Supraventricular Tachycardia

Hello Toniaw.
I am 57, male and I recently wore a Zio monitor for 6 days. I have been suffering with PACs and PVCs for 20 years and in the past four months, they have become much worse. Three ER trips and I have been working with an electrophysiologist. Now, when I wore the Zio in 2021, below are my results. My cardiologist said that everything was normal and SVTS do happen and in the absence of structural heart disease, there is nothing to worry about.
They have also told me that even having PAC burden of 10% is okay. Sadly, I am one of the few who can feel almost everyone of them and they are very scary. BUT....again, my cardio keeps telling me that I am fine!

I still get the occasional SVT where my heart will accelerate for about 2-3 seconds and then get back to normal. My cardio told me not to worry about, but it happens maybe once a month. They are scary, but again, the cardio told me not to worry about it.

2 Supraventricular Tachycardia runs occurred, the run with the fastest
interval lasting 5 beats with a max rate of 120 bpm, the longest lasting 5
beats with an avg rate of 93 bpm. Supraventricular Tachycardia was detected
within +/- 45 seconds of symptomatic patient event(s).

Hi Toniaw, I am a bit familure with short runs of Tachycardia. I did not have the Supre part but mine was Ventricular Tachycardia. Based on the length of time your heart was in the increased heart rate I would say you Doctor is correct. Yes it feels unconfutable, but your Heart was able to correct itself. When either medicine or a pacemaker is called for would b when your heart can not correct the tachycardia, or it gets going so fast that no blood is flowing. As an example, when my heart would get up near 200 bpm and would last more than a few minutes is when I needed help from my pacemaker to bring it down. It typically would do it first by trying to pace my heart to help correct the bad rhythm and if that did not work a defibulator would shock my heart back into rhythm. So, if you're under the care of a Cardiologist who specializes with this type of heart Condition known as a Electro Physiologist of EP for short. and also, under that area they usually further specialize in either Tachycardia or AFIB which is more about the upper heart chambers.
I might mention that for short episodes that still feel terrible I've had some success with either intense coughing or what they call pelvic floor muscle compression ( this is tightening the muscle that controls bowel movement and lots of Pregnant women also will do this exercise to get ready for child birth) can actually kind of reset the heart rhythm, I would also try to relax and maybe lie down would also relax me and allow the episode to pass. I found if at least I had some things I could do helped me to feel more relaxed and help get the period to pass. Some other things to consider when talking with your regular doctors is there are some minerals that help heart rhythm, Magnesium and Potassium are important to good heart rhythm, but I would suggest getting those evaluated by labs before just adding to your diet as too much also have their problem areas. Please let me know if I can help further as I had these rhythm problems for about 10 years prior to my heart transplant. My particular heart problem got to the point that all other treatments were becoming unsuccessful which Im glad that there are always alternatives.

Had similar results with monitor. Ablation didn’t help (though it did help Afib). I’m just living with it as I did not tolerate any of the heart meds they tried. I do take a daily baby ASA to help prevent stroke.

I've had supra ventricular tachycardia for about 30 years. About six years ago, I wore an internatl monitor for 6 months and after that 2 more external for a few weeks. My beats have gone to the 180 range too. So far, no meds, and I usually quickly get out of it. It is scary though. Sometimes, when it happens, I'll have a sudden feeling of "going out" but then I kick back in. I hope you are doing okay. I find it's worse at night.

Hi…
I am 70 and have had SVT since my 20’s. Mine is always triggered by exercise and I get it about 6 times a year. I take inderal when it starts and it usually lasts 20-40 minutes. I have to sit or lay down while I am in it. I am seen by a cardiologist and recently saw an electrophysiologist. Definitely worth seeing the electrophysiologist, confirming the diagnosis, and having a plan to manage it. Ablation may be an option. No have chosen not to have an ablation as it is rare and responds to inderal. Unlike PAT, SVT does not out you at risk for stroke.

I have experience with most of what has been accurately written here, so I do not have much to add. However, after dealing with VT and ICD shocks every 2-3 years for 15 years along with 5 ablation procedures, I was asked to undergo genetic testing. My initial diagnosis was myocarditis from a virus (probably not stating that optimally), but it turns out that I have LMNA Cardiomyopathy with no other heart failure symptoms. In other words, a gene mutation. The genetic test has only become available in the last 7-10 years, and there are many different types of genetic issues to test for. I suggest those suffering from various forms of VT for a long period to seek out genetic testing or at least ask your Cardiologist/Heart Failure Doctor/EP. This diagnosis has moved me from treating symptoms that would possibly end my life (progressive disease) to now having a solution - a heart transplant. From my research, Mayo Clinic is incredible in this area even though I am being treated in a different hospital system. Hope this is useful.

Hello @toniaw,

I see that you posted in September about the results of your monitor. Has your doctor offered you any suggestions for meds or other treatments?

rr967, I have the same feeling of feeling everything. I think once they start and you have problems your mind stays tune to any PVC, PAC that happens. I know when I get a couple of PVCs together I tense up and wait to see if rectifies.

It is not the thing I should do as that just causing more stress in your mind and body and not the thing to do when you get PACs and PVCs.

Dana,
This is great information and so close to what I have experience over the decades. I have had a ICD/Pacemaker since 2006 and on my 3rd Boston Scientific device. I go through the same things when heart goes into VT with the trying to pace me out of it and does not work a shock. I have been told that the valsalva technique is also a technique and the one you mentioned. I have used the strong coughing when device is trying to pace me out and has worked .

It is great advice to say check with your doctor and labs before adding supplements. I was advised recently (Mayo EP) to take magnesium but was already taking. I had been reading on MCC about potassium helping also but when I checked with my EP/PA she said that my labs showed upper level of potassium and woud not recommend taking a supplement.

I started having some problems with VT and shocks back in January when I had pace clinic turn on my exercise function in my pacemaker. I had never had this function on with 3 devices. It seemed that the VT and shocks started again at same time I had them turn this on where I was getting VT and shock about once a year before then.

I am not in anyway a doctor or expert on this but I said to myself what has changed, what am I doing different to cause this. So I asked PC clinic to turn off the exercise mode and sure enough the VT and shocks stopped where I was getting them once a week.

Maybe had nothing to do with it or just mental stress worrying about exercise mode causing it. Appreciate your information and being a mentor.

I have had it since my twenties. Iam now 78. I notice with mine that when Iam not active I will notice it more. If I get active my heartbeat will often smooth out.