Supraventricular tachycardia

Question 1

What is supraventricular tachycardia?

Answer 1

Any tachycardia that is not ventricular in origin

Question 2

What are the types of supraventricular tachycardia?

Answer 2

Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT)
Atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT)
Atrial tachycardias

Question 3

What is Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT)?

Answer 3

tachycardia caused by a dysfunctional AV node that contains two electrical pathways

Question 4

What is Atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT)?

Answer 4

tachycardia caused by an accessory pathway between the atria and ventricles (i.e. Wolff parkinson white, due to bundle of Kent)

Question 5

What are the clinical features of supraventricular tachycardia?

Answer 5

Palpitations, dizziness, chest pain, dyspnea, syncopes
Urinary urgency (due to ANP release)

Question 6

How is supraventicular tachycardia diagnosed?

Answer 6

ECG

Question 7

What is the treatment for supraventicular tachycardia?

Answer 7

(Asymptomatic patients = no medical intervention)
(Acute) vagal manoeuvres: e.g. Valsalva manoeuvre, carotid sinus massage
intravenous adenosine
electrical cardioversion
(Prevention) Radio-frequency ablation
Beta-blockers