Question
How should clinicians fundamentally define POTS?
Answer
POTS must be understood primarily as a condition of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) rather than just a collection of downstream symptoms. Formally characterized by orthostatic intolerance when moving from supine to standing, it results in tachycardia and a cluster of symptoms rooted in autonomic dysregulation. Instead of treating POTS as a static label, clinicians should investigate what is causing the ANS to lose balance and how to help the system regulate more effectively. Because the syndrome is heterogeneous by nature, understanding the specific etiology for each patient is key to moving beyond simple symptom management.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome: What Occupational Therapy Practitioners Should Know, presented by Scott Cheatham, PhD, DPT, OCS, ATC, CSCS.
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