Ruby

[rubyh]

Hi everyone just after more info on svt arrhythmia.most appreciated.

[Lucy76]

Hi I've recently downloaded a booklet called ' Dealing with abnormal heart rhythms ' from the British heart foundation site - bhf.org.uk

I found it useful hopefully you will too . Good luck .

[rubyh in reply to Lucy76]

Thanks really useful.

[RichardE]

Hi, Arrhythmia Alliance have their own SVT leaflet available here too :

heartrhythmcharity.org.uk/w...

Hope that helps.

[rubyh]

Thanks.

[Devine75]

I had svt but two ablations later im svt free speak to your specialist about treatment. I blacked out with mine and was super symptomatic with them. Don't put up with it lots of meds available and I'd say yes to ablation if it's offered X

[stargazer61]

here is a mish-mash of some svt stuff i found quite useful

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a tachycardia involving the atrium and/or the atrioventricular node (AV node). SVT is caused by a reentry pathway in about 90% of patients and an irritable focus due to abnormal automaticity or triggered activity in the remaining 10% of patients.

Usually structural heart disease is not present in patients with SVT. Unless WPW is present, SVT is a nuisance and not life-threatening. Because of this, the treatment of SVT does not prolong life. The only other reason to treat SVT then is to prevent the patient from having symptoms from their tachycardia. There are rare patients who are in SVT at least 90% of the day with heart rates over 130 beats per minute. Such patients may develop a tachycardiomyopathy in which case treatment is mandatory.

heartracing.com - good info on svt and ablation)

Simply stated, an SVT is an arrhythmia that originates from above ("supra") the ventricle. This term encompasses a large number of arrhythmias and therefore the term "SVT" is only a general description, not a specific diagnosis. Most commonly, however, it refers to one of 3 commons types of arrhythmias, AV Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia, Atrial Tachycardia, and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

- See more at: cardiachealth.org/supravent...

An "extra nerve" exists in the heart of nearly all patients with SVT, which over time becomes active and causes fast heartbeat. Most cases of SVT are genetic. In other words, patients are born with this "extra nerve" in the heart but it may remain dormant for many years, often surfacing when patients reach their 20s and 30s. Rarely, some patients may be diagnosed for the first time in their 60s and 70s.

- See more at: cardiachealth.org/supravent...

Importantly, one must distinguish between the cause and the trigger for SVT. This is often a source of confusion for patients. While the "extra nerve" causes SVT, an attack of SVT may require certain triggers, which include caffeine, alcohol, some herbal medications, and some over-the-counter cold medications containing stimulants. Just because a large ice tea triggered an SVT attack, it does not mean that it caused the SVT. For, without the ice tea, the "extra nerve" is still present, just waiting for another trigger to cause another attack later.

- See more at: cardiachealth.org/supravent...

Most patients with SVTs usually have a benign clinical course. In other words, SVTs as a rule do not usually cause fatality. However, in some patients when heart rate reach very high level (above 250 bpm) serious consequences can occur, including fainting spells and Sudden Death. In some cases, heart failure can result from chronic uncontrolled rapid SVT.

- See more at: cardiachealth.org/supravent...

Most SVTs can be treated with medications but medications represent a temporizing measure, not a cure for the condition. For children or young adults, life-long therapy with medication(s) may not be reasonable. Ablation is the only curative treatment options for SVT. It works by selectively destroying the "extra nerve" via a minimally invasive procedure.

- See more at: cardiachealth.org/supravent...

I myself was put directly onto medication and put forward for ablation after one attack of svt. i came off the meds, cancelled the op and am 'waiting to see how i go'. For me, the medication gave me such a bad time i prefer to do without - but i have only had one attack (nov 2015) so i don't know how i would be approaching this after more than one attack. Fear is your worst enemy, anything which brings you stillness, peace, love, joy, humour, steady breath is your friend.