Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

All about SVT or PSVT

I have experienced SVT or maybe PSVT for the past 7 or 8 years.  Mine feels like an apple is suddenly stuck in my throat and my heart is rinsing out of my chest.  My pulse will race as well.  I get this maybe once every two months on average for several minutes and do the maneuvers to stop it.  Mine starts out of the blue and ends gradually.  

First of all, what percentage of the population feels these?  And if you get them, what do yours feel like?  Anything like I have described?  What do you do to stop them or control them?  Have you noticed any triggers because I have not, other than maybe overeating, but not even then.  Also, do they always increase with age?  I would not like that.
6 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
12492606 tn?1459874033
Glad to hear that you were able to catch it with the holter and then have it ablated, most probably successfully as success rate in the high 90's (WPW assuming that is what you had) and low complications in experienced centers.  There is definitely a bias against females when it comes to early detection and intervention.  I see it in AF ablation statistics all the time.  Females get treated at a later stage of disease progression and end up with more difficult cases to treat compared to males.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am a 39 year old female and I have had these symptoms for 21 years. Never triggered by stress, fear, anger or anything of that nature. Usual triggers  are coughing  or  pressure on my chest . 300 beats a minute  for sometimes up to 2 hours . I was so sick and tired of people telling me that I was having panic attacks. Insanity.Just recently, I went to my general practitioner. She suggested a holter monitor. I just laughed because no one has ever caught these episodes before. After wearing a holter monitor for one week two episodes were recorded. I was immediately diagnosed with PSVT. I couldn't believe it finally a diagnosis. I was then put on a beta blocker although I've never had high blood pressure. I was then referred to a cardiologist and then to an electrophysiologist. In less than a week of seeing the electrophysiologist I had a catheter ablation performed. Minimally invasive procedure. I feel great no palpitations thus far and the procedure was done 4 days ago. Wish me luck because my palpitations could occur weekly monthly or yearly. I will feel better in about a month having had no symptoms. Keep in mind once you see the correct doctors this procedure can be handled in a very short period of time and has a very high success rate. Good luck to all
Helpful - 0
1423357 tn?1511085442
As a fellow T2D, I can understand how upset you are with your numbers.  I've found since I started testing 4X/day is the numbers can move all over depending on how you feel. My seasonal allergies kicked in last weekend, and my BS jumped 15 points.  The drugs you take do have an effect on your numbers as well.  There are a number of different drugs used to control SVT.  Some experimentation with types and strengths may be necessary to see which one works best for your SVT and messes least with you BS numbers.  Of course there's also non-medicinal route where the cause of the SVT is pinpointed and destroyed.  Many of us here have taken this path instead of messing with the drugs and their side effects.  Keep monitoring that BS, and give it a little time for things to settle down.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
  I've been reading some of the postings; I have had 2 episodes
"out of the blue"??? of SVT. (3months apart)  both lasted longer
than 1 hr.   I was "freaked out of my mind" with both actually---
so......I opted to get to the closest ER!  with the second episode--
my cardiologist started me on Flecainide (50mg x q 12hrs)
I am a diabetic typeII and  have RA. (on celebrex 200mg and
humira)   So far (only been 2-3days) my BP and blood sugar have
been ALL OVER the scale!!    really 'scary'.
Helpful - 0
1423357 tn?1511085442
I am sorry, I saw the thread titled "Visit to EP" and thought you started that one.  Still, my advice is good to remember.
Helpful - 0
1423357 tn?1511085442
The terms SVT and PSVT are interchangeable and mean the same.  Paroxsysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia, or just SVT starts and end abruptly.  By this I mean that it doesn't ramp up and ramp down.  The pulse rate literally changes in one beat; from perhaps 70 to over 200 in one beat, and return to sinus rhythm the same way.  If the rate slowly decreases to normal, my guess is that you have something other than SVT.  A standard Holter monitor is usually not enough time to capture an event.  Most of us sufferers have worn 30 day monitors which give a much longer time to capture a "paroxsysmal" event.  In the 54 years that I had (note past tence) mine, I converted an episode by holding my breath and bearing down; a Valsalva maneuver.  My episodes always felt the same: my heart felt higher in my chest, and I had a tightness in that area.  I could also see the skin directly under the sternum pulsing to the ultra fast rhythm.  Have you attempted to count the beats when you have an event?  Knowing data like this will help the professional in diagnosing your problem. I read your other post too, and can tell you that you should know when you have an actual event versus a stomach or intestinal flip-flop.  If you think that you're not being diagnosed properly, see another professional.  I feel that sometimes, after a physician sees you an number of times and develops a diagnosis, it's often hard to get them to look at another possibility.  Good luck!
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Heart Rhythm Community

Top Arrhythmias Answerers
1807132 tn?1318743597
Chicago, IL
1423357 tn?1511085442
Central, MA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Are there grounds to recommend coffee consumption? Recent studies perk interest.
Salt in food can hurt your heart.
Get answers to your top questions about this common — but scary — symptom
How to know when chest pain may be a sign of something else
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.