bambi86
03-18-2005, 03:09 PM
are svt's bad? what are they? im having tests at the moment, the longest mine have lasted so far (if thats what they are) is 35minutes. i get dizziness & left chest pain (around my shoulder/collarbone ares).
Sponsor
richdaws1984
03-20-2005, 06:39 AM
Hi, i have SVT myself.
There are many different types of SVT (supra ventricular tachycardia). Some of which are worse than others. You will probably find every doctor will tell you something different!
Basically SVT causes your heart to beat very fast. It is related to the electronics of your heart and the signals get confused causing it beat fast. Other common symptoms are dizzyness, chest, back and shoulder pain, strong thumping heart beat, etc...
An attack can last anywhere from a few seconds to many hours. (i know one person whose attack went on for 30 hours)
Your heart can also beat up to 300 times a minute during an attack.
It can be trigger by many things. Caffine, alcohol, chocolate, smoking are common triggers, hot baths, stretching, anxiety, stress are some others.
There is medication to help with the problem and if its gets so bad there is an operation where they zap out a section of the hearts electronics with radio waves. This abut 95% successfull.
Attacks can come dailly or you might only have 2 attacks the whole of your life!
The question "Are They Dangerous?" is one that i have had a different answer to every time.
Some say Yes they are dangerous as your heart shouldnt be beating this fast and advise you go to hospital immediatly. If your heart is beating so fast for long periods, then blood is not flowing to vital organs properly.
Some say that if an attack lasts more than 15 mintues then you should go to hospital.
Some say as soon as the chest pain sets in you should go to hospital.
And some say NO, its not dangerous and can actually be good exercise for the heart as long as it doesnt go on for hours and hours.
I take the safe option and go to hospital. I dont like the fact my heat is beating 3 time faster than it should when im sat down watching TV, not running the marathon!!!
Hope this helps a little. Im not too well up on the technical side of things maybe someone else can help on that.
Try searching on ****** for Supraventricular tachycardia, theres some good sites which explain all abut it.
God Luck - Rich
There are many different types of SVT (supra ventricular tachycardia). Some of which are worse than others. You will probably find every doctor will tell you something different!
Basically SVT causes your heart to beat very fast. It is related to the electronics of your heart and the signals get confused causing it beat fast. Other common symptoms are dizzyness, chest, back and shoulder pain, strong thumping heart beat, etc...
An attack can last anywhere from a few seconds to many hours. (i know one person whose attack went on for 30 hours)
Your heart can also beat up to 300 times a minute during an attack.
It can be trigger by many things. Caffine, alcohol, chocolate, smoking are common triggers, hot baths, stretching, anxiety, stress are some others.
There is medication to help with the problem and if its gets so bad there is an operation where they zap out a section of the hearts electronics with radio waves. This abut 95% successfull.
Attacks can come dailly or you might only have 2 attacks the whole of your life!
The question "Are They Dangerous?" is one that i have had a different answer to every time.
Some say Yes they are dangerous as your heart shouldnt be beating this fast and advise you go to hospital immediatly. If your heart is beating so fast for long periods, then blood is not flowing to vital organs properly.
Some say that if an attack lasts more than 15 mintues then you should go to hospital.
Some say as soon as the chest pain sets in you should go to hospital.
And some say NO, its not dangerous and can actually be good exercise for the heart as long as it doesnt go on for hours and hours.
I take the safe option and go to hospital. I dont like the fact my heat is beating 3 time faster than it should when im sat down watching TV, not running the marathon!!!
Hope this helps a little. Im not too well up on the technical side of things maybe someone else can help on that.
Try searching on ****** for Supraventricular tachycardia, theres some good sites which explain all abut it.
God Luck - Rich
jenn.e
03-21-2005, 10:22 PM
Some info I found.
What is a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)?
* Tachycardia means a fast heart rate.
* Supraventricular means 'coming from above the ventricle'.
* A small area in one of the atria may become more 'excitable' than usual and start to produce electrical impulses.
* A 'short circuit' in the electrical pathways of the heart may develop. One type is an abnormal extra pathway from the AV node through to the ventricles. This can make electrical impulses go round and round this section of the heart.
An episode of SVT usually starts suddenly for no apparent reason. It may last just a few minutes, but can last several hours. It then stops just as suddenly as it started. Rarely, an episode lasts longer than a few hours.
The time between episodes of SVT can vary greatly. In some cases, short bursts of SVT occur several times a day. At the other extreme, an episode of SVT may occur just once or twice a year. In most cases it is somewhere in between, and an episode ('paroxysm') of SVT occurs now and again.
What are the symptoms of a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)?
Symptoms last as long as the episode of SVT lasts. This may be seconds, minutes, hours or, rarely, longer. Symptoms include the following.
* Your pulse rate becomes 140 - 180 per minute. Sometimes faster.
* Palpitations (feeling your heart beat), dizziness, or 'feeling funny'.
* You may become breathless.
* If you have angina, then an angina pain may be triggered by an episode of SVT.
* You may have no symptoms, or are just 'aware' that your heart is beating fast.
* Sometimes your blood pressure may become low with too fast a heart rate, especially if it persists for several hours. Rarely, this may cause you to faint or collapse. This is more likely if you are older and have other heart or lung problems.
I hope this clears up some questions. I have had svt for 8 years and it has not done anything but annoy me. Now that I am pregnant though I have to go to the ER because the baby doesnt get enough blood/oxygen during my attacks. I have been told by the er docs if you are up around 200 bpm, and cant get it to break on your own, then go to the ER. Be aware that you may get a nasty scary shot if you go there. Its no fun. Good Luck
What is a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)?
* Tachycardia means a fast heart rate.
* Supraventricular means 'coming from above the ventricle'.
* A small area in one of the atria may become more 'excitable' than usual and start to produce electrical impulses.
* A 'short circuit' in the electrical pathways of the heart may develop. One type is an abnormal extra pathway from the AV node through to the ventricles. This can make electrical impulses go round and round this section of the heart.
An episode of SVT usually starts suddenly for no apparent reason. It may last just a few minutes, but can last several hours. It then stops just as suddenly as it started. Rarely, an episode lasts longer than a few hours.
The time between episodes of SVT can vary greatly. In some cases, short bursts of SVT occur several times a day. At the other extreme, an episode of SVT may occur just once or twice a year. In most cases it is somewhere in between, and an episode ('paroxysm') of SVT occurs now and again.
What are the symptoms of a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)?
Symptoms last as long as the episode of SVT lasts. This may be seconds, minutes, hours or, rarely, longer. Symptoms include the following.
* Your pulse rate becomes 140 - 180 per minute. Sometimes faster.
* Palpitations (feeling your heart beat), dizziness, or 'feeling funny'.
* You may become breathless.
* If you have angina, then an angina pain may be triggered by an episode of SVT.
* You may have no symptoms, or are just 'aware' that your heart is beating fast.
* Sometimes your blood pressure may become low with too fast a heart rate, especially if it persists for several hours. Rarely, this may cause you to faint or collapse. This is more likely if you are older and have other heart or lung problems.
I hope this clears up some questions. I have had svt for 8 years and it has not done anything but annoy me. Now that I am pregnant though I have to go to the ER because the baby doesnt get enough blood/oxygen during my attacks. I have been told by the er docs if you are up around 200 bpm, and cant get it to break on your own, then go to the ER. Be aware that you may get a nasty scary shot if you go there. Its no fun. Good Luck
queenmomma
08-29-2005, 10:06 PM
I started having ''episodes'' about a year ago. They usually lasted 1-5 minutes then just stopped. In April, after 45 minutes of 190+ heart rate, I went to the hospital and received the ''stop/start the heart'' shot. Scared me silly. Happened again in May and July. I have been to the doctor, who said I should have the abblation to burn out the ''extra'' heartbeat. My question, which no doctor has been able to answer, is what is wrong with my regular heartbeat that makes the svt ''kick in''? Doc said there is a 98-99% sucess rate, with worse-case scenario is death, or next-best is pacemaker. Have any of you received an answer from your doctor that explains why the attacks happen? I did a stress test and passed it, no episode. My doctor said that this is not lethal in and of itself, but it could ''wear out the heart'' with the rapid beating for long periods of time. Hmmm. He also said the medicine actually alters the ion and sodium paths within the heart, and take at least an hour to stop the rapid rate. Well, dang, do I pay the $20,000+ for the ablbation, or $150 month for the medicine. What do you think?
queenmomma
08-29-2005, 10:08 PM
I don't have dizziness, breathlessness or pains anywhere, just the rapid heartbeat. Doc says my heart is healthy and strong. ??????
Kathy C
08-29-2005, 10:18 PM
i have to respond here. I have SVT have had it for nearly 10 years. I fortunately do know what caused mine which is scar tissue in the heart from many heart surgeries.
SVT is not life threatening very annoying. When i first started with SVT my rates were 170's now they get as high as 220's. I usually wait for 20 minutes and then if they don't stop go to the hospital. I have once been out of rhythm for 84 hours before they took the paddles to me. They try drugs each time i go to Emerg and nothing works. I had an ablation in 2001 and it lasted for 2 1/2 months. Finally in 2003 I recieved a pacemaker. Then today I had the pacemaker turned off.
I would say try the drugs first and if you find you don't like them cause of side effects or it does little to aliviate the arrhythmias then try the Ablation. Ablations are not fool proof answers to fixing arrhythmias.
Hope this helps some.
Kathy
SVT is not life threatening very annoying. When i first started with SVT my rates were 170's now they get as high as 220's. I usually wait for 20 minutes and then if they don't stop go to the hospital. I have once been out of rhythm for 84 hours before they took the paddles to me. They try drugs each time i go to Emerg and nothing works. I had an ablation in 2001 and it lasted for 2 1/2 months. Finally in 2003 I recieved a pacemaker. Then today I had the pacemaker turned off.
I would say try the drugs first and if you find you don't like them cause of side effects or it does little to aliviate the arrhythmias then try the Ablation. Ablations are not fool proof answers to fixing arrhythmias.
Hope this helps some.
Kathy
Timber
08-29-2005, 11:04 PM
I have SVT too. Some things can trigger SVT in certain people who are prone to it - like sugar, caffeine, PMS, extreme anxiety, and unbalanced electrolytes. Try to avoid sugar, salt and caffeine, and see if it reduces the frequency of your episodes.
KathyC: Did the pacemaker work? Why did they turn it off? Why did they wait 84 hours to take the paddles to you? I thought cardioversion was very safe? At the ER where I'm from, they use it pretty quickly after drugs fail!
KathyC: Did the pacemaker work? Why did they turn it off? Why did they wait 84 hours to take the paddles to you? I thought cardioversion was very safe? At the ER where I'm from, they use it pretty quickly after drugs fail!
queenmomma
08-29-2005, 11:28 PM
The longest mine lasted was 2.5 hours before they gave me the shot. My ER never gave me a drug, just the shot, which is freaky because it stops then restarts the heart. Paddles?! EEEEEEEEE! Scary! So my doctor wants to do the expensive ablation procedure. What are the side effects of the drugs?
NeuroticHousewife
08-29-2005, 11:35 PM
Here is my super fun SVT story. About 2 years ago I was washing dishes. My heart all of a sudden jumped up to about 150. For many years when I felt 'weird' or my heart racing I was told it was just anxiety. A couple times in the ER they basically gave me a xanax and sent me home. So I took an ativan but it didnt help. I waited about 15 minutes and drove myself to the ER. When I got there my HR was about 160. This went on for about 4 hours. They were taking my BP in a sitting position and I almost passed out. My BP dropped to 50/30. They gave me fluids and watched me. My chest got really sore. I was scared outta my mind. Thought for sure it was the end. FINALLY they gave me propranolol and about 20 minutes later HR went down to 80. My God, what a relief. I didnt get ANY explanations that day. Dr seemed quite baffeled. I had 2 ekgs in the ER - noraml besides the rate. Wore a 24 hour halter that night. Had an echo the 2 days later and then a cardiologist told me I had SVT and likely had it for a long time..that it was probably that and not panic disorder for all those years. I had a really hard time with the diagnosis. Thought it was a death sentence no matter what they told me. Drs told me it was not dangerous and to stop worring. I was put on propranolol daily (still am and probably always will be) and my life changed for the better. Since then I still do have PVCs often enough, but havent had an SVT episode KNOCK ON WOOD. I have been told, and I pray it is true, that the med should work forever. I saw an EP Cardiologist and he said there is nothing to be ablated. Said it MAY have even been inappropriate sinus tachy. It bothers me that they cannot say FOR SURE what it is ya know? Anyway, here I am trying to come to terms with it. Trying to stop fearing a heart problem. I am always dreading another day like that one.
Can I ask..what is this shot you guys are referring to????
Can I ask..what is this shot you guys are referring to????
Timber
08-30-2005, 12:14 AM
Cheers, the shot is called Adenosine (or Adenocard). They give it by injection or IV (usually IV). It "resets" your heart by stopping and then re-starting it in a normal rhythm. It's a way to interrupt an episode of SVT. They inject it extremely quickly and you feel weird for about 10 seconds, and then your body clears the drug and you feel fine again. Not fun, but one or two doses usually ends the episode very quickly (within a minute).
Kathy C
08-30-2005, 12:27 PM
My pacer was only working about 50% of the time and was not terminating rhtyhms at the rates of 190's and up because of saftey issues. I had been told it stopped detecting my rates back in Nov 2004 which was just a little over a year after implant. I have been on several different drugs all with unpleasent side effects. I did have an ablation and it lasted 2 1/2 months. I amat the end of my options right now so stopping th drugs and turning the pacer off is a trial to see what will actually happen ( how much i really need the pacer).
Cardioversions are very safe. This particular time i was in a very slow rate rhythm (my heart rate was only 60 but it was the pattern that was the problem. Which can not de diagnosed over the phone no matter how good you are) and with it being a week end (friday night) they "prefer" not to do cardioversions with skeleton staff just incase.
I ended up on Sunday going to the hospital where my Cardiologist is and Monday morning got the zapped so it was like 84 hours from the time it started to the time they converted me and man did i hurt.
Kathy
Cardioversions are very safe. This particular time i was in a very slow rate rhythm (my heart rate was only 60 but it was the pattern that was the problem. Which can not de diagnosed over the phone no matter how good you are) and with it being a week end (friday night) they "prefer" not to do cardioversions with skeleton staff just incase.
I ended up on Sunday going to the hospital where my Cardiologist is and Monday morning got the zapped so it was like 84 hours from the time it started to the time they converted me and man did i hurt.
Kathy