research on Long QT Syndrome and other genetic arrhythmia disorders. Recent studies of the FHRC have been funded by various organizations.

• Can Potassium Channel Blockade Resolve Phenotype/Genotype Discordance in Congenital Long QT Syndrome? Funded by The American Heart Association: Principal Investigator, Dr. Elizabeth Kaufman.
• Phenotype/Genotype Discordance in Congenital Long QT Syndrome Part I and II. Funded by The American Heart Association: Principal Investigator, Dr. Elizabeth Kaufman.
• Novel Noninvasive and Genetic Techniques to Refine the Diagnosis of the Long QT Syndrome and Related Familial Heart Rhythm Syndromes. Conducted in the General Clinical Research Center. Principal Investigator, Dr. Elizabeth Kaufman.