Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is an umbrella term for fast heart rhythms arising from the upper part of the heart.[2] This is in contrast to the other group of fast heart rhythms – ventricular tachycardia, which start within the lower chambers of the heart.[2] There are four main types of SVT: atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), and Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome.[2] The symptoms of SVT include palpitations, feeling of faintness, sweating, shortness of breath, and/or chest pain.[1]
These abnormal rhythms start from either the atria or atrioventricular node.[2] They are generally due to one of two mechanisms: re-entry or increased automaticity.[3] Diagnosis is typically by electrocardiogram (ECG), Holter monitor, or event monitor.[4] Blood tests may be done to rule out specific underlying causes such as hyperthyroidism, pheochromocytomas, or electrolyte abnormalities.[4]
A normal resting heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute. A resting heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute is defined as a tachycardia. During an episode of SVT, the heart beats about 150 to 220 times per minute.[9]
Specific treatment depends on the type of SVT[5] and can include medications, medical procedures, or surgery.[5] Vagal maneuvers, or a procedure known as catheter ablation, may be effective in certain types.[5] For atrial fibrillation, calcium channel blockers or beta blockers may be used for rate control, and selected patients benefit from blood thinners (anticoagulants) such as warfarin or novel anticoagulants.[5] Atrial fibrillation affects about 25 per 1000 people,[7] paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia 2.3 per 1000,[6] Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome 2 per 1000,[8] and atrial flutter 0.8 per 1000.[10]
^ ab"What Are the Signs and Symptoms of an Arrhythmia?". NHLBI. July 1, 2011. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
^ abcde"Types of Arrhythmia". NHLBI. July 1, 2011. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015.
^ abAl-Zaiti, SS; Magdic, KS (September 2016). "Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management". Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America. 28 (3): 309–316. doi:10.1016/j.cnc.2016.04.005. PMID 27484659.
^ abc"How Are Arrhythmias Diagnosed?". NHLBI. July 1, 2011. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015.
^ abcde"How Are Arrhythmias Treated?". NHLBI. July 1, 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
^ abKatritsis, Demosthenes G.; Camm, A. John; Gersh, Bernard J. (2016). Clinical Cardiology: Current Practice Guidelines. Oxford University Press. p. 538. ISBN 9780198733324. Archived from the original on 2016-10-02.
^ abZoni-Berisso, M; Lercari, F; Carazza, T; Domenicucci, S (2014). "Epidemiology of atrial fibrillation: European perspective". Clinical Epidemiology. 6: 213–220. doi:10.2147/CLEP.S47385. PMC 4064952. PMID 24966695.
^ abFerri, Fred F. (2016). Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2017. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 1372. ISBN 9780323448383. Archived from the original on 2016-10-02.
^"Supraventricular tachycardia – Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
^Bennett, David H. (2012). Bennett's Cardiac Arrhythmias: Practical Notes on Interpretation and Treatment. John Wiley & Sons. p. 49. ISBN 9781118432402. Archived from the original on 2016-10-02.
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of JET includes other forms of supraventriculartachycardia, most commonly atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). These can be distinguished...
abnormally fast rhythms (tachycardias), such as atrial fibrillation, supraventriculartachycardia and ventricular tachycardia. Many attempts have been...
pathology. Most automatic tachycardias are supraventriculartachycardias (SVT). It is important to recognize an automatic tachycardia because the treatment...
the previous T wave and one may confuse it with a paroxysmal supraventriculartachycardia or atrial flutter with a 2:1 block. Ways to distinguish the three...
as a radical in the radical SAM enzymes. In individuals with supraventriculartachycardia (SVT), adenosine is used to help identify and convert the rhythm...
reciprocating tachycardia (PJRT) is a rare cardiac arrhythmia. It is a supraventriculartachycardia, and a cause of atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT)...
risk of heart failure, dementia, and stroke. It is a type of supraventriculartachycardia. High blood pressure and valvular heart disease are the most...
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be useful in ruling out a concomitant supraventriculartachycardia mechanism. Inappropriate sinus tachycardia is a diagnosis of exclusion that is rarely...
maneuver) can be used to distinguish between ventricular tachycardia and supraventriculartachycardia by slowing the rate of conduction at the SA or AV nodes...
and is sometimes useful for differentiating supraventriculartachycardia (SVT) from ventricular tachycardia. Like the valsalva maneuver, it is a treatment...
muscles as if to bear down to have a bowel movement. Patients with supraventriculartachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and other illnesses may be trained to perform...