Home / Health / Student's Lived Experience Fuels POTS Research Breakthrough
Student's Lived Experience Fuels POTS Research Breakthrough
20 May
Summary
- University of Calgary study offers new insights into long-term POTS outcomes.
- Nearly half of patients experienced symptom improvement with treatment or time.
- Kate Bourne, diagnosed at 24, aims to improve POTS care for others.
University of Calgary medical student Kate Bourne is spearheading new research into postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a neurological disorder she was diagnosed with at age 24. Her lived experience informs a study examining long-term patient outcomes.
The research, involving 44 patients diagnosed over two decades ago, found that POTS symptoms rarely resolve completely. However, a significant positive finding was that almost half of the participants reported symptom improvement over time with various interventions.
Bourne, now 36, faced a 12-year diagnostic delay for her own POTS symptoms, which began at age 12. Her career goal is to become a doctor and researcher dedicated to POTS, aiming to prevent other young women from enduring similar challenges.
Dr. Satish Raj, a professor involved in the study, highlighted the importance of these findings. He emphasized that while the condition often persists, the substantial improvement seen in nearly half of patients offers hope and underscores the need for effective medical interventions.
