Supraventricular tachycardia

Description

A very fast or erratic heartbeat that affects the heart's upper chambers.

Overview

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a type of irregular heartbeat. During SVT, the heart beats about 150 to 220 times a minute. Heart failure, heart disease, thyroid disease and some medicines may raise the risk of SVT. So might too much caffeine or alcohol use, smoking, and drug misuse.

Symptoms

The main symptom of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a very fast heartbeat. The fast heartbeat may come and go suddenly. Other symptoms may include a fluttering or pounding feeling in the chest, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, and fainting or near fainting. Some people don't have symptoms.

Treatments

Most people with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) don't need treatment. Others may need lifestyle changes, medicines, or treatments to reset the heart rhythm or block faulty heart signals that cause the irregular heartbeat.