Supraventricular Tachycardia

Supraventricular tachycardias generally have a benign prognosis, especially if there is no other significant heart disease known. The difficulties and symptoms arise from the high heart rate, which can rarely lead to collapse.

What is supraventricular tachycardia?

Physiological (resting) heart rate ranges between 60-100/minute. Supraventricular tachycardia (abbreviated as SVT) refers to a condition where there is a sudden rise in heart rate above 100/minute (commonly above 150-200/minute). The condition very often begins unexpectedly from full health, lasts seconds, minutes, even tens of minutes, and ends spontaneously, suddenly. In cardiology, we distinguish a large number of different SVTs. In the vast majority of cases, these are benign rhythm disorders that only bother and are unpleasant for their carriers – rapid heart rate, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, even pre-collapse states.

What causes supraventricular tachycardia?

Very simply, the principle is the abnormal activation of the atria of the heart. Some predispositions may be congenital, others develop during life. Supraventricular tachycardias occur at any age and are more often detected in women. The first episodes of palpitations may already occur in adolescents.

What are the risks of supraventricular tachycardia?

Supraventricular tachycardias generally have a benign prognosis, especially if there is no other significant heart disease known. The difficulties and symptoms arise from the high heart rate, which can rarely lead to collapse.

What is the treatment for supraventricular tachycardia?

Treatment can be divided into acute, which is during the rapid rhythm disorder – from various so-called vagal maneuvers to the administration of special intravenous medications to stop the arrhythmia, and chronic treatment, which involves eliminating the rhythm disorder using special catheters (technically called catheter ablation). This procedure is safe and has a very high long-term success rate.

What should I do if I am diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia?

It is advisable to inform your treating physician or cardiologist about the finding. Based on the documented ECG recording and the patient's difficulties, the physician will choose the optimal treatment approach, including, for example, the indication for catheter ablation.

If you feel unwell in any way, consider consulting a doctor immediately, regardless of the MyKARDI measurement results. An ECG recording from the chest strap cannot detect a myocardial infarction or generally deteriorating blood supply to the heart. A negative finding does not indicate the reason for any chest pain.

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