Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)

What is Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)?

Heart rate > 100 beats per minute.

Occurs in the upper chambers of the heart. The electrical signals occur abnormally and speed up the heart rate.

Symptoms of SVT:

• Fast palpitations
• A bounding pulse sensation in the neck
• Weakness
• Chest discomfort
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Sweating
• Fainting
• Nausea
  

How is SVT Diagnosed?

An ECG us needed to make the diagnosis.

Treatment?

Vagal maneuvers: Coughing or holding your nostrils closed while attempting to blow air through your nose.

Medications:

• Rate control drugs
• Medication to restore the normal rhythm

Cardioversion:

• Delivering shock energy to the heart, through patches or paddles to restore the normal heart rhythm.

Catheter ablation:

• A procedure performed by a heart rhythm specialist.
• Thin, flexible tubes called catheters through the veins usually in the groin. Sensors on the tip of the catheter use heat or cold energy to create tiny scars in the heart to block irregular electrical signals and restore a typical heartbeat.