Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is a heart condition caused by abnormal electrical pathways in the atria. It can cause a very fast heartbeat, anxiety, and rapid breathing. Treatment options include cardioversion and cardiac ablation. People with a rapid heartbeat should seek medical attention to determine the cause.
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is a heart condition that describes when people have sudden abnormal heart rhythms that are usually caused by unusual electrical pathways in the atria. More specifically, paroxysmal is defined as a sudden attack or event, supraventricular refers to abnormal electrical pathways and signals above the ventricles, and tachycardia means a very fast heartbeat. This condition can be benign and require no treatment, but people who experience many episodes of PSVT may need a variety of interventions or treatments. These depend on the degree to which PSVT interferes with daily life, as some people may not be aware they have the condition, even though episodes of rapid heartbeat occur frequently.
There can be several causes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. One possible cause is a medical condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, in which people have an extra electrical pathway in the AV node. In other cases, unusual electrical signals occur elsewhere in the atria and are not classified as a syndrome. Either way, the heart sends signals to the atria to beat faster than it should.
People don’t always realize they have episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, even if the heart beats very fast, between 150-250 beats per minute. An episode can be so short that it goes unnoticed. Other people notice this condition, have longer episodes lasting a few hours, and may experience things like palpitations.
Other symptoms of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia include anxiety and rapid breathing. Some people confuse PSVT with panic attacks. Though rarer, the condition has also been associated with symptoms such as tiredness, dizziness, or some people fainting, particularly if the episode is very long.
An episode of PSVT usually clears up in a couple of hours, but some people may require treatment to put an end to their racing heart. This can include maneuvers such as cardioversion, in which electric shocks are given to the heart to diverge from the path of the abnormal rhythm. Cardioversion treats the episode but does not cure paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. To treat the disease more consistently, other strategies are being considered.
As mentioned, if the episodes are short and not too bothersome, PSVT may not need to be treated. On the other hand, some people are very uncomfortable with the episodes and these people need medical help. Doctors might start by giving you medications that can help control your heart rhythm.
If medications are ineffective, another option is to try cardiac ablation. This is done as part of a catheterization. Electrophysiologists use radiofrequency waves to remove any abnormal pathways they can find. While not successful in all cases, many people are helped with this PSVT treatment.
It is impossible to know the cause of a rapid heartbeat when it first occurs. Given the potentially serious causes, anyone with a rapid heart rate, with no clear cause such as being in the midst of strenuous aerobic exercise, needs to discuss this matter with a doctor. There are other causes besides PSVT that are generally not as benign and these require immediate medical attention.
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